Fly and Listen: The AN/AQS-22 ALFS Sonar System

The AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar (ALFS) will equip the US Nay’s new MH-60R multi-mission helicopters, serving as their primary anti-submarine sensor. The new FLASH sonar operates using lower frequencies and higher-power waveforms than existing dipping sonars, improving long-range detection. The AQS-22 dipping sonar claims 4x the area coverage of current systems, and includes both active or passive sonar modes to help track, localize, and classify submarines. A winching system with up to 2,500 feet of cable raises and lowers the sonar.

The ALFS system complements the MH-60R’s radar, and works in concert with other equipment including active or passive sonobuoys, signal processing improvements that are especially helpful in shallow water. This Spotlight article highlights ALFS-related contracts from 2002 to the present.

Contracts & Key Events

ALFS is a cooperative venture between Raytheon Corp. and Thales Underwater Systems, which supplies a modified version of its FLASH wide-band sonar. Thales’ Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters (FLASH) helicopter-borne dipping sonar is widely popular, and has been chosen by the USA (MH-60R), France (NH90 NFH), Norway (NH90 NFH), Sweden (NH90 NFH), UAE (Naval Cougar), and UK (EH101 MERLIN); it is also currently proposed for the German Navy’s NH90.

Unless otherwise noted, all contracts are issued by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD, to prime contractor Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems’ Naval Integration Center in Portsmouth, RI. Note that work will be performed in Brest, France generally indicates work done by Raytheon’s major sub-contractor, Thales. The partnership produces an average of 20 AN/AQS-22 systems per year.

Sept 3/15: Raytheon will get $33 million to make more AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar devices. With options, the contract could be worth as much as $98 million.

Sept 26/14: Thales Defense & Security, Inc. in Clarksburg, MD, receives a $7.7 million firm-fixed-price delivery order to cover repairs of 6 ALFS components. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 Navy budgets.

Work will be performed in Brest, France (62%); Clarksburg, MD (26%); and Johnstown, PA (12%), and work is expected to be complete by Jan 31/16. One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement, with 1 offer received by the NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support Contracting Department in Philadelphia, PA (N0038313G003F, DO 7007).

Dec 18/13: H-60 Program Manager Capt. James Glass discusses programs to upgrade the fleet with new weapons and systems. They’re pleased with ALFS’ performance, which he describes as 9x more effective, but they’re working to engineer ALFS for more reliability. Sources, Military.com, “Navy Arms MH-60S Helicopter with Gatling Gun”.

Dec 16/13: Australia. Raytheon IDS in Portsmouth, RI receives a maximum $42.6 million sole source, firm-fixed-price contract from the Royal Australian Navy for “the manufacture and delivery” of AN/AQS-22 ALFS dipping sonar systems. Australia has ordered 25 systems already (q.v. Dec 22/11), which is more than enough for installation in each helicopter. Spares? Upgrades? Additional reserve units? Raytheon’s Dec 20/13 release is uninformative. If the 2 orders are combined, they total $123.4 million.

Work will be performed in Rhode Island, with a February 2017 performance completion date. The US Defense Logistics Agency Aviation in Philadelphia, PA manages this contract, unlike the 2011 contract which was managed by US NAVAIR (SPRPA1-09-G-001Y-5027).

Nov 4/13: Support. Thales Communication Inc. in Clarksburg, MD receives an $8.8 million firm-fixed-price delivery order to cover repairs for 6 ALFS items. Based on the geographic spread, a significant portion of the repair work will involve the FLASH sonar modules, as one would reasonably expect.

$6.6 million in FY 2014 working capital funds are committed immediately, and will expire by Sept 30/14. Work will be performed at Clarksburg, MD (28%); Brest, France (54%); and Johnstown, PA (18%), and is expected to be complete Nov 1/15. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) by NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support’s Contracting Department in Philadelphia, PA (N00383-13-G-003F, #7002).

Sept 26/13: Thales Communications, Inc. in Clarksburg, MD receives a $15.1 million firm-fixed-price contract to help establish depot level support for the AN/AQS-22 ALFS. They’ll provide depot level specialized test equipment and the relevant technical data in support of the MH-60R/ ALFS combination. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Clarksburg, MD (50%) and Jacksonville, FL (50%) and is expected to be complete in May 2015. The contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.SC 2304(c). US NAVAIR in Lakehurst, NJ manages the contract (N68335-13-C-0427).

Sept 17/13: A maximum $45.2 million unfinalized contract for ALFS systems. Work will be performed in Rhode Island, with a November 2017 completion date, using FY 2013 through FY 2017 Navy working capital funds. The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation in Philadelphia, PA manages this contract (SPRPA1-09-G-001Y, #5026).

