Shipborne Radars Market - Global Forecast 2026-2032

The Shipborne Radars Market size was estimated at USD 4.12 billion in 2025 and expected to reach USD 4.40 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 5.44% to reach USD 5.98 billion by 2032.

The maritime domain has become increasingly complex as technological advancements and evolving threat landscapes demand ever-greater situational awareness and battle management capabilities. Shipborne radars stand at the forefront of naval modernization, serving critical functions from air traffic control to multi-axis surveillance and fire control. By integrating sophisticated sensor arrays with advanced signal processing, modern radars enable vessels to detect, classify, and track a multitude of targets under challenging environmental conditions, including sea clutter, electronic countermeasures, and stealthy threats.

Transitioning from legacy rotating systems to Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) and Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based architectures, radars now deliver higher resolution, extended detection ranges, and enhanced multi-target tracking. Concurrently, navies worldwide are adopting network-centric doctrines, linking shipborne sensors with airborne, subsurface, and shore-based systems to create a unified operational picture. This shift underscores the strategic importance of interoperability and data fusion in maintaining maritime dominance. As geopolitical tensions rise, defense planners are prioritizing radar investments to safeguard sea lines of communication, support expeditionary operations, and counter advanced adversary capabilities.

A fundamental shift is underway as digital architectures and open systems standards redefine how navies procure and upgrade radar systems. By embracing modular open systems architectures (MOSA), defense organizations can now integrate best-of-breed components, accelerate capability insertions, and reduce upgrade timelines. This approach contrasts sharply with monolithic legacy designs that often incur significant costs and deployment delays in fielding incremental improvements.

Complementing open architectures, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms are being embedded within radar signal processors to automate target recognition, optimize waveform selection, and adapt dynamically to contested electromagnetic environments. These capabilities bolster resilience against jamming and deception, enabling vessels to maintain high fidelity tracking even when operating in congested or electronically contested seas.

Simultaneously, the proliferation of multi-function radar suites-capable of combining air surveillance, surface search, navigation, and fire control into a single sensor package-economizes space, power, and cooling resources aboard ships. The widespread adoption of AESA technology, illustrated by advanced systems such as the SPY-6 series, underscores the drive toward scalable, software-defined radars that can evolve with emerging threats.

The imposition of higher tariffs on critical defense materials and components in 2025 has introduced notable cost pressures and supply chain complexities for radar manufacturers and naval programs. Specifically, elevated duties on steel and aluminum, which have doubled to 50 percent, have driven up the raw material costs for radar pedestal and housing structures, compelling original equipment manufacturers to absorb or pass on these expenses to end users. Companies such as RTX have already reported a $125 million hit in 2025 due to these tariff impacts, with expectations of a $500 million cumulative effect as procurement and sustainment activities accelerate through the decade.

Beyond metals, defense electronics-including high-performance semiconductors and composite materials integral to radar transmit-receive modules and low-observable radomes-face additional 10 to 15 percent levies when sourced from certain foreign suppliers. This dynamic has led to heightened sourcing scrutiny among prime contractors, who are racing to qualify alternative suppliers in regions like Taiwan, Israel, and South Korea. However, these shifts risk extending lead times and complicating qualification cycles, given the rigorous testing and certification standards inherent to military applications.

Policymakers and industry stakeholders continue to debate carve-outs for defense-critical sectors to mitigate these unintended consequences. While exemptions could alleviate immediate cost burdens, they may also undermine broader trade policy objectives and invite retaliatory measures. As such, naval programs must navigate a delicate balance between sustaining supply chain resilience and adhering to evolving trade regulations.

Analyzing market segmentation reveals how diverse operational requirements shape radar demand across mission profiles and vessel types. Radars designed for air traffic control and terminal operations must offer rapid update rates and precise azimuth-elevation tracking to ensure safe launch and recovery cycles of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, whereas long-range surveillance variants emphasize high-power outputs and narrow beamwidths to detect aerial threats at extended distances.

Vessel class further dictates radar selection, with aircraft carriers and amphibious ships prioritizing multi-beam radars for airspace management, while corvettes and patrol vessels often rely on smaller, more agile systems optimized for surface search and navigation. Frequency band allocations-from L Band for volumetric detection to X Band for fire control and short-range imaging-underscore the need for tailored waveform and antenna designs, particularly as electromagnetic spectrum access becomes increasingly contested.

Operational range categories drive platform outfitting decisions, as long-range radars address early warning requirements and medium-range systems support air defense layers, while short-range pulse and frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radars enhance harbor security and close-in threat engagement. End-use distinctions between military and commercial sectors also influence radar architectures, with leisure and merchant vessels favoring navigational safety radars, and offshore platforms requiring specialized surveillance radars to monitor marine traffic and environmental hazards. These segmentation insights inform procurement strategies by aligning system capabilities to mission-critical criteria.

Regional dynamics exert a profound influence on radar procurement and development priorities. In the Americas, the U.S. Navy’s fleet renewal programs, including the integration of SPY-6 and Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) systems, have catalyzed a robust domestic supply chain, fostering investments in manufacturing facilities and workforce development. Latin American navies, while operating smaller budgets, are increasingly seeking used or upgraded systems from allied nations to bolster coastal surveillance and counter-narcotics missions, evidencing a growing market for mid-tier radar solutions.

