RTX Corporation — formerly Raytheon Technologies — is the product of the 2020 mega-merger between United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and Raytheon Company. The result is a sprawling defense and aerospace technology conglomerate with four major divisions: Raytheon (missiles and defense electronics), Pratt and Whitney (aircraft engines), Collins Aerospace (avionics and systems), and RTX Technologies Research Center.
The Raytheon division is the world's second-largest missile manufacturer after Lockheed Martin, and it holds dominant positions in air defense systems, precision-guided munitions, electronic warfare, and counter-drone technologies. The 2020 merger brought Raytheon's weapons expertise together with UTC's sensor, avionics, and propulsion capabilities — creating a vertically integrated defense AI platform of unusual breadth.
LTAMDS (Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor) is the defining next-generation system. Replacing the AN/MPQ-65 Patriot radar with a 360-degree active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, LTAMDS uses AI-driven signal processing to track and discriminate hypersonic threats, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles simultaneously — a capability no prior ground-based air defense system possessed.
The StormBreaker (SDB II) represents perhaps the most sophisticated AI-guided bomb in operational service. Its tri-mode seeker uses millimeter-wave radar, infrared imaging, and semi-active laser to autonomously select and engage moving targets including naval vessels in bad weather — capabilities that have redefined precision strike doctrine. The Coyote counter-drone family gives ground forces autonomous interception of enemy drone swarms without expensive interceptor missiles.
RTX trades on the NYSE. The Russia-Ukraine war has been a significant revenue catalyst — Patriot interceptor demand, Coyote counter-drone orders, and allied air defense procurement have driven backlog to record levels. RTX is uniquely positioned: its missiles are literally being consumed in an active high-intensity conflict, forcing restocking among NATO allies at scale. The Raytheon division's AI-guided munitions portfolio benefits from both resupply demand and new platform integration on F-35 and next-generation aircraft. Pratt and Whitney's engine issues create commercial aviation drag but defense margins remain solid.