Raytheon has installed the first SPY-6(V)4 radar array at the Surface Combat Systems Center on Wallops Island in Virginia, marking the start of extensive testing before its deployment aboard the USS Pinckney (DDG 91).
The SPY-6(V)4, designed for Flight IIA Destroyers, comprises four active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar panels that provide 360-degree detection and tracking of ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, as well as other anti-surface and anti-air threats.
The Pinckney is an Arleigh Burke-class (Flight IIA) Aegis guided missile destroyer that will be the first warship to be backfitted with the SPY‑6(V)4 radar system, scheduled from late 2026 to 2028.
It was one of the destroyers selected in 2024 to undergo mid-life capability enhancements under the US Navy’s DDG Modernization 2.0 program.
“By leveraging the Wallops test site, we’ll be able to integrate SPY‑6(V)4 with its dedicated power system before it reaches the ship, reducing the amount of testing needed on DDG 91,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon.
“That means less time in the shipyard, more time dedicated to the mission, and a smoother path for future backfit ships.”
SPY-6(V)4 Radar
The SPY-6(V)4 is one of four variants in the SPY-6 family of radars, featuring four array faces with 24 Radar Module Assemblies for continuous, 360-degree situational awareness.
In August 2025, the radar system completed its first live test in a maritime environment at the Pacific Missile Range Facility’s Advanced Radar Detection Laboratory in Hawaii, resulting in its first live data set intended to be used for future system enhancements.
