Raytheon delivers SPY-6 radar to future aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy


According to a PR published by Raytheon Missiles & Defense on July 18, 2022, the Raytheon Technologies business, has delivered SPY-6 radar arrays to the future U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the first aircraft carrier to receive the advanced radar.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Raytheon's SPY-6(V)3 radar (Picture source: Raytheon)


This delivery is the first of three for the aircraft carrier. Together, the three fixed-face radar arrays will form a SPY-6(V)3, also known as the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, which provides 360-degree coverage for the ship.

In addition to the proven multi-mission capabilities across the SPY-6 family, SPY-6(V)3 has unique features that meet the needs of an aircraft carrier, including weather mapping and air traffic control functionality.

The SPY-6 family of radars provides integrated air and missile defense for seven classes of ships. Its radar modular assemblies, known as RMAs, allow SPY-6 to be scalable and modular to support production for the U.S. and partner nations across all variants.

About the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy, the second in the Ford-class, is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2024. Two other Ford-class aircraft carriers are currently under construction at Newport News: Enterprise (CVN 80) and Doris Miller (CVN 81).

The Ford-class aircraft carriers are the first to be designed 100% digitally. Although the ships were designed in a digital environment, paper drawings are still used during the construction process.

The Ford-class also features new nuclear power plants, increased electrical power-generation capacity, allowance for future technologies, and reduced workload for sailors, translating to smaller crew size and reduced operating costs for the Navy.

The armament of the USS Gerald R. Ford-class consists of two RIM-162 ESSM launchers, two RIM-116 RAM, three Phalanx CIWS, and four M2 .50 Cal. (12.7 mm) machine guns.