US Navy ups Hammerhead anti-submarine mine order to enhance undersea warfare

March 18, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The US Navy is continuing to expand its next-generation undersea warfare capabilities, awarding General Dynamics Mission Systems a $21.5 million contract modification to advance the Hammerhead mine system program.

Credit: General Dynamics Mission Systems

Announced by Naval Sea Systems Command, the fixed-price incentive modification exercises options under a previously awarded contract for Hammerhead system assets. The work will be carried out in Taunton, Massachusetts, with completion scheduled for January 2027.

The latest award builds on a significantly larger contract previously granted to General Dynamics Mission Systems, valued at $92.9 million, in 2022.

That contract covers the design, testing, and delivery of the Hammerhead Encapsulated Effector system, along with the production of prototype units and associated equipment. With options included, the total potential value of that contract could rise to more than $275.6 million.

Hammerhead represents a new generation of moored anti-submarine mines, designed to provide the Navy with enhanced capabilities to detect, track, and engage undersea threats. The system is intended to counter increasingly sophisticated submarine activity, reinforcing the navy’s layered maritime defense strategy.

The program is being delivered by a team led by General Dynamics Mission Systems, alongside partners such as Applied Physical Sciences and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. Key subcontractors include Raytheon Technologies, Physical Sciences, and Ultra.

The continued investment underscores the navy’s focus on autonomous and deployable undersea systems as it adapts to evolving maritime security challenges.