July 12, 2012 Katherine H. Crawford, Office of Naval Research / NNS – defpro.com

ARLINGTON, Va. | An Office of Naval Research (ONR) universal gateway that gives Sailors access to more accurate, secure, real-time information will be delivered to the fleet in just three years from the project's inception at ONR, officials announced July 11.

On any U.S. Navy destroyer, cruiser or carrier today, there are two networks: one for combat systems (weapons and sensors) and one for command and control, or C2, which also encompasses intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

There are some 30 interconnections between the two networks, making it difficult to integrate data into a real-time common operating picture, as well as expensive to maintain.

In response, ONR developed the Universal Gateway, which collapses the 30 connections into a single portal, rapidly automating data integration, enhancing information assurance and reducing manpower workloads and costs.

The gateway can be put between any different networks, despite their classification levels, so information is available in a timely and effective way for warfighters. A recently released video illustrates how this works.

One example of how this will help Sailors is by automating air tasking orders. Currently, an air tasking order comes to a ship on the C2 side. The only way to link the information into a combat system-such as Aegis-is for a Sailor to download the information from the C2 network CD and then manually upload it into the combat system.

"Now, with the Universal Gateway, the data is uploaded automatically, and it's secure-no more moving data between networks," said Wayne Perras, director of experimentation for ONR's Command, Control Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Department. "This vastly improves accuracy, eliminating mistakes almost entirely."

The objective for the gateway is to produce a shared situation display for ships that goes beyond showing just force and unit locations-who and where-to showing a full common operating picture-who, what, when, where, why and how.

"This is important not just for today's Navy, but for how we will fight in the future with autonomous systems," said Bobby Junker, department head for ONR's C4ISR Department. "Autonomy is nothing more than decision making, and this is easier and faster when all the data is packaged together in a common C2 environment. It is also a significant move toward achieving the goals of a truly network-centric naval force."

Between 2010 and 2011, ONR completed a series of limited technical evaluations that proved the gateway could integrate the various technologies that run on it. ONR also has been working on connecting data from unmanned aerial systems, which involves combat systems and surveillance information, into the gateway. This would help achieve a networked force, which is key to the Department of the Navy's goals for information dominance. The next phase is to move the data into a cloud environment and add analytical capability to save time and manpower.

For another future initiative, ONR has established partnerships with the Army and Air Force to advance the Universal Gateway as means of developing a common C2 system for tracking and accessing unmanned vehicles in a joint environment.

The Universal Gateway is the product of a unique rapid prototyping collaboration between ONR; Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems; and Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence. The partnership has been extremely successful, primarily due to increased communication, which has resulted in more rapid transitioning-quickly getting items into prototyping, experimentation and, ultimately, Sailors and Marines.

"We now have lots of partners and opportunities for moving forward," Perras said.

ONR provides the science and technology necessary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps' technological advantage. Through its affiliates, ONR is a leader in science and technology with engagement in 50 states, 30 countries, 1,035 institutions of higher learning and more than 900 industry partners. ONR employs approximately 1,065 people, comprising uniformed, civilian and contract personnel, with additional employees at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C.

July 12, 2012 by Dave Majumdar - FG

The US Air Force will add a precision strike package designed for the Lockheed Martin MC-130W Dragon Spear aircraft onto the new MC-130J to create the AC-130J gunship.

Unlike most weapon systems development efforts, Lockheed will not be modifying the MC-130J. Instead, the USAF will integrate the precision strike package onto the MC-130J itself.

The new AC-130J will be heavily based on the Dragon Spear kit, says Jim Grant, Lockheed's business development director for C-130 programmes.

The Dragon Spear-equipped MC-130Ws are fitted with a Bushmaster 30mm, sensors and communications gears, and precision-guided munitions including Viper Strike bombs and Griffin missiles.

That might mean the new gunship might be somewhat less heavily armed than the current AC-130. The two current AC-130 variants are armed with a 105mm gun, a 40mm gun, and either one 25 mm cannon or two 20mm cannons - depending on the variant.

