MDA Accepts Long Range Discrimination Radar From Lockheed Martin

The Missile Defense Agency will perform additional assessments on Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Discrimination Radar in preparation for the capability’s transition to the warfighters.

Lockheed recently transferred the LRDR, which has operated at the Clear Space Force Station since 2021, to the MDA following the completion of the DD250 final acceptance requirement.

The LRDR, operating in S band frequencies, is designed to search and track multiple ballistic missiles and other small objects over long distances and differentiate enemy warheads from non-lethal decoys, Lockheed Martin said.

The radar is integrated into the Missile Defense System and offers scalable, open systems architecture, allowing operators to update the system to counter future threats without the need for any hardware configuration.  

According to a report from The Defense Post, the MDA’s acceptance of the radar follows a recent long-range object tracking demonstration conducted alongside Japan’s evaluation of its Aegis System Equipped Vessel.

The report indicated that the 2021 deployment of the LRDR was intended to protect the United States from North Korean missile threats.