Lockheed Receives $28.9M for A-RCI Sonar Upgrades

Lockheed Martin Corp. Maritime Systems and Sensors in Manassas, VA received a $28.9 million cost-plus incentive-fee/award-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-04-C-6207 for production of sonar upgrade spares kits and sonar system for SSGN Class Tactical Trident (2 systems) and SSN 774 Virginia Class (1 system and advance orders for another 2), respectively. The contract ties into the Acoustic-Rapid Commercial Off-The-Shelf Insertion (A-RCI) program. What is A-RCI, and what does it do for the submarines? A-RCI is a sonar system upgrade installed on the USA’s entire fleet, including SSN-688 Los Angeles, SSN-688I Improved Los Angeles, SSN-21 Seawolf, SSN-744 Virginia, SSGN Tactical Trident, and SSBN-726 Ohio Class submarines. It integrates and improves towed array, hull array, sphere array, and other ship sensor processing. The Acoustic Rapid Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Insertion (A-RCI) AN/BQQ-10(V) Sonar System was actually initiated as Engineering Change 1000 to the AN/BSY-1 Combat System on SSN-688I improved Los Angeles Class submarines. The concept doesn’t replace the existing AN/BSY-1, AN/BQQ-5, and AN/BQQ-6 sensors on the subs – instead, it replaces central processors with modernized COTS personal computer technology and software installed in an open architecture. Sometimes, it really is all about what you can do with it. According to GlobalSecurity.org, […]