The current AC-130 fleet is rapidly aging and the aircraft are wearing out from repeated and frequent deployment.

The U.S. Navy's top commander has publicly questioned the long-term benefits of stealth technology like that employed in the F-35 jet fighter.

July 11, 2012 By Lee Berthiaume, Postmedia New

OTTAWA — The U.S. Navy's top commander has publicly questioned the long-term benefits of stealth technology like that employed in the F-35 jet fighter, suggesting drones and other alternatives are the way of the future.

The comments from Admiral Jonathan Greenert stand in sharp contrast to repeated Conservative government and Defence Department assertions about the overwhelming need for stealth in whatever aircraft replaces Canada's CF-18s.

Defence analysts north and south of the border say they also highlight the large degree of faith Canada and its allies are investing as they prepare to spend billions of dollars to purchase an aircraft that is supposed to last decades — but could be obsolete much sooner.

In an article published by the U.S. Naval Institute this month, Greenert writes that a rapid expansion in computing power combined with changes to sensor technology have made it increasingly easy to sidestep the stealth capabilities of ships and aircraft.

Staying ahead of the curve is possible, he adds, but it would be require even larger financial investments than have already been made.

"It is time to consider shifting our focus from platforms that rely solely on stealth to also include concepts for operating farther from adversaries using standoff weapons and unmanned system — or employing electronic-warfare payloads to confuse or jam threat sensors rather than trying to hide from them," Greenert concludes.

The naval commander did not specifically mention the F-35, and a U.S. Navy official said Greenert was not suggesting the stealth fighter program, which is as politically sensitive in the U.S. as it is in Canada, be abandoned.

However, the official said Greenert was warning that the timeline for the viability of stealth technology is shorter than many would like to believe, and alternatives must be considered to ensure the U.S. is not caught flat-footed in a future conflict.

Canada's Defence Department has been conducting research into drones, but mainly for surveillance in the Arctic, and the F-35 is envisioned as being Canada's prime aerial workhorse until at least 2050.

The Conservative government has repeatedly trumpeted the aircraft's stealth capabilities when explaining why the F-35 is the only aircraft that meets Canada's requirements.

"Stealth beats non-stealth every time," Defence Minister Peter MacKay told a parliamentary committee on March 13. "There's only one stealth aircraft available to Canada, and that's the F-35."

Those comments echo similar sentiments from senior Canadian military officials.

"Stealth is a fairly winning hand in any modern conflict," Lt.-Gen. Andre Deschamps, head of the Royal Canadian Air Force, said in December. "For us not to go that route would be to spend a lot of money on equipment that would be fairly marginalized as far as complex environments are concerned."

Such assertions have been questioned before, particularly as stealth technology generally comes at a financial and capability cost that makes planes slower, less acrobatic and more restricted in terms of payload and range.

Some analysts said Greenert's comments add a new layer to the discussion, not least because they come from the commander of one of the U.S. military's main branches that is supposed to be a main purchaser of the F-35.

"The understanding is sinking in that it's a very limited tactical advantage," said Winslow Wheeler, director of the Washington-based Center for Defense Information, who described stealth technology as a "fad."

"There are huge amounts of money at risk, and it's not just money, it's a serious question what your air force will and will not be able to do if it carries for the next 30 years the giant millstone of stealth technology."

Philippe Lagasse, a defence procurement expert at the University of Ottawa, agreed that given the costs and lack of certainty about how long stealth technology will truly improve the survivability of an aircraft, caution is advised.

He suggested Canada consider purchasing a lower cost, non-stealth aircraft that already exists to meet the air force's basic requirement and see how technology and the security environment develop before committing to a major overhaul.

But University of Calgary defence expert Rob Huebert said Greenert's comments aside, the reality is stealth will remain an important factor in future military conflicts for the short- to medium-term, and Canada must be prepared.

"In the future battlefield, it's going to be who sees whom first," he said. "I don't think we have a choice. I look at the alternatives, and if we don't have it, Canadian security suffers."

NEW YORK, July 11 (UPI)

The United Nations is facing criticism it is spending millions on inappropriate links with private military and security companies, some of whom are accused of human rights violations.

