Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has completed the manufacturing of an Antenna Equipment Unit for the AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar. An integral part of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), the AN/TPY-2 searches, discriminates between threats and non-threats, acquires and tracks threat ballistic missiles.

AN/TPY-2 is a mobile X-band radar that helps protect the U.S., warfighters, and America's allies and security partners from the more than 6,300 ballistic missiles the Missile Defense Agency estimates are not controlled by the U.S., NATO, China or Russia.

The Antenna Equipment Unit is one of the four major components that comprise the AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar, and completing the AEU is critical to ensuring Raytheon delivers the ninth radar system to the Missile Defense Agency in early 2014.

"Because of the high demand from forces worldwide, Raytheon remains committed to maintaining its track record of delivering the AN/TPY-2 on cost and on schedule," said David Gulla, vice president of Global Integrated Sensors for Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business.

"The AN/TPY-2 has a record of flawless test performance and demonstrated capability against many classes of ballistic missiles; so it's important we get the system to those who need it."

The AN/TPY-2 may be deployed globally in either terminal or forward-based mode. In terminal mode, the AN/TPY-2 serves as the search, detect, track, discrimination and fire-control radar for the THAAD weapon system, enabling the THAAD missile to intercept and destroy threats.

In forward-based mode, the AN/TPY-2 cues the BMDS by detecting, discriminating and tracking enemy ballistic missiles in the ascent phase of flight.

AN/TPY-2 is a high resolution, mobile, rapidly deployable X-band radar capable of providing long-range acquisition, precision track, and discrimination of short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

+ AN/TPY-2 has performed flawlessly in both terminal and forward-based mode in all major tests.

+ On Oct. 25, 2012, two AN/TPY-2 radars - one terminal and one forward-based - participated in FTI-01, the MDA's largest and most complex exercise. In a complex raid scenario involving multiple targets, both radars met or exceeded all test objectives.

+ On April 15, 2011, a forward-based AN/TPY-2 extended the battlespace by enabling a Standard Missile-3 to launch on remote and intercept a separating intermediate-range ballistic missile.