Navy sonar mine hunting contract won by Raytheon
NewsMarch 03, 2014
TEWKSBURY, MA. Raytheon won a $35.5 million contract to deliver AN/AQS-20A minehunting sonar systems and equipment to the U.S. Navy. The system will be deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), functioning as the variable depth sonar for the AN/WLD-1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS), where it will be towed undersea to scan the water in front, below, and to the sides of the vehicle to look for anti-shipping mines.
AN/AQS-20A makes use of sophisticated sonar, electro-optical sensors, and high-precision location data to create high-resolution images of mines and mine-like objects. The system detects, localizes, and identifies bottom, close-tethered, and volume mines, while the AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS) reacquires and neutralizes those mines found by the AN/AQS-20A. AMNS is made up of a helicopter-based control console and a launch and handling system that is equipped with four unmanned Archerfish neutralizer vehicles that can destroy mines via remote control from the operator in the MH-60S helicopter.
The contract has options which, if exercised, would then bring the cumulative value of the contract to $199,692,601. Most of the work will happen at Raytheon's Portsmouth, R.I. facility with support and contributions coming from other Raytheon business areas and also from a number of large and small business supplier partners.