Dec 20/12: FRP-10 & 11. A $158.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 48 MH-60R Full Rate Production ALFS systems: 24 for Production Lot 10 and another 24 for Lot 11. It also includes associated program management support.

Work will be performed in Brest, France (59%); Portsmouth, RI (37%), and Johnstown, PA (4%), and is expected to be completed in April 2017. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C 2304c1. All contract funds are committed on award, but $39.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/13 (N00019-13-C-0012). Raytheon.

May 31/12: Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, RI received a $12.2 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for specialized test equipment and “golden units” necessary to perform depot level repairs to identified ALFS components. The Navy wants to reduce turnaround time, and improve fleet support.

Work will be performed in Brest, France (82%); Portsmouth, RI (12%); and Arlington, VA (6%), and is expected to be complete in July 2014. $7.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12.

Dec 12/11: Upgrades. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, RI receives a $10.4 million firm-fixed-price delivery order to integrate an improved ALFS sonar Digital Transducer Assembly into MH-60R helicopters, as Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 6515-E-022, Part II.

Work will include engineering, highly accelerated life test, and integrated logistics services. Work will be performed in Brest, France (64%), and Portsmouth, RI (36%), and is expected to be complete in October 2012 (N00019-08-G-0013).

Sept 27/11: FRP-9. An $81.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 24 MH-60R ALFS systems, and all associated program management support, as Full Rate Production Lot 9 (FY 2011).

Work will be performed in Brest, France (72%); Portsmouth, RI (20%); and Johnstown, PA (8%). Work is expected to be complete in September 2014. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-11-C-0077).

Aug 11/11: An unfinalized $6.8 million contract action to provide ALFS consumable spares, with $3.4 million committed immediately. It is expected to be complete by Aug 11/13. One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement, and one offer was received by the US Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support in Philadelphia, PA (SPRPA1-09-G-001Y).

Oct 12/10: Raytheon’s release cites the $59.7 million March 26/10 contract, but it also cites a second, unannounced $56 million spares contract for fleet-deployed systems.

July 21/10: Testing. Aviation Week Ares reports that future MH-60R helicopters may abandon their current sonobuoy launchers:

“U.S. Navy program manager for H-60, Capt. Dean Peters… said the aircraft’s Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) worked so well during last year’s deployment of the aircraft there “was not much need for the [sonobuoy] launcher.” The potential exists, he says, to “take out the sonobuoy launcher,” and launch fewer buoys using a different type of launch system. The goal is reduce the amount of cabin space taken up by the launcher… ALFS provides so much range that it might be wise to have another helicopter prosecute the mission and “have the sonar remain in the dip.”… We’re evaluating other options to free up space and reduce cost.”

March 26/10: FRP-8. A $59.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 18 full-rate production Lot 8 (FY 2010) AN/AQS-22 ALFS systems, and 2 sonar transmitter/ receiver weapon replaceable assemblies, for the MH-60R program.

Work will be performed in Brest, France (72%); Portsmouth, RI (26%); and Gaithersburg, MD (2%), and is expected to be complete in May 2013 (N00019-09-C-0096).

Sept 22/09: FRP-7. An $81.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for AN/AQS-22 ALFS dipping sonar systems Full Rate Production Lot 7 (FY 2009). Under the contract, Raytheon IDS will manufacture, integrate, test and deliver 23 new ALFS systems as well as provide miscellaneous weapons replaceable assemblies for systems under test and helicopter maintenance trainer assets. To date, Raytheon has delivered 26 ALFS systems, and is currently under contract for 80, plus spares for life-cycle support of deployed systems.

Work will be performed in Brest, France (72%); Portsmouth, RI (26%); and Gaithersburg, MD (2%), and is expected to be complete in November 2012. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-09-C-0096).

See also the subsequent Raytheon release, which talks up a recent exercise involving ALFS-equipped MH-60Rs from the John C. Stennis carrier battlegroup, in the western Pacific ocean. One would have to know more about the level of realism and operational freedom accorded the submarines in that exercise, in order to form an informed judgment.

April 13/09: An $8.6 million firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement to provide intermediate-level support equipment used for a variety of ALFS-related maintenance and testing tasks. Equipment will include reeling machine test benches, reeling machines, and reel and cable assemblies.

Work will be performed in Johnstown, PA (90%) and Portsmouth, RI (10%), and is expected to be complete in January 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ manages this contract (N68335-07-G-0005).

Dec 4/08: A $17.2 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity long term contract for repair overhaul of various weapons replaceable assemblies used on the Airborne Low Frequency Sonar.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI, (10%), and Brest, France (90%, Thales’ work). Work is to be complete by December 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-09-D-009F).

