Boeing showed off its newest sub-killing torpedo this week at the annual Sea-Air-Space conference, a flying torpedo that will enable the Navy’s P-8 Poseidon to hunt enemy submarines from great heights.
The HAAWC, which stands for High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability, is an add-on kit for the Navy’s Mark 54 lightweight torpedo that gives the weapon the ability to glide through the air high above the clouds. Boeing is aiming to have the technology on the Navy’s submarine-hunting P-8 in 2017, according to company representatives.
The HAAWC kit turns the torpedo into a miniature jet, complete with wings, a tail and a GPS-guided navigation system. Once it nears the water, the kit peels off and the system activates a parachute that lowers the weapon to the water. The engine then starts and the torpedo begins its run toward its target.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has introduced a new sonobuoy capability for its MQ-9 Guardian maritime unmanned air vehicle which, alongside a number of other developing technologies, could make it a contender to help fill the UK’s maritime patrol gap.
A concept was presented at the Royal Navy’s maritime awareness conference at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall on 24 September, which showed a number of sonobuoys being released from a bay on the UAV.
While a requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) acquisition has yet to be released from the UK government, the developments that General Atomics is incorporating into the MQ-9 suggests that it will look to offer a modified Guardian to complement a manned MPA that is expected to be procured.
The new sonobuoy capability has been developed alongside Ultra Electronics over two years, Jonny King, director for General Atomics’ UK division, says.
“What we’re really looking at is a Predator B carrying sonobuoys, controlling them, and sending sonobuoy information back to the ground station over a SATCOM link,” King says.
India’s Navy has selected Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), to fulfill the service’s Multi-Role Helicopter requirement for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare (ASW/ASuW), among other maritime roles. Negotiations will now begin to procure 16 S-70B SEAHAWK® helicopters, with an option for eight additional aircraft, along with a complete logistics support and training program.
“India’s selection of the S-70B helicopter represents a major strategic win for Sikorsky in an important growth market, and positions us well for future opportunities,” said Mick Maurer, President of Sikorsky Aircraft. “We look forward to a long-term collaboration with the Indian Government and local industry as we work to bring the Indian Navy the highly advanced multi-role S-70B aircraft.”
The proposed Indian Navy S-70B variant will include avionics and flexible open architecture Weapons Management Systems that integrate an advanced sonar, 360 degree search radar, modern air-to-surface missiles, and torpedoes for the ASW role. A blade and tail fold capability will facilitate shipboard storage.
The S-70B aircraft will also enhance the Indian Navy’s capabilities to perform non-combat maritime roles, including search and rescue, utility and external cargo lift, surveillance and casualty evacuation.
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China has commissioned a corvette variant focused on anti submarine warfare (ASW), expanding the capability of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to find and hunt submarines in the South China Sea, according to Tuesday local press reports via Jane’s Defense Weekly.
Zhuzhou is the 18th Jiangdao-class corvette to enter the Chinese fleet and the first specifically planned for ASW.
In addition to the array of guided anti-ship and anti-air missiles, the Type-56 corvettes already include a hull-mounted sonar, according to U.S. Naval Institute’s Combat Fleets of the World.
Some of the corvettes are also being equipped with towed sonar arrays, Combat Fleets author Eric Wertheim told USNI News on Wednesday.
A new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is undergoing trials and testing, according to news reports and Chinese military websites.
The aircraft, believed to be designated Z-18F, has been developed from the Changhe Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) Z-8, itself a derivative of the long-serving French SA-321 Super Frelon.
Indigenously-built Dhruv helicopter is likely to be deployed on country's largest warship Russian-origin aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya for carrying out the role of detecting hostile submarines.
If inducted, the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) will be the first indigenous system to be integrated on the warship, which so far operates only imported equipment such as the MiG 29K naval combat fighters and the Kamov-31 helicopters.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-built ALH Dhruv is undergoing trials for carrying out role of detecting hostile submarines using systems developed by the DRDO, Defence officials said here.
The system was put under trial at Vishakhapatnam and would be tried further before any final decision is taken on deploying the twin-engine chopper on board the carrier, they said.
Singapore Technologies (ST) Electronics has begun testing its Venus unmanned surface vehicle (USV) for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations.
Speaking with IHS Jane's at the Singapore Airshow on 11 February, Ng Tee Guan, vice-president of marketing for ST Electronics said that the company has integrated one 16.5 m-long Venus USV platform with a launch and recovery system for dipping sonars and is currently conducting a series of tests on the unit including its deployment abilities under various sea states.
The Venus USV is an indigenous effort believed to have grown out of Singapore's previous involvement in the US Navy's Spartan Scout Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) programme.
