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AP-3C over Darwin
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In November 2005, the Australian Government, Tenix Defence and Eurocopter subsidiary Australian Aerospace (AA) have signed the P3 Accord Master Agreement to provide capability upgrades and Through Life Support (TLS) for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. The three parties have established a Joint Management Office (JMO) to supervise all Accord activities under a unique risk-sharing contractual arrangement. The JMO will develop and implement all RAAF AP-3C capability upgrades and TLS solutions through to the aircraft’s planned withdrawal date – at which point it will likely be replaced by the 737-based AP-8A MMA.

The combined value of the TLS and block upgrades to the aircraft is expected to be more than A$ 1 billion…

• Australia’s AP-3C Programs [updated]
• The AP-3 Accord
• AP-3 Accord Updates [updated]
  
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From these…

At various times, DID has covered advance materials procurement and other contracts under the program to modify some of the USA’s nuclear-powered Ohio Class SSBN nuclear missile submarines to become long range conventional strike and special operations SSGN “Tactical Tridents.”

Four ultra-stealthy Ohio-class SSBNs are having their 24 Trident II D-5 nuclear ballistic missiles removed and replaced with up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. The USA is also adding accommodation for 66-102 special forces troops, special attachments for new Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) or older Seal Delivery Vehicle (SDV) “mini-subs,” and a mission control center. In future, the SSGNs may also carry UUV underwater robotic vehicles and even UAVs for aerial operations.

...to these
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These modifications provide the USA with an impressive and impressively flexible set of conventional firepower, in a survivable and virtually undetectable platform that can remain on station for very long periods.

DID has updated its previous material and discusses the origins of this conversion program, the key players, the timeline, and the key technologies involved. We also offer comprehensive coverage of the announced contracts under this $1.4 billion refurbishment and conversion program to date, including a number of related ancillary contracts and programs. This will remain the updated DID Focus article for all materials related to the SSGN program.

• The US Navy’s New SSGN Platform
• SSGN Conversions: Timelines & Program Contractors
• SSGN Tactical Trident: Contracts and Key Events
• SSGN Tactical Trident: Ancillary Programs
• Additional Readings
  
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MU90 Eurotorp
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In December 2005, “Beyond Armaris: Thales “Buys” Minority Stake in DCN” covered the government-prodded merger of Thales naval business with state-owned DCN, to create DCNS. That agreement excluded some naval items like electronics, but it did include Thales’ 24% share in Eurotorp, the European lightweight torpedo consortium that was officially founded in 1993 as a joint venture between DCN International (26%), Thomson-CSF (now Thales, 24%) and Whitehead (now Finmeccanica, 50%).

The DCNS transaction was not concluded until March 2007, and now the Eurotorp consortium has taken the next step by creating a more wide-ranging set of joint ventures in underwater weapons systems. The longer-term goal remains European integration, and the 3 CEOs have said they would consider opening the alliance to other European players at some point….

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Mk54 HAAWC
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American maritime patrol aircraft currently carry torpedos as part of their armament, which serve as key weapons against enemy submarines. As any high-diver of cliff-jumper knows first hand, however, water can feel surprisingly solid after a long fall. Torpedos still have to be released from low altitude, typically 100 feet or less above the waves. Two recent developments, however, are making this approach less practical for the US military. One is tests of sub-launched anti-air missile systems, using modified short-range air-air missiles that do not require radar guidance. The other is its selection of the 737-based P-8A Poseidon as its next maritime patrol and surface surveillance aircraft. The P-8A can perform low swoops if necessary, but its airframe is really optimized for cruising at altitude.

As these trends developed, someone in the US military asked the logical next question:

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US torpedos
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The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of Turkey’s request for 100 MK-54 Lightweight All-Up-Round Warshot Torpedoes, 50 containers, required equipment platform and auxiliary upgrades and modifications, kits, support equipment, exercise hardware, maintenance facility upgrades, software development/integration, test sets and support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, maintenance, training equipment, U.S. Government (USG) and contractor representatives, contractor engineering and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $105 million.

Raytheon Company Integrated Defense Systems in Keyport, WA will be the contractor, and there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require assignment of U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Turkey on a temporary basis for program technical/management oversight and support. The DSCA release [PDF format] adds:

S-70 Seahawk

“Turkey intends to use the MK-54 torpedo on numerous platforms including… Frigates, SH-70B Sea Hawk Helicopters, and Sea Patrol Aircraft already in-country…. Turkey maintains a robust MK-46 program, which it intends to upgrade to support the MK-54 torpedo. Accordingly, the TNFC will be capable of integrating, employing, and maintaining the MK-54 torpedo…. This proposed sale will not adversely affect either the military balance in the region or U.S. efforts to encourage a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question.”

