Raytheon press release
Originally developed to track long-range targets for aircraft and ships, ROTHR is now the primary detection system for border security and drug smuggling interdiction for the Joint Interagency Task Force South. In 2020 alone, ROTHR contributed to the seizure of 26 metric tons of cocaine from drug smugglers attempting to cross into U.S. territory.
“Raytheon Technologies’ ROTHR systems have supported U.S. Navy operations for over 30 years,” said John DeSimone, vice president of Cybersecurity, Training and Services for RI&S. “We will continue to work closely with the Navy and JIATF South to help protect our national security.”
The contract covers operations and maintenance at six ROTHR locations in Puerto Rico, Texas and Virginia. Each radar provides more than 2.5 million square miles of coverage area, resulting in extremely low operational costs.
US Navy’s AN/TPS-71 ROTHR system was designed as a HF frequency, tactical, land-based, bistatic ionospheric backscatter radar to provide surveillance, detection and track of both aircraft and ships.
A single ROTHR radar covers a 64-degree wedge-shaped area at ranges from 920 to around 3000 km.
