The Marine Corps released a request for information Thursday for a low-cost fire control radar for its next medium-range cruise missile defense system.
Officials wrote in the RFI the Marine Corps will prioritize looking for radars that are fully-developed and provide an improved range capability for its future ground-based air defense medium-range intercept system.
Photo: MBDA Germany.
“To support the USMC cruise missile defense program, a low cost fire control radar is required in order to track the inbound threat and outbound interceptor. The radar’s technology readiness level should be 7 or higher,” officials wrote.
The Marine Corps has previously issued a statement of need for a Medium Range Intercept Capability to find a new system for “defending forward deployed semi-fixed critical assets from various aerial threats to include cruise missiles.”
Officials said the fire control radar for the eventual intercept system should be able to provide quality targeting information to the command and control system, while also offering the necessary data to ensure outgoing missiles effectively engage threats.
The RFI asks for interested vendors to detail their radars’ size, power frequency band, antenna type, options for transportability and interoperability level.
The Marine Corps will prioritize low-cost, mature options that also offer enhanced spatial coverage, detection and tracking capability and operational range, according to the RFI.
Responses to the RFI are due by March 25.