BAE Systems has been awarded a $36 million production contract by Lockheed Martin to deliver multifunction modular mast (MMM) systems for integration onto US Navy submarines. The systems are specifically designated for the Virginia-class fleet.
The MMM system is a radio frequency receiving antenna designed to detect, identify, and locate adversary communications signals while the vessel remains submerged.
The antennas will feed data into Lockheed Martin’s AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare (EW) system, providing operators with a secondary source for detecting nearby threats alongside radar and sonar.
Michael Rottman, programme area director for Maritime Sensors and Systems at BAE Systems, stated, “In dynamic and contested environments, stealth is key, and submarines rely on accurate communications signal information to make decisions quickly.”
The antenna is housed within a pressure-rated, corrosion-resistant composite radome designed to withstand harsh underwater conditions while minimising visibility.
The system also features a payload module that allows the US Navy to incorporate additional sensors for various mission applications.
The manufacturing work will be performed at the company’s facilities in Hudson, Merrimack, and Nashua, New Hampshire.