DSEI 2025: U.S. Lockheed Martin new TPY-4 radar delivers advanced long-range battlefield surveillance.

At DSEI 2025 defense exhibition in London, UK, American Company Lockheed Martin delivered a strong strategic signal to U.S. allies and competitors alike with the expanded promotion of its AN/TPY-4 radar system. The high-performance long-range surveillance radar, which has recently completed early delivery to the U.S. Air Force under the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) program, took center stage at the company’s exhibition with a prominent static display and new details following Sweden’s confirmed selection of the system in June 2025. The Nordic nation now becomes the third confirmed operator of the TPY-4, following the United States and Norway, in what defense officials describe as a strategic acceleration of regional air defense integration within NATO.
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Scale model of Lockheed Martin's TPY-4 radar on display at DSEI 2025, illustrating its modular design and expeditionary configuration optimized for strategic mobility and NATO interoperability. (Picture source Army Recognition Group)

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) announced its decision to procure the TPY-4 after a multi-phase evaluation campaign focused on radar survivability, interoperability, and long-range detection under electronic warfare conditions. By June 2025, it was announced that Sweden had selected the TPY-4, becoming the latest NATO member to align its air defense architecture with U.S.-developed radar technology. Lockheed Martin confirmed that Sweden will receive its first unit by late 2027 under a multi-system contract, with plans to field the radars along Sweden’s eastern air defense belt facing the Baltic Sea. Integration into Sweden’s national air picture will be coordinated with NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense System (NATINAMDS), marking a milestone in Sweden’s defense modernization following its full NATO accession earlier this year.

The TPY-4 radar, developed under the U.S. Air Force’s 3DELRR initiative, is designed to replace legacy AN/TPS-75 units and redefine expeditionary radar capability across the L-band spectrum. Built around a gallium nitride-based active electronically scanned array (AESA), the radar provides full 360-degree surveillance, enabling simultaneous tracking of tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, fifth-generation aircraft, and small unmanned systems. Lockheed Martin officials detailed to Army Recognition how the radar’s digital beamforming and adaptive signal processing provide persistent surveillance even under intense jamming or clutter environments. The system’s software-defined architecture allows seamless upgrades and tailored mission configurations without hardware changes.

Key performance specifications include detection ranges beyond 550 km in 360-degree coverage mode, and extended reach of over 1,000 km when operated in a focused directional "stare" mode. These capabilities are designed to provide early warning and threat tracking across multiple domains, enabling rapid cueing of missile defense assets and fighter intercepts. A company spokesperson highlighted the radar’s operational flexibility as a decisive advantage for NATO forces facing simultaneous air, missile, and drone threats across broad theaters of operation.

Compared to its predecessor, the AN/TPS-75, the TPY-4 represents a generational leap in radar technology and operational relevance. While the TPS-75 relied on older analog architecture with limited electronic protection and fixed operating modes, the TPY-4 introduces a fully digital, software-defined sensor framework powered by gallium nitride (GaN) transmit-receive modules. This shift enables not only significantly extended detection ranges and higher resolution tracking but also allows the radar to dynamically adapt waveforms in response to emerging threats and jamming attempts in real time. Unlike the TPS-75’s directional and mechanically steered array, the TPY-4 offers true 360-degree coverage in a rotating configuration and can operate in both mobile and fixed roles. Its built-in cybersecurity hardening, modular architecture, and plug-and-play integration with modern command-and-control networks make it fully compatible with NATO's evolving digital battlespace requirements. These advancements position the TPY-4 as not just a replacement but a full-spectrum upgrade over the previous generation of ground-based air surveillance radars.

The U.S. Air Force has already taken delivery of its first TPY-4 unit and has contracted 19 systems under a 472 million dollar procurement, with long-term plans to deploy up to 35 units by 2028. The system is being integrated into the Air Force’s broader Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) infrastructure. Early testing at Hill Air Force Base has demonstrated not only superior detection ranges but rapid operational setup and high mobility, with the entire system transportable via C-130 or wheeled platforms for agile deployment.

For Sweden, the acquisition marks a significant leap in national air surveillance and a broader shift toward NATO-standard integrated defense. The TPY-4’s selection sends a clear message: Stockholm is investing in capabilities that extend beyond territorial defense, aiming to contribute to NATO’s collective situational awareness and deterrence posture across northern Europe. Defense analysts see the radar as central to Sweden’s plans to harden its Baltic flank, especially given the increasing air and missile threat from Russia’s Western Military District and naval forces operating in the region.

As of September 2025, Lockheed Martin has confirmed ongoing discussions with additional European partners including Romania, the Netherlands, and Greece, each seeking to modernize legacy air surveillance networks in the face of growing aerial and missile threats. The TPY-4’s strong showing at DSEI and the momentum gained from Sweden’s June acquisition suggest that Lockheed Martin’s radar is on track to become NATO’s primary ground-based long-range sensor over the next decade.

The company is also exploring co-production and sustainment agreements with select European customers, an effort aimed at reducing delivery timelines and strengthening local industrial participation. Sources close to the Swedish deal noted that at least one Swedish defense electronics firm will be involved in integration and life-cycle support, reflecting the growing emphasis on transatlantic defense industrial cooperation.

With its advanced threat tracking, rapid deployability, and modular growth potential, the TPY-4 is now firmly positioned as the radar centerpiece of NATO’s next-generation air defense strategy.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.