April 29/08: Raytheon Co. in Portsmouth, RI receives a $59.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for the Fiscal Year 2008 Full Rate Production (Lot 6) buy of 14 ALFS systems for the MH-60R. Work will be performed in Brest, France, (61%); Portsmouth, RI (30%) and Gaithersburg, MD (9%), and is expected to be complete in October 2010. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-08-C-0051).

March 24/08: $8.1 million for delivery order #5004 under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement contract, covering initial and wholesale spares for various weapons replacement assemblies used in ALFS’ development and deployment. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI, and is expected to be complete by October 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-G-011F).

March 24/08: $15.8 million for delivery order #5005 under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement contract, covering initial and wholesale spares for various weapons replacement assemblies used in ALFS’ development and deployment. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI, and is expected to be complete by October 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-G-011F).

March 17/08: Support, FRP-6? Raytheon announces 2 U.S. Navy contracts with a total value of $89 million for the AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar system.

Raytheon will provide whole-life engineering to support AN/AQS-22 systems already in the fleet, and full rate production of AN/AQS-22 has been accelerated since the 2006 initial fielding of the MH-60R helicopter into the U.S. Navy fleet. To date, Raytheon has delivered 14 AN/AQS-22 systems, and is under contract for an additional 28.

Aug 20/07: ALFS Order. A $15.4 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0013) for the procurement of 3 AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems, an ALFS Sonar Transmitter/Receiver Control Module Technical Refresh effort, as well as an ALFS Automated Test Equipment Procedure Enhancement. ALFS diping sonars are deployed on the US Navy’s new MH-60R multi-mission helicopters.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI, and is expected to be complete in May 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $8 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Raytheon release, Nov 14/07.

Feb 12/07: FRP-5. A $50.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for the manufacture, qualification and delivery of 19 Full Rate Production Lot V MH-60R AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems and related program support.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI (60%) and Brest, France (40%), and is expected to be complete in September 2009 (N00019-07-C-0013).

Jan 23/07: Raytheon Co. Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, RI received a $5.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-05-C-0012) to provide program sustaining and integrated logistics services in support of the MH-60R Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI (60%) and Brest, France (40%), and is expected to be complete in December 2007.

Feb 9/05: Sub-contractors. Thales Underwater Systems announces a $17 million contract from prime contractor Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) for the production of 10 ALFS dipping sonar subsystems for the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R multi-mission helicopter. Under the contract, Thales Underwater Systems will provide 10 Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters (FLASH) active dipping sonar subsystems, including the reeling machine, cable and wet end assemblies for final integration and test.

This award comes after the successful completion of an LRIP contract awarded in November 2002, under which Raytheon and Thales worked together to deliver 4 ALFS systems to the U.S. Navy well ahead of schedule – see Oct 12/02 entry.

Nov 30/04: LRIP-2 & 3. A $29.8 million contract to provide 10 Low Rate Initial Production II and III AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems for the U.S. Navy’s MH60R multi-mission helicopter. Under the contract, Raytheon will provide program management, systems engineering, configuration management, and materials procurement for the manufacture, test and integration of the sonar systems, as well as sustaining and integrated logistics support. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI (67%) and Brest, France (33%), and is expected to be complete in March 2007. Raytheon release.

July 23/03: R&D. Small business qualifier Digital System Resources, Inc. in Fairfax, VA won a not-to-exceed $25 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for a Phase III Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program under Topic N00-008 entitled “Environmentally Insensitive Active Decluttering” and Topic N00-009 entitled “Multistatic Operation.” The primary objective of this Phase III SBIR Program is to provide engineering services and software products to support performance testing of the AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) production configuration. The contractor will support, maintain, and improve the software tools previously developed and delivered to support testing of the AQS-22 ALFS during laboratory and field tests, implement corrections for deficiencies in the MH-60R acoustics processing, and support planning, definition, conduct, and results analysis of performance testing of the ALFS production configuration.

Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA and is expected to be complete in August 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $134,879 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using SBIR Program Solicitation under Topics N00-008 and N00-009, and 4 offers were received for each. The Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ (N68335-03-D-0105).

Additional Readings & Sources

* Raytheon – AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS)

* Deagel.com – AN/AQS-22 ALFS

* Sikorsky – MH-60R Seahawk

* Naval Helicopter Association (2007 Symposium) – MH-60R Capabilities Scenario [dead link]

* Naval Studies Board (2006) – C4ISR for Future Naval Strike Groups, pg. 268

* Thales, via WayBack (April 4/06) – MH-60R Fleet introduction Ceremony : ALFS outstanding performances rewarded by US Navy