Pentagon seeks new mobile radar to counter hypersonic missiles

The Pentagon is seeking a new generation of highly mobile radars to counter the growing threat of hypersonic missiles. The Missile Defense Agency’s Mobile Land-Based Sensors Project Office is currently requesting prototype concepts for a system designated as the Forward-Based Mode Radar Next.

Hypersonic weapons present significant challenges to existing missile defenses due to their ability to travel at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound and their capacity to maneuver during flight. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, which follow predictable trajectories, these weapons can change course, requiring continuous tracking.

Experts note that these missiles often operate in atmospheric regions between aircraft and spacecraft, making them difficult to monitor. The high speed of these weapons also significantly reduces the time available for defensive responses.