Lightweight Torpedo Development

Abstract

Funding increases from FY22 to FY23 in Project Units 1412, 2234, and 3418 for the following: (1)PU 1412: Increase of $2.526M for requirements updates/development for a High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) that will be compatible with the MK 54 MOD 2 Advanced Lightweight Torpedo (ALWT). The MK 54 MOD 2 ALWT is scheduled to complete subsystem level Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) in FY22 and System Level CDR in early FY23. (2)PU 2234: For continued development of MK 54 MOD 1 Increment 2 APB 6 engineering builds, conducting in water engineering runs, and Weapons Analysis Facility (WAF) system testing. (3)PU 3418: Increase of $44.975M due to the completion of MK 54 MOD 2 subsystem level critical design phase in FY22, proceeding with the detailed design of the weapon and conducting system level Critical Design Review (CDR). FY23 focus will be on completing the System Level Critical Design phase and delivering Proof of Design (POD) hardware to allow for completion of land-based testing and beginning the in-water engineering testing program with the POD Hardware. Additionally, the program will award the All Up Round (AUR) Proof of Manufacture (POM) phase Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract at the end of FY23. Long lead material procurements for the MK 54 MOD 2 POM phase will begin in FY23. Additionally, funding for MH-60 and P-8A platforms will also be provided to begin design and development of integration efforts with aircraft necessary to support the MK 54 MOD 2 Test and Evaluation program that begins with test shape and interface testing during the Engineering Test period. The Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) program designs, integrates and tests the MK 54 LWT and supports an incremental developmental acquisition approach combining hardware and Advanced Processor Build (APB) software upgrades to enable rapid fielding of improvements to the fleet. The program will focus on common LWT and Heavyweight Torpedo (HWT) hardware and software architecture enhancements that will provide improvements to the array, warhead, propulsion, and APB software to address capability gaps against challenging adversary submarines and environments. Future APB software builds will utilize common torpedo software to deliver capability and tactics improvements to the MK 54 LWT. The program will also support development of enhanced weapon delivery methods, including the high altitude launch of the MK 54 from the P-8A Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) with the HAAWC Air Launch Accessary (ALA) and development of a common HAAWC capability compatible with the MK 54 MOD 2. The HAAWC development program provides the P-8A MPRA with the ability to release LWTs from high altitude to prosecute enemy submarine threats. Operational Testing (OT) was conducted at the end of FY20, and the Commander Operational Test & Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR) report was issued in FY21, recommending fielding. Follow-on T&E (FOT&E) was conducted in FY22 with updated flight control software. The current HAAWC design was developed to deploy the MK 54 MOD 0/1. The MK 54 MOD 2 is not compatible with HAAWC due to having different mass properties and outer mold line from the MOD 0/1 LWT. The funding in FY 23 will be utilized to conduct requirements analysis for a HAAWC solution for the MK 54 MOD 2 and solicitation in FY23 for the award of a development contract in FY24. The MK 54 MOD 1 provides significant performance improvements compared to MK 54 MOD 0 for challenging littoral, shallow water environments and adversary countermeasures. The MOD 1 program is split into 2 increments: Increment 1 focusing on the updated sonar hardware and associated APB 5 common software to provide an improved LWT to the Fleet to replace the MK 54 MOD 0s; Increment 2 is the APB 6 software (SW) only upgrade to fully take advantage of the improved sonar hardware developed under Increment 1, update the platform interface to reduce Fleet Operator workload, and provide new capabilities such as Salvo and terminal homing improvements. APB 6 will run on MOD 1 but also serve as the SW baseline for the MK 54 MOD 2. The MK 54 MOD 2 improves the lethality and speed of the LWT by upgrading the Warhead and Propulsion system to counter challenging near-peer adversary submarines that are faster and deeper diving, leveraging the sonar hardware improvements developed under the MOD 1 program. The program awarded four Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements to industry partners in FY20 for the design of the Guidance and Control (G&C) section, Warhead, Stored Chemical Energy Propulsion System (SCEPS) afterbody sections, and All Up Round (AUR) system integrator. Industry partners are focused primarily on the development of torpedo hardware and support equipment while the USN maintains the responsibility of developing the software under the APB process and will develop specific software modules for the MK 54 MOD 2 variant. In FY22, the program will complete the preliminary design and begin engineering testing of Proof of Design (POD) hardware, as well as refining the critical design in preparation for qualification and Developmental Testing (DT). FY23 will focus on completing Critical Design and awarding the POM phase II OTA to produce POM units for qualification and DT, as well as prepare for Production Readiness prior to Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP).

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 0604610N_5_1319_PB_2023
• Change Summary Explanation: Proj 1412 HAAWC: The FY 2023 funding request was reduced by $0.179M to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. Increase of $2.526M from FY22 to FY23 request for requirements analysis, update, and development for a HAAWC design that will be compatible with the MK 54 MOD 2 Advanced Lightweight torpedo. Proj 2234 Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo: The FY 2023 funding request was reduced by $2.388M to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. FY23 funding request based on continued development of MK 54 MOD 1 Increment 2 APB 6 engineering builds, conducting in water engineering runs, and Weapons Analysis Facility (WAF) system testing. Funding increased by $44.975M from FY22 to FY23 in support of MK 54 MOD 2. Product Development increased by ($43.052M) to fund: remaining Proof of Design (POD) phase and support Platform Integration to ensure launch platforms are ready for the required Developmental & Operational testing commencing in FY25; OTA hardware development contracts for 1) inert and tactical warheads required to execute engineering land-based and in-water test events, 2) 5 Guidance & Control sections to support engineering in-water runs, 3) All-Up-Round Integration Fleet Exercise Section (FES) design plus 5 FESs and 38 FES turn-around kits for Engineering In-Water runs, and 4)for 16 power plant and tail turn-around kits for engineering in-water runs, 5) new Phase II AUR OTA contract award for POM test units; and APB 7 software development. Additionally, government support funding is provided for Set-to-Hit target certification analysis, upgrades to EC-WAF to model MK 54 MOD 2, Support Engineering In-Water Run torpedo builds and post-run analysis, Warhead Environmental Testing, Surface Ship platform integration. Additionally, Support increased by ($0.828M) and Test and Evaluation increased by ($1.095M) to start initial system integration testing. --- FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding.
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Antisubmarine Warfare
• Contracts
• Cost Analysis
• Engineering
• High Altitude
• Materials
• Navy
• Procurement
• Product Development
• Program Management
• Propulsion Systems
• Software Development
• Software Testing
• Submarine Warfare
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation

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