A new radar seeker under development at Boeing could give multiple weapons a flexible sensor architecture for detecting and tracking targets across different missions.
Called the Ultra Low-Cost Seeker (ULCS), the device uses a modular design that allows it to be adapted across offensive and defensive weapon systems.
It uses commercial off-the-shelf components repurposed for military applications, an approach intended to help reduce costs while its open architecture simplifies integration and future modifications.
Boeing is evaluating ULCS for use across its air and missile defense, direct-attack, and cruise-missile portfolios, potentially allowing the same underlying seeker technology to support different weapons.
The system is also designed for rapid, high-volume production and to support air, land, and maritime strike missions in all-weather conditions against moving targets.
That flexibility could help Boeing extend the seeker beyond a single weapon program while giving the US military another option for detecting and tracking targets across different mission sets.
From Aircraft to Rocket
Boeing has already put ULCS through several tests to validate its detection, tracking, and survivability.
During a captive-carry test, a Beechcraft 1900 carried the seeker over land and maritime environments to assess its baseline target detection and tracking capabilities.
At Spaceport America in New Mexico, Boeing also tested ULCS from the ground against an unmanned aerial vehicle and mounted it on a surrogate rocket to track a reflector drone.
The company additionally tested the seeker in an anechoic chamber, using the controlled environment to limit signal reflections and assess its performance.
Across the tests, ULCS reportedly withstood acceleration and vibration while successfully detecting and tracking simulated targets.
“We still have more work to do but the rapid testing our teams have completed and proved that this capability is real and will fundamentally change how we look at seeker affordability across our programs,” said Steve Wright, Boeing Senior Manager for Weapon Sensors and Advanced Guidance.
Boeing plans to conduct additional flight tests in 2027, with data from the current trials being used to shape the seeker’s final configuration.
