Raytheon has received a $1.1m grant from the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) to provide next-generation gallium nitride (GaN) technology for military radars.

The alliance plans to develop scalable, agile, multimode, front end technology (SAMFET) for the army's next-generation radar (NGR) programme.

The programme aims to improve radar-reliant air defence, counter rocket and mortar system performance, particularly in portable configurations such as hand-held, vehicle-mounted and airborne deployments.

"Our team will leverage Raytheon's deep investment and unmatched expertise as a pioneer in gallium nitride technology to dramatically improve radar capabilities."

Under the two-year cooperative research agreement, the partners will design and manufacture modular building blocks that can easily integrate with next-generation radar systems' open architecture.

Raytheon advanced technology vice-president Colin Whelan said: "Raytheon's storied track record of innovation in applied radar technologies uniquely positions us to play a critical role in the development of the US Army's next-generation radar system.

"With the (United States) Army Research Lab, our team will leverage Raytheon's deep investment and unmatched expertise as a pioneer in gallium nitride technology to dramatically improve radar capabilities and keep the army ahead of its adversaries for many years to come."

Raytheon's GaN is a semiconductor material that can efficiently amplify high-power signals at microwave frequencies.

It enables radars to operate up to five times more powerfully than they would with older semiconductor technology, without overheating.

The company's GaN components deliver higher power density and efficiency, and have demonstrated an average time between failures of 100 million hours.