General Atomics

RTX’s Raytheon completes first PhantomStrike flight test

RTX's Raytheon has successfully completed the first flight test of its PhantomStrike radar on its Multi-Program Testbed aircraft.



Above: Raytheon has successfully completed the first flight test of its PhantomStrike radar on its Multi-Program Testbed aircraft.
Courtesy RTX


The flight test of PhantomStrike in Ontario, California, successfully tracked several airborne targets and accurately mapped the terrain.

PhantomStrike is a first-of-its-kind fully air-cooled, fire-control radar that’s designed to provide long-range threat detection, tracking and targeting. At nearly half the cost of a typical fire control radar, it delivers superior radar capability due to its faster, more agile digital beam, advanced target detection and resistance to jamming.

Bryan Rosselli, president of Advanced Products and Solutions at Raytheon said: "The threat environment is evolving, and this test demonstrates how PhantomStrike can make enhanced situational awareness available to a broader set of our partners and allies – offering unparalleled performance and potential US weapons integration – at an affordable price.

"This next-generation radar dramatically changes how we identify and respond to threats."

PhantomStrike is a gallium nitride (GaN) powered radar that enables aircrew to see farther. It is designed for a range of platforms, including uncrewed and light-attack aircraft, fighter jets, helicopters and ground-based towers. It harnesses the fire control power of a fighter in its lightest form factor ever – weighing nearly half of a modern active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

Production of the radars takes place in Forest, Mississippi, Tucson, Arizona and Scotland, with support from Raytheon UK.

Related

Micro Spring & Presswork achieves JOSCAR accreditation
3D printing
Micro Spring & Presswork achieves JOSCAR accreditation
Micro Spring & Presswork (MSP) has gained JOSCAR accreditation, a recognised supplier qualification system used throughout the defence, aerospace and security sectors.
Pilot fatigue raises fresh concerns over European aviation safety
Cockpit
Pilot fatigue raises fresh concerns over European aviation safety
A recent survey has found that 24% of European pilots usually continue flying rather than declare themselves unfit for duty due to fatigue.
Aerospace

28 Oct 2026

MAAS Aviation appoints Edwin Poldermans as Head of MRO
Edwin Poldermans
MAAS Aviation appoints Edwin Poldermans as Head of MRO
With over 30 years of aviation and aerospace experience, Edwin Poldermans has joined MAAS Aviation to help drive expansion of the MRO side of its aircraft painting service.
Aerospace Member News

27 Oct 2026

Getac targets defence edge AI demand with new B360X rugged notebooks
Getac B360X Pro for military use.
Getac targets defence edge AI demand with new B360X rugged notebooks
From disaster zones and military exercises to remote industrial sites, Getac’s latest rugged notebooks put powerful AI computing directly into users’ hands, even when the cloud is out of reach.
Navantia UK increases nationwide apprenticeship scheme
Navantia UK Ministers visit to Methil yard in Fife.
Navantia UK increases nationwide apprenticeship scheme
As government ministers visited its Methil yard in Fife, Navantia UK announced a major investment in its yards, workforce and future skills, substantially increasing its recruitment of apprentices across its UK operations.
Defence Member News

29 Oct 2026

UK, Poland agree to expand military production and boost NATO readiness
Image: Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND)
UK, Poland agree to expand military production and boost NATO readiness
The UK and Poland have agreed closer cooperation on missiles, drones and ammunition production under a new defence plan aimed at strengthening NATO's eastern flank.
Defence Security

29 Oct 2026

UK awards Astroscale £15m contract to develop orbital defence capabilities
Astroscale Awarded £15 million MOD Contract as UK Government Strengthens Focus on Resilience in Space
UK awards Astroscale £15m contract to develop orbital defence capabilities
The contract follows the publication of the UK’s new Space Strategy, which identifies defence and national security as priorities and calls for greater protection of the country's space infrastructure.
Defence Space

29 Oct 2026

Airbus awarded contract for additional Galileo satellites
Airbus G2 satellites
Airbus awarded contract for additional Galileo satellites
The additional Galileo satellites will benefit from existing Airbus manufacturing capabilities and feature advanced anti-jamming and anti-spoofing to safeguard Galileo’s signals, extending Europe's independent satellite navigation services for European security and defence.
UK space start-up completes cancer drug experiment aboard ISS after £9.8m funding boost
UK start-up space mission aims to transform cancer therapies
UK space start-up completes cancer drug experiment aboard ISS after £9.8m funding boost
UK start-up BioOrbit has completed a six-week ISS experiment to produce protein crystals that could make some cancer treatments suitable for home injections.
Space Test

28 Oct 2026

Getac targets defence edge AI demand with new B360X rugged notebooks
Getac B360X Pro for military use.
Getac targets defence edge AI demand with new B360X rugged notebooks
From disaster zones and military exercises to remote industrial sites, Getac’s latest rugged notebooks put powerful AI computing directly into users’ hands, even when the cloud is out of reach.
UK, Poland agree to expand military production and boost NATO readiness
Image: Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND)
UK, Poland agree to expand military production and boost NATO readiness
The UK and Poland have agreed closer cooperation on missiles, drones and ammunition production under a new defence plan aimed at strengthening NATO's eastern flank.
Defence Security

29 Oct 2026

UK Budget 2026: British AI security boosted by new data centre plans and £700m package
Artificial Intelligence AI Processor Chip on Futuristic Circuit Board with Digital Data Network
UK Budget 2026: British AI security boosted by new data centre plans and £700m package
The UK government’s 2026 Budget combines priority electrical grid access for critical data centres with £700m in AI investment to strengthen cyber security and sovereignty.
Security

28 Oct 2026