Raytheon of RTX Wins Contract for Further Development of Next-Generation Software-Defined Radar Capabilities

ARLINGTON, VA (May 18, 2026) -- Raytheon, a business unit of RTX (NYSE: RTX), has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Office of Naval Research to further develop advanced radar software for next-generation naval radars.

Under this contract, Raytheon's advanced technology team will develop software that enables individual components of the radar to operate independently. This will allow a single radar to perform multiple missions simultaneously. By treating each component as a distinct "software-defined aperture," the radar can rapidly adapt to changing operational needs and better share congested frequency bands with commercial networks, such as 5G.

"The electromagnetic spectrum is more complex than ever, and our systems must operate intelligently within it," said Colin Whelan, president of Raytheon's Advanced Technology division. "By precisely controlling where and how we radiate energy through software, we are taking a significant step forward in leveraging software-defined apertures to meet evolving mission requirements."

This flexible, modular architecture builds on Raytheon's years of experience with software-defined aperture technology, enabling capability enhancements through software rather than hardware redesign. This approach allows radar performance to be adapted and expanded over time more rapidly, at a lower cost, and with reduced risk.

Upon completion of the software development, Raytheon will conduct a series of demonstrations to validate the independent control of radar modules and the resulting multi-mission and frequency-sharing capabilities. If successful, the technology is expected to transition to operational Navy radar systems.

About Raytheon

Raytheon, a business of RTX, provides advanced defense systems and technologies for government, allied, and partner organizations to defend national sovereignty and ensure security. For more than 100 years, Raytheon has been developing new capabilities and improving existing ones in areas such as integrated air and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonic systems, and missile defense across land, sea, air, and space.

About RTX

RTX is a leading aerospace and defense company with more than 180,000 employees globally. We are challenging the boundaries of science and technology to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Leveraging our industry-leading capabilities, we are driving advancements in aviation, designing integrated defense systems that enable mission success, and providing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing capabilities to help our customers address their most critical challenges. The company is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and reported sales exceeding $88 billion in 2025.