Global Policy Forum, a non-profit organization that monitors U.N. conduct, in a report criticized the world body's growing use of private military and security companies, a practice it called "dangerous."

The report said the United Nations' increased use of private security companies was unaccountable and out of control and would likely increase rather than reduce risks for the safety of U.N. buildings and personnel.

"The U.N.'s leadership says these services are needed to protect the organization's staff and worldwide operations from growing threats and unprecedented dangers. But many reports from governments, NGOs and the media have shown how PMSCs have committed serious human rights abuses, killed or injured innocent civilians, engaged in financial malfeasance and committed many other breaches of the law," Global Policy Forum said.

"Given the track record of these companies, serious questions arise as to whether PMSCs are appropriate U.N. partners for the complex task of creating a secure, just and lawful world."

The report said "opacity around the U.N.'s use of PMSCs has so far prevented a healthy debate."

The report cited incomplete U.N. data that showed a steady rise in the number of security contracts from 2006-2007, with their value spiraling from $44 million in 2009 to $76 million in 2010.

The majority of security contracts the United Nations awarded in 2010 were for activities by the U.N. Development Program and cost $30 million.

The United Nations spent another $18.5 million hiring private military and security firms for its peacekeeping operations and $12.2 million on similar contracts related to refugee activities.

However, the overall value of the contacts could be much higher because the U.N. data remained incomplete.

U.N. officials defended the use of military and security firms, saying they intended to continue using the firms.

The report challenged common explanations for the security firms' character and functions.

"While often presented as a post-Cold War phenomenon, the private military and security industry has in fact taken form from historical antecedents, including 'detective' companies and private mercenary groups," it said.

"In recent years, an unprecedented wave of mergers and acquisitions has changed the shape of the sector, leading to considerable concentration and giving the major firms extraordinary geographical reach, great political influence and broad service offerings."

Many of the most important companies have headquarters in the United States, Britain or European countries, "and some have very cozy relations with those governments."

The report cited concerns expressed by a wide range of observers and policymakers at the security firms' lack of accountability.

It cited "extensive evidence" that private security personnel brought "insensitive, arrogant and violence-prone behavior to their assignments."

"NGOs and think tanks have drawn attention to the legal void surrounding PMSCs' activities and the fact that blatant human rights abuses, including torture and murder, regularly go unpunished," the report said.

Analysts said the report was a response to a growing culture of private security companies mushrooming across the world, often staffed by native staff that appeared even less accountable because of close ties with local governments, intelligence agencies, militias and organized crime.

July 11, 2012 defpro.com

L-3 GCS to supply SATCOM terminals for worldwide connectivity

NEW YORK | L-3 Communications announced Jul. 10 that its L-3 GCS subsidiary has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to develop and manufacture Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite systems. The program, known as Special Operations Forces Deployable Node-Family of Terminals (SDN-Lite FoT), will provide tactically deployed Special Operations Forces (SOF) users with worldwide communications connectivity. The total contract value is up to $500 million over the next five years.

“L-3 GCS is honored to have been selected for this program, which represents new business for our unit and highlights the priority our customer has placed on SATCOM equipment. We look forward to a continued productive partnership with USSOCOM, ensuring its deployed users are equipped with the best possible communication systems,” said Bob Jacobson, president of L-3 GCS. “L-3 GCS will begin delivering tri-band Hawkeye III Lite 1.2-meter terminals and quad-band 2.0-meter terminals later this year, and we are currently ramping up our engineering and production capabilities to meet our customers’ objectives.”

FARNBOROUGH, England, July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire

MAINGATE to be tested as a solution for coalition operation needs at US Army exercise

Raytheon Company has connected 37 different types of radios from U.S. military and coalition partners on its vehicular soldier radio system while providing a robust and integrated backbone for on-the-move tactical communications. The system, featuring Raytheon's Next Generation Mobile Ad hoc Network Waveform (NMW), will be tested at the next phase of the U.S. Army's Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) in both lab and field environments this fall.

