Boeing has announced development of an affordable radar seeker, a critical component for both offensive and defensive weapons that has historically constrained missile production.
Dubbed the Ultra Low-Cost Seeker (ULCS), the technology has proven capable of enduring rocket-launch conditions while detecting and tracking targets, per a Boeing press release. While no service entry timeline was provided, the company plans multiple flight tests next year that align with intended operational scenarios.
A seeker guides a weapon to its target during final approach, typically mounted on a missile’s nose. Guidance methods include infrared, radar, laser, or hybrid systems for enhanced accuracy and redundancy. Such components are employed across offensive platforms like cruise missiles and defensive systems like air defense interceptors.
The ULCS arrives as the Pentagon seeks to field weapons at greater volume and lower cost, especially given ongoing conflicts that have depleted expensive precision munitions. Boeing states the technology supports ‘affordable mass for air, land or maritime strike,’ with potential applications in air and missile defense, direct attack, and cruise missile programs.
While significant work remains, rapid testing confirms this capability is real and will transform how we approach seeker affordability across our programs, said Steve Wright, Boeing’s senior manager for weapon sensors and advanced guidance. The announcement aligns with the opening of the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama.
Boeing manufactures the seeker for the PAC-3 interceptor integral to the Patriot air defense system. That seeker has previously constrained Patriot production rates, though the Pentagon recently announced a framework agreement to triple output over the next seven years. The ULCS employs radar guidance similar to the PAC-3 seeker.
Boeing notes the ULCS incorporates commercial off-the-shelf components modified for military application. While specific cost figures were not disclosed, the company states the technology can ‘dramatically reduce per-unit costs and enable precision munition employment at scale across programs.’
Northrop’s Raid Hunter
Northrop Grumman has unveiled the Raid Hunter, a 50 mm gun-based air defense system designed for short-range engagement against threats including drone swarms and cruise missiles.
Kenneth Todorov, Northrop’s vice president and general manager for command and control and weapons integration, highlighted the Raid Hunter’s defining feature: a cannon-fired 50 mm munition. The projectile is maneuverable and guided to its target by an integrated sensor system, ultimately detonating via a proximity fuse.
We believe in the capability, and we believe it will differentiate itself from other gun-based air defense systems currently available, Todorov stated during a virtual press briefing.
Todorov noted that Northrop is integrating the Raid Hunter with the XM913 chain gun, selected for the Army’s XM30 next-generation tracked combat vehicle. The system also features an in-house command-and-control architecture, though Todorov stressed that an open systems design allows integration of third-party hardware and software.
While the Raid Hunter has not yet been tested against live targets, Todorov confirmed multiple planned tests and stated Northrop aims to deliver an operational prototype by summer 2027. The company projects a per-round cost in the ‘single thousands of US dollars’ once production scales.
The XM913 chain gun is capable of firing up to 200 rounds per minute, Northrop reports. However, Todorov emphasized the Raid Hunter’s precision guidance means the system won’t require saturation firing, unlike conventional gun-based defenses.
Current systems rely on firing large volumes of projectiles to engage threats, Todorov explained. The Raid Hunter’s maneuverability enables significantly more economical engagement of inbound targets.
Both announcements follow the Army’s June launch of a low-cost interceptor competition. Boeing’s release did not comment on the initiative. Todorov clarified that the Raid Hunter is not targeted at that program, and Northrop is exploring alternative solutions for the competition.