Europe, the Middle East, and Africa present a mosaic of procurement trajectories, where NATO members are standardizing on dual-band AESA radars in pursuit of interoperability, and Gulf states are emphasizing multi-mission capabilities to secure strategic chokepoints. Concurrently, emerging African maritime forces are prioritizing affordable navigation and surface search radars, often sourced through cooperative defense initiatives and regional capacity-building programs, to combat piracy and safeguard offshore resources.

The Asia-Pacific theater remains the most dynamic radar market, driven by rapid naval expansion and contested maritime zones. China’s deployment of counter-stealth radars in the South China Sea illustrates a strategic push for denied-area surveillance, while Japan’s defense aid packages to the Philippines underscore alliance-based sensor integration. Regional powerhouses, including India and South Korea, continue to develop indigenous AESA systems to support destroyers and frigates, reflecting a broad shift towards self-sufficiency in advanced radar technologies.

Major defense contractors are competing fiercely to capture emerging naval radar opportunities through innovation and strategic partnerships. Raytheon Technologies, leveraging its GaN-based SPY-6 series, has secured significant contracts for U.S. destroyers and amphibious ships, positioning itself at the apex of long-range air and missile defense solutions. Its emphasis on modular radar modular assemblies (RMAs) facilitates incremental upgrades and supports a broad spectrum of vessel classes.

Lockheed Martin complements these offerings with the Aegis weapon system, integrating X Band SPY-1D(V) radars and evolving towards AESA-based variants. The company’s investments in digital signal processors and open-architecture frameworks are designed to accelerate capability insertions and reduce lifecycle costs. Meanwhile, European firms such as Thales and Hensoldt are strengthening their naval radar portfolios through dual-band AESA systems and cooperative programs, targeting both NATO navies and export customers.

Specialized players like Saab and Leonardo continue to capture niche markets by emphasizing software-defined radars and scalable sensor suites. Saab’s Sea Giraffe Agile Multi Beam family has excelled in shipborne air traffic control and surveillance roles, while Leonardo’s Kronos and Seaspray systems offer flexible configurations adaptable to a wide array of ship sizes and mission sets.

Industry leaders should prioritize investments in open systems standards and digital engineering practices to future-proof radar platforms and streamline integration cycles. By adopting modular open systems architectures (MOSA) and software-defined frameworks, manufacturers can respond swiftly to emerging threat requirements and reduce time-to-market for capability upgrades.

Collaborative supply chain diversification is essential to mitigating tariff-related disruptions; joint ventures with allied domestic and foreign original equipment manufacturers can secure critical components and balance sourcing risks. Concurrently, firms must deepen their commitment to workforce development, focusing on radar signal processing, AI integration, and cybersecurity expertise to sustain innovation pipelines.

Finally, cultivating partnerships with academic institutions and research consortia will accelerate the maturation of next-generation technologies such as quantum radar and cognitive sensors. By aligning R&D roadmaps with evolving naval doctrines and leveraging public-private collaboration, industry players can deliver disruptive radar capabilities that maintain maritime superiority.

This analysis is grounded in a blended research methodology combining extensive desk research, primary stakeholder interviews, and rigorous data triangulation. Initial insights were derived from a comprehensive review of government publications, defense news outlets, and industry white papers, ensuring a broad overview of technological trends, procurement policies, and regulatory frameworks.

Complementing secondary research, structured interviews with naval radar program managers, defense procurement officials, and system integrators provided nuanced perspectives on operational requirements, budgetary constraints, and future capability aspirations. Insights were cross-validated through expert panels comprising radar technologists, electromagnetic spectrum analysts, and platform engineers to refine findings and identify emerging disruptors.

Quantitative data was synthesized from procurement announcements, contract filings, and publicly available financial disclosures to assess program trajectories and vendor positioning. Qualitative assessments were enriched by scenario-based analyses, exploring technology maturation pathways and strategic contingencies under varying geopolitical landscapes.

The shipborne radar domain is experiencing a transformative juncture as emerging technologies converge with evolving maritime threats. Digital and AI-enhanced radars are reshaping operational doctrines, while open systems architectures enable agile adaptation to new missions. Simultaneously, geopolitical dynamics and trade policies are redefining supply chains and procurement strategies, compelling stakeholders to innovate under constrained timelines and budgets.

Market segmentation analysis underscores the importance of tailored solutions across radar types, platform classes, frequency bands, and mission ranges. Regional procurement trends reveal differentiated priorities in the Americas, EMEA, and the Asia-Pacific, highlighting the necessity for vendors to align product roadmaps with strategic and fiscal realities. Leading defense contractors are responding with modular, scalable offerings that balance performance, cost, and integration flexibility.

Moving forward, the interplay between technology innovation, policy developments, and alliance frameworks will shape the trajectory of naval radar systems. Organizations that embrace agile engineering, diversify supply networks, and foster collaborative R&D will be best positioned to navigate this complex environment and sustain maritime dominance.

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