Raytheon's Mobile Ad hoc Interoperability Network Gateway (MAINGATE) radio, with an industry leading 10 megabits per second capacity and 128-node scalability, allows for timely and reliable interoperability with coalition partners for sharing voice, text and full-motion video across the battlefield. The unmatched 10 megabits per second capacity allows soldiers to view at least 27 videos at the same time.

"Connecting our coalition partners on a single network is significant because each country typically has its own unique radio," said Jeff Miller, director of Tactical Communication Systems for Raytheon's Network Centric Systems business. "Raytheon solves this long-standing problem and will test its open, non-proprietary waveform used in MAINGATE to show that we can provide an unprecedented on-the-move communications capability for our allies."

MAINGATE with NMW will be tested as part of the NIE 13.1 Coalition/Joint Participation at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., and White Sands Missile Range, N.M. MAINGATE has been deployed in theater for two years, enabling interoperability with coalition partners.

NMW has recently been provided to the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Tactical Radio System library, strengthening Raytheon's position as a provider of wideband Ground Mobile Radio solutions.

Jul. 10, 2012 - By KATE BRANNEN Defense News

A group of U.S. House lawmakers is continuing to push the Pentagon to halt its buys of Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters until Russia stops selling weapons to the Syrian government.

The Defense Department purchases the helicopters from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state-run arms export agency, for the Afghan Security Forces. Pentagon officials have defended the buys, saying the Mi-17s are cheaper and easier to operate for the fledgling force.

In a July 2 letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, lawmakers from both political parties say the helicopter purchases need to stop until Russia discontinues its weapon sales to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who’s accused of violently suppressing civil unrest in his country.

“We firmly believe that the Department of Defense should not engage in contracts with companies arming the Assad regime in Syria and enabling his mass atrocities against his own people,” the lawmakers write.

The letter was signed by Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.; Kay Granger, R-Texas.; Keith Ellison, D-Minn.; Jack Kingston, R-Ga.; Jim Moran, D-Va.; Martha Roby, R-Ala.; Chellie Pingree, D-Maine.; Walter Jones, R-N.C; James McGovern, D-Mass.; and Frank Wolf, R-Va.

The United States loses it credibility when criticizing Russian arms sales to Syria when the U.S. government continues to buy military helicopters from Rosoboronexport, they write.

Disagreeing with the Pentagon’s claims that Mi-17 helicopters are the best solution for the Afghans, the lawmakers urge the Pentagon to hold an open competition, in which American-made aircraft can compete.

The House-passed version of the defense authorization bill includes an amendment, sponsored by DeLauro, Granger and Ellison, which would ban DoD from buying helicopters for Afghanistan from any firm “controlled, directed, or influenced by” a country that provides weapons to Syria.

Speaking to the Russian press at the Farnborough International Air Show outside of London, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, the deputy head of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation, said Russia would not sign any new weapon contracts with Syria until the situation there “stabilizes,” according to news reports.

However, Russia will continue to fulfill orders that have already been signed, Dzirkaln said.

He also disputed claims that Russia has been selling military aircraft to the Assad regime.

The U.N. estimates more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011.

10 July 2012 by Craig Hoyle – FG

Farnborough - Visitors to the Farnborough air show are being treated to the first return visit by the US Marine Corps' Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport since 2006, as both parties are mounting a drive to score the first export sales involving the type.

Assigned to the USMC's VMM-264 squadron at its Camp Lejeune base in New River, North Carolina, the aircraft on display this week are accompanied by 40 personnel, including four flight crews of four each. Two of the aircraft are Block B production examples, with the others built in the new Block C configuration, which has a weather radar and other upgrades.

Getting the aircraft to the Hampshire site required around 15h of flight time over a three-day period between 29 June and 1 July, says Marine Aircraft Group 26 commanding officer Col Christopher Seymour. The route included stops at Bangor in Maine, St John's in Newfoundland and Lajes in the Azores. Tanker support was provided from the last location.

The visit by the personnel of VMM-264 - also known as the Black Knights - represents the Osprey's first time at Farnborough since 2006, when two aircraft from the USMC's VMX-22 operational test and evaluation squadron made the transatlantic journey.

