Curtiss-Wright gets torpedo upgrade contract from US Navy

US-based supplier of electronics products Curtiss-Wright Corporation has been selected by engineering company Progeny to provide modular open system approach (MOSA) computers and digital processing modules for use in the US Navy’s torpedo upgrade programs.

As disclosed, the products will be used specifically for MK54 and MK48 torpedo upgrade programs. The contract has an estimated lifetime value of $70 million.

“We are very proud to have been selected by Progeny to provide our rugged commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies to support the upgrade of the U.S. Navy’s MK54 and MK48 torpedoes,” said Lynn M. Bamford, President and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

“Curtiss-Wright’s selection on this upgrade program is another recent example of how our technology … in MOSA-based rugged COTS modules is helping to modernize military platforms.”

The processor modules covered by this agreement will be shipped to Progeny in Manassas, Virginia and Charleroi, Pennsylvania.

The MK 54 lightweight torpedo, previously known as the lightweight hybrid torpedo (LHT), is a surface ship and aircraft-launched anti-submarine weapon.

The MK 54 MOD 0 lightweight torpedo integrates existing torpedo hardware and software from the MK 46 and MK 50 torpedo programs with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) digital signal-processing technology. It incorporates an advanced guidance and control (G&C) section employing COTS processing technologies and tactical software improvements to significantly increase torpedo performance.

On the other hand, the MK 48 heavyweight torpedo is used by all classes of submarines as their anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) weapon.

The last MK 48 MOD 6 production torpedo was delivered in 1996. Since then, the Navy has provided discrete improvements to MK 48 MOD 6 via upgrade kits to the torpedo’s guidance and control and propulsion systems.