Raytheon IDS' (Integrated Defense Systems) JLENS provides a long-duration, wide-area cruise missile defense capability while also providing elevated communications capabilities and supporting situational awareness for the battlefield commander.

The system provides over the horizon detection and tracking of incoming cruise missiles with sufficient warning to enable air defense systems to engage and defeat the threat.

Each JLENS consists of a long-range surveillance radar and a high performance fire control radar, each integrated in a large aerostat connected via tether to a ground based processing station. System testing is scheduled to begin in 2009, with program completion in 2011.

"The JLENS program provides unprecedented capability to our warfighters through the combination of long range surveillance with precise tracking to support engagement of a variety of targets over extremely large geographic areas," said Tim Carey, vice president of IDS Integrated Air Defense.

"The program is an important piece of the Army's strategy to provide a reliable and robust cruise missile defense by using a network of sensors to support a wide variety of weapons within the Army system of systems command and control paradigm."

Work on the program will be performed at Raytheon sites located in Massachusetts, California, Texas and Maryland. Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems will develop the fire control radar and processing station. TCOM, based in Maryland, will develop the aerostat and associated ground equipment.

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