Gunnery Sgt Timothy Batchler, VMM-264's quality assurance chief, was also involved in the previous deployment, and says perception of the Osprey from within his service has evolved since.

"The aircraft is a lot more reliable than in 2006, and has also been combat tested. For most people, the stigma involved with the V-22 has gone," he says.

Bell Boeing has so far delivered 152 MV-22s to the USMC and 26 CV-22s to the US Air Force, with the operational fleet having amassed a combined 148,000 flight hours.

Production activities are currently being performed under a multi-year procurement deal for 174 aircraft, with plans in place to sign a second deal before the end of the year to cover 98 more to be delivered between 2015 and 2019.

"We are hearing favourable language from both the House and the Senate," says USMC Col Greg Masiello, V-22 joint programme manager. Bell Boeing and the service are also trying to attract export customers to add to this total.

"We are working officially with a number of nations, with paperwork going back and forth," Masiello says. "We are targeting to have a contract within 2013."

SAN DIEGO, July 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has established a new training facility for Fire Scout unmanned helicopter operators that offers improved flight simulators, hands-on aircraft maintenance and classroom instruction.

Opened July 10 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., the Fire Scout Training Center will meet increasing demands for trained operators as the system is used more during deployments.

"Jacksonville has long been a hub for naval aviation," said George Vardoulakis, vice president for tactical unmanned systems at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "By centralizing training here, Northrop Grumman and the Navy can quickly prepare and keep operators current on Fire Scout capabilities."

New flight simulators were placed in the facility to improve the quality of training, incorporating lessons learned during the MQ-8B Fire Scout's recent land- and sea-based deployments.

Typical training lasts about six weeks because maintainers and pilots already gained technical training on manned helicopters such as the SH-60 Seahawk.

"This is a wonderful capability that bridges a significant gap in simulator availability," said Capt. Doug Ten Hoopen, commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. "As the Fire Scout program continues to mature and becomes self-sustainable when the new Fire Scout Fleet Replacement Squadron is officially stood up, Atlantic Fleet operators' immediate demand for simulation and training will be met through this state-of-the-art facility."

Fire Scout provides ship- and land-based commanders with critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, using on-board sensors to capture full-motion video, identify targets and then distribute the information in real time to various users.

All four Fire Scout at-sea deployments originated from nearby Naval Station Mayport. The most recent deployment started in June on board the USS Klakring (FFG 42).

A team of Navy sailors and Northrop Grumman employees has been deployed to Afghanistan since May 2011, accruing more than 2,800 flight hours directly supporting ground commanders with full-motion video surveillance. Their mission was extended after ground commanders reported improved ability to see potential threats.

July 10, 2012 defpro.com

FARNBOROUGH, England | With the delivery of four Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft since June 29, an important milestone was achieved as the Department of Defense now possesses more operational-coded F-35s than test aircraft. A total of nine F-35s have been delivered for the year, giving the DOD a total of 30 aircraft fleet-wide. Of these, 16 are operational aircraft and 14 are test planes.

"To date, the F-35 program has focused on system development and flight testing while most recently transitioning to low rate initial production," said Orlando Carvalho, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager, F-35 program. "We've crossed a critical threshold as we begin delivering our LRIP 3 aircraft. We're increasingly becoming more operationally focused. These deliveries illustrate the program's natural progression and maturation that is taking place on a daily basis."

The four aircraft, which were formally accepted by the Defense Contract Management Agency with the signing of Department of Defense Form 250 (DD-250), are the first jets manufactured as part of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 3. They will begin ferrying to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in the coming days, bringing the total there to 16. The DOD has eight test aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and six test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Three of the jets are F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants and will be assigned to the U.S. Air Force's 33d Fighter Wing. One F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft will be assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 501. Once at Eglin, the 5th Generation fighters will be used for pilot and maintainer training at the base's F-35 Integrated Training Center.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV8-B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least nine other countries.

