Lockheed To Develop Advanced Undersea Warfare System For Navy

The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems a contract for the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare System (UWS), reports the Dept. of Defense.

The $78 million deal covers the development, integration and production of future advanced capability build and technical insertion baselines for the SQQ-89A(V)15 systems, said a Pentagon release on Jan. 17.

The combat system is capable of searching, detecting, classifying, localizing and tracking undersea targets.

It can also engage and evade submarines, mine-like small objects and torpedo threats, the release said.

Work is expected to be completed by May 2021.

To date, 46 destroyers and cruisers have been retrofitted with the latest AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 systems, the Navy said in December, as quoted by United Press International. 

The system has been deployed on now-retired Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The service plans to integrate the system on its future guided-missile frigates.