Raytheon has been awarded a $25.8m contract for six Submarine High Data Rate antenna systems.
The SubHDR antenna system is used to provide submarines with high capacity communications in the extremely high frequency and super high frequency bands and enables reception of the global broadcast service.
According to the US Department of Defense, this contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $114,707,975.
“Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (35 percent); Marlborough, Massachusetts (20 percent); South Deerfield, Massachusetts (15 percent); Fairfield, New Jersey. (8 percent); Portsmouth, New Hampshire (6 percent); Stow, Massachusetts (3 percent); Woodland Hills, California (3 percent); Lititz, Pennsylvania (2 percent); Torrance, California (2 percent); and Carlsbad, California (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2019.
Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $25,800,000 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (62 percent); and the governments of United Kingdom (16 percent); and Australia (22 percent), under the Foreign Military Sales program.
This sole-source contract acquisition was not competitively procured pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) – only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039).”
This may be an odd question but given the nature of these vessels will this give the crew access to better internet connections or does the obvious need to keep the ships location secret override the crew morale aspect of having outside contact with families and friends.
Six?
Are these for adding to the Astutes? At six, I assume not. For the Dreadnoughts?
But surely the Dreadnoughts will just be four? Very confusing!!
I hate having to keep thinking like this but … someone please tell me that the build of the 7th Astute is too far advanced, too much money sunk in pre-ordered equipment, and/or contract penalty clauses too onerous for it to be cancelled.
Uk AND US (and if you read the article, also Australia) so I assume UK are paying for initial purchase of one unit for the first Dreadnought.