The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a full-rate manufacturing contract for the Excessive-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Functionality (HAAWC), a weapon which can enable the P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Plane (MPA) the power to launch anti-submarine torpedoes from excessive altitudes. The Naval Sea Techniques Command awarded Boeing a 25.6 million fixed-firm-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only, full-rate manufacturing contract for the manufacturing of Excessive-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Functionality Air Launch Accent (ALA) gear, associated engineering and {hardware} restore providers, and different direct price help.
“This is a vital milestone as a result of it brings HAAWC one step nearer to turning into absolutely operational and deployed by the Navy. Our answer transforms the Mk54 right into a precision glide weapon in GPS-aided and GPS-denied environments. The HAAWC system supplies flexibility by permitting the Navy to hold out anti-submarine operations all through the total flight envelope of the P-8A,” mentioned Dewayne Donley, Boeing’s Excessive-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Functionality (HAAWC) program supervisor, in a press launch.
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There are additionally provisions for Boeing to supply engineering similar to design research, testing, prototyping and/or analyses of manufacturing associated points. Restore service provisions embrace {hardware} restore and upkeep providers for government-owned HAAWC ALAs and related {hardware} and gear. A provision merchandise order possibility additionally permits the Navy to obtain spare {hardware} in help of this system. This contract consists of choices, which, if exercised, would deliver the cumulative worth of this contract to $121,4 million. Work is anticipated to be accomplished by September 2024. If all choices are exercised, work will proceed by means of September 2030.
HAAWC is an all-weather add-on glide package that allows the Mk54 torpedo to be launched close to or under the cruising altitude of the for-poseidon. The package consists of a modular ALA that strapped to a Mk54 torpedo, enabling it with precision navigation to glide to a goal space, the place the ALA separates and drops the torpedo into the water. A brand new precision-guided weapon that Boeing will present to the U.S. Navy will basically change anti-submarine warfare by incorporating applied sciences by no means earlier than used on an anti-submarine weapon. Adapting present JDAM and SDB applied sciences may even cut back growth danger and value for the Navy.
