The Office of Naval Research has awarded Raytheon over $22 million to develop advanced radar software for next-generation naval radars, according to the company.

The contract -- announced in April -- gives $22.6 million to the Subarray Transmit Orthogonality for Receive Multiplexing (STORM) program. Raytheon’s advanced technology team plans to develop software that allows building blocks within SPY-6 radars to independently operate, according to the announcement, permitting radars to perform multiple, simultaneous missions. This development allows radars to share crowded frequency bands, like 5G.

“The electromagnetic spectrum is more crowded than ever, and our systems have to be smarter about how they operate in it,” said Colin Whelan, Raytheon’s advanced technology president. “With precise, software-driven control over where and how we radiate, we’re taking an important step forward in how we use software‑defined apertures to keep pace with evolving mission demands.”

Raytheon plans to conduct several demonstrations to validate independent control of radar modules, after which they will transition into operational naval radar systems, according to the announcement. Work is expected to be completed in April 2029.

Raytheon already manufactures a variety of radar technology for the Navy, including the SPY-6 family of radars, which help defend several ship classes against a variety of threats like ballistic and cruise missiles and hostile aircraft.