Lockheed Martin has delivered its 250th MK 48 Guidance and Control section, a key component of the MK 48 ADCAP heavyweight torpedo used by the US Navy and allied submarine fleets, according to a press release.
The guidance and control package is designed to detect, track and engage fast-moving, evasive and deep-diving threats in real time.
Correction: This article was updated on 14 August 2025 to remove unrelated content from a separate story about the MK 54 torpedo propulsion system. The original version incorrectly included a reference to Aerojet Rocketdyne, a quote from Scott Alexander, and an inaccurate production location. The article now reflects only information relevant to the MK 48 programme.
Lockheed Martin says the latest units leverage advanced processing and algorithms to adapt in complex undersea engagements, supporting both precision and responsiveness in contested environments.
“Reaching the production of the 250th MK 48 Guidance and Control Section marks a major milestone in our mission to deliver new torpedoes to the fleet,” said Tom Warner, vice president for undersea warfare at Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, in the release.
The company highlighted the delivery as evidence of its ability to revitalise a previously dormant line while maintaining production quality and performance. It added that the MK 48’s modernised guidance suite underpins the torpedo’s role as a core element of long-range, undersea strike capability for the United States and partners.
Lost.
Mk48 or Mk 54?
Russia/China, if you’re reading, the US have 250 and only produced in Orlando – tourism central.
Take away test firings, divide between the fleet and you’ll have a good guesstimate of what you are facing.
Opsec is foxtroted on this one.
That can’t be right…. Would mean that every US sub could only have 3 or 4 torpedoes each if split between the fleet…. Not even enough to fill the torpedo tubes!
This shows why we desperately need a cheap torpedo to complement the ADCAP and Spearfish.
If we ever get into a shooting war we will need something cheap and in numbers to be used against non military vessels.
I believe a few hundred carpet knives might fit that criteria for rubber dinghy’s.
#day7300.
Jim, what non military vessels (Civilian) are you talking about targeting and sinking exactly? I dont think that NATO or indeed the US are going to be blockading Russia, China, NK et al any time soon, thus sinking effectively civilian shipping is not really what we do.
They will be doing just that if China begins a regional war by attacking Taiwan. Expect unrestricted submarine warfare.
Sinking civilian ships is exactly how America won its last naval war in the pacific .
Submarines will likely be the only decisive naval weapons available to the US in the western pacific and the only means submarines have of interdicting trade is torpedos.
If we get into a real shooting war with China especially a long one there will be two blockades. A distant one based at Diego Garcia, the Falklands islands and Hawaii using surface ships then there will be an inner blockade in the south Chinas sea and near the Philippines using submarines and long range aircraft.
Having multi billion dollar submarines limited by the very small number of very expensive torpedoes makes no sense. Even as just a deterrent a cheaper more numerous torpedos is required. The USN already had a competition for a torpedos ten times cheaper than ADCAP. They are not building cheaper torpedos to target SSN’s and surface naval ships.
The Royal navy’s vision of war is clouded by seeking a largely defensive roles against an offensive Soviet/Russia force that has little maritime traffic of its owns but would seek to blockade us.
In the pacific things are completely reversed with almost no US shipping in the area but a desperate need for China to import fuel and food via the sea.
ADCAP has been produced on and off for decades, with periods where they build whole new all up rounds and periods where they upgrade the stocks to the new MOD. Essentially the USN holds a stock of around 1100 ADCAPs and has always aimed to either upgrade 50 or build from new 50 each year.. so for instance new builds stopped in 1996-7 and did not restart until 2017..but in that time they had moved the who stock from MOD6 to MOD7.
Thank you Jonathan.
Even 1100 seems low given the number of US Subs.
Well they have around 30ish subs that are active around 30% of the total ( 49) will be awaiting critical maintenance or refit..so they probably have maybe 20 deployed or ready to deploy at best.. so 1000 seems OK.
It is fine if your planning on fighting for a few months then just retiring all the SSN’s because there are no torpedos left.
The USN has already recognised this and they are developing a cheap no frills torpedo to bulk up inventory and be used against softer targets,
We did this through the Cold War keeping old WW2 torpedos around for this purposes.
Please keep it quiet we don’t want Russia and China knowing how many torpedos the USN has. It is encouraging though that they have enough to sink the entire PLAN and their auxiliaries, coast guard and merchant navy
1100 torpedoes would allow then USN to send each of its submarines out on roughly three patrols then its would have to retire them all for lack of weapons.
Gawd….engage braincells guys…
This is just the latest version of Mk.48 ADCAP…
The US has thousands upon thousands of these…
This is Mk48 Mod7 CBASS with APB5….the 250 refers to the APB5 modification….
APB6 is due in 27/28….
The Us continually upgrades Mk.48…
Hello Rudeboy, It’s the engagement of braincells that led to the questioning of the actual wording used in the article itself which, is really not clear at all.
I’m no Torpedo designer/architect but I did believe the 250 number to be rather low (as did others) but it’s always nice to see someone with expert knowledge taking the trouble to set up a brand new account just to educate us thickies.
