Lockheed Martin Unveils TPY-4 Radar at DSEI 2025: A Leap in Long-Range Surveillance and Integrated Air Defense

At DSEI 2025 in London, Lockheed Martin publicly unveiled the TPY-4 radar—its latest ground-based long-range surveillance system designed to meet evolving threats in contested airspace. The system represents a significant evolution over legacy radars like the AN/TPY-2 and is tailored for integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) operations across joint and allied forces.

Next-Generation Surveillance: From AN/TPY-2 to TPY-4

The TPY-4 radar is a clean-sheet design developed to address the limitations of earlier systems such as the AN/TPY-2 (used with THAAD) and the AN/TPS-series radars. While the AN/TPY-2 remains highly capable against ballistic missile threats in both forward-based and terminal modes, it lacks full-spectrum coverage against modern aerial threats like low-RCS cruise missiles or UAV swarms.

Lockheed Martin’s TPY-4 leverages Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology to deliver enhanced sensitivity, range, and multi-mission flexibility. The radar operates in the S-band frequency range—balancing detection range with resolution—and is optimized for simultaneous air surveillance and fire control support.

Key performance features include:

Extended detection range: Capable of tracking targets well beyond 400 km depending on target RCS.
High-speed target discrimination: Improved clutter rejection enables effective operation in complex environments.
Simultaneous multi-threat tracking: Designed to handle ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, rotary/fixed-wing aircraft, UAVs, and hypersonic glide vehicles.

Modular Architecture for Multi-Mission Adaptability

The TPY-4’s modular open systems architecture (MOSA) allows rapid upgrades via software-defined capabilities. This ensures adaptability against emerging threats without requiring hardware overhauls. The radar can be configured for fixed-site or transportable deployments depending on mission requirements—making it suitable for expeditionary forces or permanent installations alike.

The antenna array is scalable based on mission profile. For example:

A single-face configuration can provide sectoral coverage with reduced footprint.
A three-face configuration offers full hemispheric coverage for high-demand theater-level operations.

This modularity also supports integration into various command-and-control ecosystems including U.S. Army IBCS (Integrated Battle Command System), NATO ACCS (Air Command & Control System), and other STANAG-compliant architectures.

C2 Integration and Interoperability with Allied Forces

A key design goal of the TPY-4 is seamless interoperability with coalition partners. The radar supports Link 16 data exchange as well as other NATO-standard interfaces such as JREAP-C and VMF protocols. This enables real-time cueing of interceptors or airborne assets across joint force structures.

The system has been tested with multiple C2 nodes including:

U.S. Army IBCS fire control network
NATO Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) architecture
USAF Air Operations Centers (AOCs)

This level of connectivity ensures that data from a forward-deployed TPY-4 unit can be fused into broader sensor networks—enhancing situational awareness across domains from land-based batteries to naval task forces or airborne early warning platforms.

Status of Production and Procurement Pathways

The U.S. Air Force selected Lockheed Martin’s TPY-4 in March 2023 under its Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long Range Radar program (3DELRR), awarding an initial $281 million contract for development and production of up to 35 units through full-rate production phases by FY2030. The system replaces aging TPS-series radars like the TPS-75 which date back to the Cold War era.

In June 2023, Norway became the first international customer under a Foreign Military Sales agreement valued at approximately $300 million for eight systems plus support infrastructure—highlighting growing allied interest in interoperable long-range sensors amid renewed focus on Arctic defense postures.

Additional procurement discussions are reportedly underway with Poland, Japan, Finland, Australia, and several Gulf Cooperation Council states—all seeking advanced counter-UAV/counter-missile capabilities integrated into layered defense constructs.

DSEI Demonstration Highlights Performance Envelope

At DSEI 2025’s live demonstration zone outside ExCeL London’s East Hall pavilion, Lockheed conducted simulated threat engagements using digital twin scenarios fed into a live C2 interface connected to a static-mounted TPY-4 array prototype. Observers noted near-instantaneous track generation on multiple aerial targets—including low-RCS drones flying nap-of-earth profiles within synthetic terrain models.

The demonstration emphasized not only raw detection capability but also latency reduction between track acquisition → threat classification → shooter cueing—a critical factor given modern time-compressed kill chains involving hypersonic munitions or swarm attacks from multiple vectors simultaneously.

Strategic Implications for NATO IAMD Posture

The deployment of systems like TPY-4 could significantly bolster NATO’s sensor layer amid growing concerns about Russia’s Iskander-M SRBM deployments near Kaliningrad or China’s expanding DF-series missile arsenal in Asia-Pacific theaters. With its ability to detect both high-altitude ballistic arcs and low-flying cruise profiles simultaneously—and feed that data into multinational fire control networks—the radar enhances deterrence credibility while reducing sensor stovepipes among allies.

If widely adopted under NATO Smart Defence initiatives or EU PESCO frameworks focused on shared ISR infrastructure investment—the TPY‑4 could become a cornerstone sensor node within future distributed kill webs linking ground-based interceptors like Patriot PAC‑3 MSEs with naval Aegis BMD ships or airborne AIM‑260-equipped fighters under a unified targeting construct.

Conclusion: A Sensor Built for Future Battlespaces

The Lockheed Martin TPY‑4 represents more than just an incremental upgrade—it embodies a doctrinal shift toward multi-domain sensing fused through agile C2 frameworks capable of handling peer-adversary saturation attacks across electronic warfare-contested environments. With modularity at its core and interoperability baked into its architecture from day one—the system positions itself as a critical enabler of next-generation integrated air defense strategies across allied coalitions worldwide.