Who supplies the B-52's new radar? Raytheon moves from subcontractor to prime
Published September 25, 2026 / B-52 APQ-188 radar supply chain
The U.S. Air Force has approved the B-52 Radar Modernization Program for low-rate initial production.
The program replaces the aircraft's 1980s-era APQ-166 analog radar with the AN/APQ-188 active electronically scanned array radar - a variant of Raytheon's APG-79 adapted for B-52 missions.
On August 21, Raytheon received a $603 million ceiling IDIQ contract for radar production and sustainment. Approximately $46 million was obligated with the initial delivery order.
Boeing received a separate order for aircraft integration kits. The production plan covers 74 kits across five lots, beginning with four kits in Lot 1.
IDIQ contract ceiling
~$46M obligated at award
planned across five lots
Four kits in Lot 1
Milestone C approved
Radar production begins
The contracting structure changes at production
Raytheon moves up one contractual tier for the radar itself.
The development supplier footprint
Positive first-tier subcontract obligations, FY2021-FY2025
Mimir's FY2021-FY2025 data identifies 109 first-tier supplier sites and approximately $260 million in mapped subcontract obligations beneath three Boeing B-52 radar-modernization awards.
Raytheon-linked records
Predominantly El Segundo, California
Systems and avionics work under Boeing's development awards. Approximately $133 million was explicitly associated with El Segundo operations.
Wind River Systems
Alameda, California
A large non-production position recorded beneath the Boeing development awards.
L3Harris / L3 Aviation Products
Alpharetta, Georgia
Systems and avionics records associated with the radar-modernization development effort.
CPI ESSCO
Ayer, Massachusetts
A development-stage, non-production position recorded under the Boeing awards.
MetalTek
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Common aerospace commodities recorded beneath the engineering and manufacturing development award.
CPI Radant
Hudson, Massachusetts
A development position recorded under Boeing's B-52 radar-modernization awards.
From first-tier supplier to direct radar prime
Raytheon-linked records represented approximately $147 million - or 57% - of the mapped first-tier value beneath Boeing's development awards. The new production structure places Raytheon's radar work under a direct Air Force contract, while Boeing remains responsible for integrating the system onto the aircraft.
The production award therefore changes more than the phase of the program. It changes the customer relationship beneath it. Raytheon was already the largest visible first-tier recipient under Boeing's development awards; it now holds the direct radar production-and-sustainment contract.
For companies tracking B-52 opportunities, the customer map has changed. Radar production and sustainment now sit under Raytheon's direct Air Force contract, while aircraft integration continues through Boeing.
U.S. Air Force B-52 modernization announcement, August 21, 2026 contract announcement, Boeing APQ-188 program information, USAspending, FPDS and Mimir Data Platform and Modeling.
Mimir analysis of positive first-tier subcontract records associated with Boeing awards FA862819F1003, FA862819F0001 and FA862821F1006, FY2021-FY2025. Supplier sites are defined at CAGE level where available and figures are rounded. The $603 million Raytheon value is the ceiling of an IDIQ contract; approximately $46 million was obligated with the initial delivery order.