Thanks again, much appreciated.
“engage braincells, guys…”
Bit of an ask here to be fair—try Navy Lookout?
@Dern the Stern, the above is a joke. I thought I’d let you know, as I don’t want to offend you again.
#LightenUp #MrSerious
Umm no it has around 1000 of them, that has been its warstock for levels for around 30 years.
To me it reads like they have updated the torpedo design (and delivered said new section) 250 times.
This does not have any necessary impact on the number of torpedos produced.
Not really the adcap has been produced on and off for decades MOD 6 ended its production run of all up rounds in 1996 and is on MOD 7 now with most of the time between 2007 and 2017 dedicated to upgrading the stocks, production of new all up rounds had restarted in 2017 it’s a well published fact that the production rate for ADCAPs is around 50 per year and the US holds an arsenal of around 1100 ADCAPs. They will be moving to MOD8 in 2027.
250 ! I would have thought another zero on that makes sense ?
The 250th figure refers only to Mk 48 torpedo Guidance & Control Section upgrades, not total inventory. The U.S. Navy has about 1,000 Mk 48s plus several thousand lightweight torpedoes, mainly Mk 54s, with Mk 46 and Mk 50 models in reserve or training use.
It would be interesting to read the actual details of this “Section”, the article seems to imply that just 250 Torpedo’s have been produced ? I’m assuming a “Section” is some sort of System ?
TorpedoJ, any Ideas ?
I would hazard a guess and say its an upgrade on the current section/system in use. It would be foolish to assume that the USN only has 250 HT to distribute amongst its SM fleet, despite how the article is worded.
Yes, that’s how I see it too.
Having now read the article a few times, It still seems a little vague.
“Deep32”, I’m assuming you are a Sub mariner ?
TorpedoJ was my first POC.
I was one yes.
Respect, Welcome to the surface ! and soap !🛀
I think he meant sun dodger 😉
I’m ashamed to say that the name was just a play on my initials, no luck there!
Phew, for a moment there, I thought you were a Pedo !
(It’s a joke, thats all it is)
The USN has just over 1000 ADCPs.. it goes in and out of all up production in cyles.. in between the all up round production they enter cyles of upgrading the war stock to the latest MOD.. so for instance by 1997 the USN had around 1100 ADCP MOD6# build and delivered.. it then formally moved in 2007 to MOD7 and spent the time between 1997 and 2017 upgrading its entire 1000+ war stock of MOD6 to MOD7 ( this ties with the stated aim of a MOD7 production rate of 50 per year). In 2017 they stated they were moving back to all up round production of the MOD7 at about 50 per year ( so new torpedoe production restarted in 2017-18). They will keep the all up production of the MOD7 until 2027 when they are shifting to MOD8. They have not yet stated if they will enter an all up round production of MOD8 or if they will move to a period of upgrading their war stocks of MOD7.
👌
The article is about a guidance and control system within a torpedo, not the torpedo itself. Later on it talks about this being a milestone in delivering NEW (my capitals) torpedoes to the fleet.
So I parse this all to mean that Lockheed are providing parts for a new or upgrade torpedo and that so far they’ve delivered 250 with more to follow.
Yes, It’s 250 guidence system sections which indicates 250 Torpedo’s, so presumably it’s a new upgrade to a previous mark rather than the total produced so far in total.
“It’s all very murky down in the depths”.
“Clear as Ditchwater”.
OK just for clarification as this article is not helpful around what is going on with ADCAP.
The USN has just over 1000 ADCPs and it goes in and out of all up production in cycles as new MODs come in and the war stock needs upgrading.. they don’t scrap and build new ADCAPs they upgrade existing wars stocks to a new MOD. So between the all up round “new” production they enter cycles of upgrading the war stock to the latest MOD.. so for instance by 1997 the USN had around 1100 ADCP MOD6# build and delivered.. it stopped ordering new built torpedoes and then formally moved in 2007 to MOD7, it spent the time between 1997 and 2017 upgrading its entire 1000+ war stock of MOD6 to MOD7 ( this ties with the stated aim of a MOD7 production rate of 50 per year). In 2017 they stated they were moving back to all up “NEW” round production of the MOD7 at about 50 per year ( so new torpedoe production restarted in 2017-18). So I suspect these 250 are essentially the new builds from the 2017 order that were added to the 1000+ war stocks.
They will keep the all up production of the MOD7 until 2027 when they are shifting to MOD8. They have not yet stated if they will enter an all up round production of MOD8 or if they will move to a period of upgrading their war stocks of MOD7.
So it’s fine the USN are not going to run out of ADCAPs soon as they only have 30 active SSNs so they probably have 40 Torps per active SSN. Especially as the USN has now tested the RAPTOR programme..essentially they are stress testing a process to produce 10 cheap torpedoes a month… essentially a 500,000 dollar basic war shot to replace the 4.5million dollar ADCAP for many targets that don’t need an ADCAP.