Raytheon Puts Aircraft Carrier Combat System Through Live-Fire Test

Raytheon has completed the first live-fire test of a new ship self defense system for the lead ship of the U.S. Navy’s new class of aircraft carriers.

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The company said Tuesday the Integrated Combat System was tested aboard USS Gerald R. Ford and engaged an unmanned aerial vehicle target off the coast of California.

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The system features a set of Raytheon’s technologies, including a dual band radar, cooperative engagement capability, ship self defense system and an evolved SeaSparrow missile. 

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The technologies allowed the new combat system to search and track the target, fuse data from multiple sensors for tracking accuracy and obtain data for engagement.  

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Mike Fabel, a Raytheon SSDS program manager, said the successful test puts Ford “one step closer to operational testing and deployment."

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Raytheon plans to conduct more system live fire events as part of the ship’s subsequent developmental and operational testing in 2019.