Raytheon has begun construction on a $53 million expansion of its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) production facility in Andover, Massachusetts. The investment signals both the U.S. Army’s and RTX’s determination to accelerate the delivery of next-generation radar systems designed to detect and defeat emerging threats, including hypersonic weapons.

The expansion will add 23,000 square feet to the Andover site, which has been a cornerstone of Raytheon’s radar development and production since 1980. Once complete in late 2026, the upgraded facility will allow for a faster production rate and greater flexibility in meeting international orders. It will also serve as the final integration point for LTAMDS units before deployment, while continuing to support testing for the Patriot air defense system.

The LTAMDS represents the next evolution in ground-based radar, intended to replace the long-serving Patriot radar with a system capable of tracking a broader range of airborne and missile threats. Its development comes at a time when both the U.S. and its allies are grappling with the challenges posed by increasingly advanced aerial threats, from maneuverable hypersonic missiles to low-flying cruise systems designed to evade traditional detection networks.

Military delegations from seven allied nations recently attended a live-fire demonstration as part of the U.S. Army’s test program, observing LTAMDS performance in real-world conditions. Their presence underscored not only growing interest in the system itself but also the geopolitical urgency driving nations to modernize their layered air and missile defense networks.

Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, said the expansion reflects an effort to align industrial capacity with global defense demand. “This vital investment will significantly bolster our ability to meet the growing global demand for LTAMDS,” he said. “It will accelerate delivery of this critical radar to U.S. and international customers, ensuring they are equipped with the most advanced defense technology available.”

The Andover project is part of a broader surge in production activity across RTX, which has seen a renewed focus on strengthening allied air defense capabilities. In recent months, the company has signed framework agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense for continued work on Stinger and AMRAAM missile programs and reached new cooperative deals with Germany’s Diehl Defence to extend missile production within Europe. Together, these initiatives reflect a strategic shift among U.S. defense primes toward more distributed manufacturing and international partnerships aimed at improving readiness and supply chain resilience.

For RTX, which employs over 185,000 people worldwide and reported more than $80 billion in 2024 sales, the Andover expansion underscores its role as a central supplier in the evolving air and missile defense landscape. As global defense budgets rise and NATO nations refocus on deterrence, the demand for systems like LTAMDS is expected to intensify.