BAE Systems has been awarded a $36 million contract to supply Multifunction Modular Mast systems for integration on US Navy submarines, following a production agreement with Lockheed Martin, according to the company.
The contract covers delivery of the radio-frequency receiving mast for installation on new Virginia-class submarines. According to BAE Systems, the system is designed to detect, identify and direction-find communications signals while the submarine remains submerged, with data fed into Lockheed Martin’s AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare suite.
BAE Systems said the mast is intended to support situational awareness in what it describes as contested operating environments. Michael Rottman, programme area director for Maritime Sensors and Systems at BAE Systems, said: “In dynamic and contested environments, stealth is key, and submarines rely on accurate communications signal information to make decisions quickly.” He added that the system enables crews to locate and assess potential threats, according to the company.
The Multifunction Modular Mast is described by BAE Systems as a secondary sensing capability that complements radar and sonar, contributing to what the company characterises as electromagnetic spectrum awareness. The mast houses a tactical communications receiving antenna within a composite radome designed to withstand pressure and corrosion in undersea conditions.
According to the company, the system’s low-visibility design is intended to reduce the detectability of both the mast and the submarine while maximising signal collection. BAE Systems also said the mast includes a payload module that allows for the integration of additional sensors to support other mission requirements.
Work on the programme will be carried out at BAE Systems facilities in Hudson, Merrimack and Nashua, New Hampshire. The company said the contract builds on more than six decades of experience developing maritime sensors and communications systems for submarine operations.
