Raytheon Intelligence & Space will continue operating and maintaining the U.S. government’s Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar, or ROTHR, system under a $146 million, 5-year contract.
ROTHR was originally developed to track long-range targets for aircraft and ships, but now serves as the primary detection system for border security and drug smuggling interdiction for the Joint Interagency Task Force South. Last year alone, ROTHR helped seize 26 metric tons of cocaine from drug smugglers trying to cross into U.S. territory.
“Raytheon Technologies’ ROTHR systems have supported U.S. Navy operations for over 30 years,” said John DeSimone, vice president of cybersecurity, training and services for RI&S. “We will continue to work closely with the Navy and JIATF South to help protect our national security.”
The contract includes operations and maintenance at six ROTHR locations in Puerto Rico, Texas and Virginia. Each radar provides over 2.5 million square miles of coverage area.