Raytheon Expands Global Push for the AN/SPY-6 Radar

Raytheon is pushing its AN/SPY-6(V) radar family into Germany, Japan and Denmark, using surplus hardware freed up by the US Navy’s cancelled Constellation-class frigate program.

At a Glance

Germany has already selected AN/SPY-6(V)1 for its eight F127-class frigates and is now reviewing cost-effective configuration options.
Japan is weighing SPY-6 for both its Kongō-class destroyer replacement and Maya-class modernization, with a decision expected in early 2027.
Denmark is in early-stage talks tied to a future frigate requirement.
Raytheon signed a $1.8 billion US Navy contract extension weeks ago, plus a separate NAVSEA design-agent contract worth over $500 million.
A $25 million investment at its Andover facility aims to double production capacity by 2028, on top of $800 million already sunk into the site.

Background

The AN/SPY-6(V) family is built around the same AMDR-derived multi-function radar technology the US Navy uses on its Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyers, scaled down into variants sized for smaller hulls. The surplus hardware Raytheon is now offering allies exists because of the Navy’s own cancellation of the cost-troubled Constellation-class frigate — inventory the company is redirecting through Foreign Military Sales channels. “We’re in full rate production for SPY-6,” said Jen Gauthier, Raytheon’s VP of Naval Systems & Sustainment, underlining that the supply side is ready to move.

Germany’s case is the furthest along: Berlin has already chosen SPY-6(V)1 for the eight-ship F127 program that will succeed its MEKO-class frigates, though budget pressure now has it reviewing more cost-effective configurations. Japan is running two separate evaluations at once — a next-generation replacement for its Kongō-class destroyers and a modernization track for the existing Maya class — with Tokyo’s final call expected in early 2027. Supply-chain partnerships Raytheon struck with Mitsubishi Electric and Sampa Kogyo back in 2024 are positioned to boost domestic content should Japan pick SPY-6. Talks with Denmark remain at an early, exploratory stage tied to its future frigate needs.

The export push rests on solid financial footing at home: Raytheon’s $1.8 billion Navy contract extension came just weeks before this announcement, alongside a separate NAVSEA design-agent award worth more than $500 million. The company is also putting $25 million more into its Andover, Massachusetts facility to double output by 2028 — on top of the $800 million already invested there. Current production stands at roughly one radar array per month.

Regional Impact

SPY-6’s spread among allies sits in direct competition with Turkey’s own naval radar push — ASELSAN’s CAFRAD multi-function radar and the indigenous sensor work underpinning the MİLGEM and TF-2000 programs. When large-fleet allies like Germany and Japan lean toward US-sourced radar technology, it also opens a window for Turkish radar systems to gain export traction elsewhere, since SPY-6’s FMS process and configuration constraints can push some buyers to look for more flexible alternatives. And Raytheon rerouting hardware from a cancelled program into exports is itself a clear case study in how cancellations and delays in major defense programs can reshape a supply chain’s downstream priorities.

FAQ

Does SPY-6 come in different versions? Yes — the family scales across several variants sized to different hull classes; the (V)1 Germany picked is among the higher-performance configurations.

When will Japan decide? Open-source reporting points to early 2027, though no official date has been set.

Status tag: Mixed — Germany’s selection is official; the Japanese and Danish processes are still at evaluation or early-contact stage, based on media reporting.