USN Modernising Submarine EW Support System
Lockheed Martin has received a $20 million (€17.8 million) contract from the US Navy (USN) for engineering and technical services to support Technology Insertions 20, 22 and 24 for the AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare (EW) system.
The AN/BLQ-10 system is an open architecture platform to accommodate current and future mission needs and technology upgrades. It includes extensive cost-effective commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and non-developmental item hardware and software to meet operational and life-cycle cost requirements. The system processes radar signals through masts and periscopes to detect threats such as counter detection, collision and target locations. Crews can rapidly analyse and identify critical signals to determine hostile, neutral or friendly situations.
The contract includes the design, development, testing, integration, technology insertion/refreshment and system support of new-construction and in-service submarines.
Lockheed Martin has provided the USN with AN/BLQ-10 systems since 2000 and continues to provide modernisation kits, spares and integrated submarine subsystems. Work under the new contract will be performed at the Electronic Warfare Center of Excellence in Syracuse, NY, and Manassas, VA.
“The AN/BLQ-10 system will continue to provide our warfighters with situational awareness and enhanced capabilities that outpace the threat,” commented Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems’ Electronic Warfare Programme Lead, Joe Ottaviano.
