The US Navy is implementing the new Mk24 Mod 0 radar for its aircraft carriers to improve defence capability against sea-skimming targets like missiles.
The Aircraft Carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) was spotted with the new Mk24 Mod 0 radar by Naval News Editor Yoshihiro Inaba. The manifacturer is RTX.
The radar appears to be focused on detecting and tracking sea-skimming low RCS targets like missiles. Sea-skimming targets are difficult to detect with radars due to the horizon limits resulting from the Earth’s curvature. Mk24 Mod 0 likely to reach maximises the detection range against such targets with low elevation. It is speculated to reach 150 km or more. Given the size and deplacement of an aircraft carrier platform, it is almost impossible to perform evasive maneuvers but the detection range would give extra few seconds to perform self defence measure. This can support self-defence systems like Phalanx CIWS, RIM-116 RAM point-defence missiles, and RIM-162 ESSM medium-range air defence missiles.