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Mk 48: Before and After
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The Mk-48 is the standard heavyweight torpedo used by the US military, and is mounted primarily on submarines and surface ships. The Mk-54, in contrast, stemmed from the need for a smaller, lighter, and cost effective advanced torpedo that could be dropped from helicopters, planes, and smaller ships. In recent years, the US has moved to modernize and maintain its Mk-48 inventory; the Mk-54 also requires servicing and spares.

These contracts are being issued under a total enterprise partnership between Raytheon and the US Navy called Team Torpedo, dedicated to meeting the needs of U.S. and allied naval fleets. Team Torpedo combines Raytheon’s manufacturing, design engineering, and support services expertise with the systems engineering and testing capabilities of Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) operations in Newport, RI, and Keyport, WA. Total announced awards under that consolidated torpedo contract since its announcement on June 22, 2004 have now risen to $261.9 million, issued on behalf of the US and Royal Australian navies.

DID has the complete set of contracts below… plus more details regarding the torpedos involved, and the answer to the question “what the heck is CBASS standard”?

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Mk 48: Before and After
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Raytheon’s Full Service Partnering Center in Poulsbo, WA received a $9.2 million firm-fixed price/ cost-plus-fixed-fee, time & materials contract. It covers technical engineering and maintenance services in support of the Undersea Weapons Program Office (PMS404) and MK 48 Heavyweight Torpedo Intermediate Maintenance Activities (IMA) for the US Navy. Raytheon originally won the contract in 2000, and performs intermediate-level maintenance, repair and refurbishment of MK 48 ADCAP torpedoes currently in the U.S. Navy’s fleet inventory of training and warshot torpedoes. The inventory is used for fleet training, readiness and submarine-launched torpedo warshot exercises. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, HI (80%, torpedo maintenance actions and technical support services); Yorktown, VA (18%, progressive depot level repair support); and Poulsbo, WA (2%), and is expected to be complete by November 2006. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-06-C-6107). See also Raytheon’s press release.

The Mk 48 heavyweight torpedo is designed to kill both fast, deep-diving nuclear submarines and high performance surface ships. It is carried by all Navy submarines, as is a devastating weapon. The Mk 48 ADCAP has improved target acquisition range, reduced vulnerability to enemy countermeasures, reduced shipboard constraints such as warm-up and reactivation time, and enhanced effectiveness against surface ships. These torpedoes can operate with or without wire guidance, and can use active and/or passive homing, conducting multiple re-attacks if they miss the target. See also Undersea Warfare Magazine’s Winter/Spring 2002 article, “Torpedoes and the Next Generation of Undersea Weapons.”

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VA-111 Shkval
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Lots of news today covering the Iranians’ reputed test of a “sonar-evading underwater missile…. General Fadavi said only one other country, Russia, had a missile that moved underwater as fast as the Iranian one, which he said had a speed of about 225 miles per hour.” The allusion being made here is to a Russian design called the VA-111 Shkval, a “supercavitating” torpedo that attains its speed by riding in a bubble of superheated vapor.

Defense Tech has an excellent article with all kinds of useful links and background including video of the test, the Russian Shkval and its history, and western efforts to develop related weapons. Noah’s caveat about Iran not having a great reputation for truthfulness is wise, especially given the fact that it’s looking to project a threatening posture around closing the Straits of Hormuz right now. The one thing he doesn’t stress, but is important to know: the Shkval is very fast, but unguided.

UPDATE: StrategyPage has more, including an explanation of why the Shkval’s unguided status is a problem.

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HMAS Rankin
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Australia’s six SSK Collins-Class diesel-electric submarines are undergoing a major A$ 857 million (USD $624 million) capability boost, as integration & testing of the same tactical combat system present in the USA’s most modern attack submarines commences. Upgraded state-of-the-art Mk 48 Mod 7 ADCAP heavyweight torpedoes are also on the way. Meanwhile, the Royal Australian Navy is changing some of its recruiting practices and recruiting submariners directly, in an effort to attract the high-skills individuals needed to operate their new fleet.

The Collins were designed in cooperation with Kockums AB, but largely built in Australia. They are the world’s largest diesel-electric subs and among the most advanced as well, successfully scoring kills on American SSN Los Angeles Class attack subs during joint exercises. Yet their history has been replete with cost overruns, schedule overruns, and serious teething problems. Most of these issues have now been resolved, albeit at additional cost; the combat system upgrade is simply the latest, last, and most significant hangover from those past problems.

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Popular in Asia

Modern diesel submarines have advanced propulsion systems and coatings, and many of them are hard to detect with the current sonar technologies aboard the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines and surface ships. As nations in Asia and beyond race to buy these vessels, the US Navy’s Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) Task Force is preparing for that future with a new “concept of operations” that includes new tactics and new technologies. It’s the first major revision of anti-submarine doctrine since the middle of the Cold War.

DID offers a window into that new CONOPS. We’ve also added links to tie in related DID stories that have appeared since this article was first published on March 4, 2005.

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