MK-48 ADCAP

Abstract

MK-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) program executes incremental development of weapon performance improvements in three development product areas: (1) Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS), (2) Advanced Processor Builds (APBs), and (3) Torpedo Technology Insertion. The budget enables Acquisition Category (ACAT) III development to address Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) defined capability-based requirements and mission needs. This Program Element (0205632N/0366) is tied to development programs that leverage a joint United States/Australia Armaments Cooperative Project (ACP) to develop MK-48 ADCAP CBASS; and Future Naval Capability (FNC) technologies developed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Countermeasure (CM) sophistication and availability on the open market directly affects ADCAP kill proficiency and its ability to counter rapidly evolving threats. The focus of the MK-48 ADCAP torpedo Research and Development (R&D) program from FY 2001 and out shifted from being primarily concentrated on Software Block Upgrade efforts towards coordinated hardware upgrades, rapid Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) insertion, and APBs to rapidly upgrade the ADCAP to counter evolving threats and maintain robust performance. The CBASS program developed and fielded a broadband sonar capable of identifying CMs and discriminating them from the target. CBASS Phase I achieved IOC in FY 2006. The Commonwealth of Australia Royal Navy is jointly participating to develop CBASS Phase II to improve shallow water performance and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) extension November 2009. The MOA extension expires Nov 2019. The MK-48 ADCAP torpedo R&D program focuses on two specific areas near term; Torpedo APBs and hardware tech insertions. The CNO continues to stress shallow water (less than 600 feet) as a critical operating area to counter third world diesel electric submarines. Torpedo testing in shallow water has demonstrated that in-service ADCAP has less than full capability in this difficult environment. However, this testing, in conjunction with laboratory simulation efforts, has shown that significant performance improvements can be made by implementing changes to weapon tactics and software algorithms. Development, implementation, and testing of these changes is being accomplished under the Torpedo APB program. The APB program also leverages the RAN joint torpedo program and FNC technologies developed by the ONR in the areas of torpedo broadband signal processing, tactics processing, and alertment. The Torpedo tech insertion program will leverage the MK-54 Lightweight torpedo algorithms. Further hardware investment involves development of Guidance & Control (G&C) replacement required to support production and development of Automated Test Equipment replacement to improve comprehensive system testing of full up CBASS Torpedoes. The Torpedo Technology Insertion program will provide for evolutionary torpedo improvements and upgrades (including the transition and testing of advanced technologies from the R&D community). This approach will incorporate developmental testing of the FNC transitioning technologies for ADCAP upgrades in the areas of torpedo sensors, weapon/platform connectivity, warhead lethality, speed and depth. These efforts will continue torpedo development investment at a lower cost and shorter term than traditional torpedo programs. The MK-48 ADCAP torpedo program completed the OT phase of testing Spiral 4 on ACOT and CBASS units in 1st Qtr 2013 in support of IOC. APB5 software upgrades are currently in process for MK-48 ADCAP torpedoes. FNC technologies and MK-54 Lightweight torpedo developments will be transitioned into ADCAP through APBs and Technology Insertion packages. Priorities for APBs and Technology Insertion are; (1) Improved torpedo effectiveness through advanced processing algorithms, (2) advanced counter-countermeasure capability, and (3) a new array to improve torpedo effectiveness.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
• Source ID: 0205632N_7_1319_PB_2014
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Algorithms
• Broadband
• Commerce
• Cost Analysis
• Costs
• Counter Countermeasures
• Developmental Tests
• Engineering
• Military Research
• Naval Operations
• Production
• Signal Processing
• Small Business
• Test And Evaluation
• Test Equipment
• United States

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.