July 10, 2012 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Raytheon Co.; issued July 10, 2012)

Raytheon Awarded Dismount Detection Radar for US Air Force; Innovative, Pod-Based Radar for MQ-9 Reaper Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH, England --- Raytheon Company has been awarded a contract to produce four radar pods with ground moving target indication and synthetic aperture radar technology for the U.S. Air Force. The radar will be mounted under the wings of MQ-9 Reaper aircraft.

The dismount detection radar will deliver accurate information in adverse weather, day and night, for U.S. Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Raytheon will also produce and deliver ground stations.

"Our dismount detection radar is an example of the innovative, scalable surveillance and targeting solutions we develop to meet our customers' most complex needs," said Mark Sims, director of Strategy and Business Development for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems at Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business. "Raytheon remains committed to providing quality products to support the surveillance mission of the men and women in the U.S. Air Force."

"The dismount detection radar will help soldiers, intelligence analysts and commanders in the field make critical decisions," said Col. David Hiltz, then Chief Aerial Ground Surveillance Systems Division for the U.S. Air Force. "This innovative radar represents a true team effort between government and industry."

With increased resolution, range and coverage capabilities, the dismount detection radar offers persistent radar detection to find and track potential threats to warfighters, including vehicles and individuals in near real-time, day and night.

Raytheon also develops the multispectral targeting electro-optical infrared system for use by the U.S. Air Force on the Predator unmanned aircraft.

Raytheon Company, with 2011 sales of $25 billion and 71,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass.

Jul 10, 2012 ASDNews Source : The Boeing Company

    Low-risk, cost-effective solution leverages P-8 and AWACS technologies

Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it is offering a medium-sized Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) to the global market. MSA builds on technologies developed for Boeing's larger Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms to provide a highly capable, low-risk and cost-effective ISR solution.

"The Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft directly applies advanced, proven and fielded capabilities from our P-8, Airborne Warning and Control System, and Airborne Early Warning and Control programs to solve our international customers' maritime surveillance challenges," said Tim Peters, Boeing vice president and general manager, Surveillance and Engagement. "We've selected a preferred aircraft and are in discussions with a manufacturer about supplying and modifying their aircraft. We hope to have an announcement on that element by the end of this year."

MSA incorporates best-of-industry sensor capabilities in radar, electro-optics, and electronic warfare. Its proven open-architecture design will allow for commonality across customers, missions, and industry partners. MSA will support a wide variety of missions, including anti-piracy, immigration patrols, economic exclusion zone enforcement, coastal and border security, and long range search and rescue.

Boeing's research indicates that the maritime surveillance market will be worth more than $10 billion over the next 10 years. The company has nearly 60 years of experience in providing maritime surveillance solutions.

"The Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft showcases how Boeing is meeting customers' current and future needs by migrating advanced, mature technologies from one program into adjacent markets, even with non-Boeing platforms," Peters added. "MSA brings everything we've learned about commercial derivative programs to another tier of the international marketplace."

Jul 10, 2012 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $27 million, firm-fixed-price contract to produce components for 22 Vertical Launch anti-submarine (VLA) missiles.

A supersonic, urgent attack anti-submarine warfare weapon for Navy cruisers and destroyers, the VLA missile enables a crew to engage a submarine at a safer standoff range. Stored and launched from Lockheed Martin’s MK41 Vertical Launching System, the missile system carries a lightweight torpedo to a designated target area which it deploys to counter a hostile threat.

“Our system successfully defeats submarine threats, which continue to increase worldwide. We have produced more than 1,000 missiles over 20 years, deployed around the world protecting our sailors every day,” said Colleen Arthur, program director of Integrated Defense Technologies at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors business. “Working with our U.S. Navy customer and using our collective expertise, we continue advancing the reliability, range and effectiveness of the VLA missile.”

The VLA missile has exceeded accuracy requirements in its operational and testing performance.   Effective in open-ocean and littoral waters, VLA can be fired without maneuvering the ship, even in adverse weather conditions.  It provides twice the range of the prior anti-submarine rocket system.

Navies worldwide are expressing interest in VLA missiles as they seek to replace older, unguided, above-deck launched anti-submarine weapons that are reaching the end of their service life.