Advanced Anti-Submarine Lightweight Torpedo

Abstract

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 FY 2020 for the Proof of Design (POD) 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. To make the program more affordable in the Proof of Manufacture (POM) Phase while still delivering necessary capability to the Fleet, the program has restructured to an incremental approach, first focused on delivering the lethality required for the intended threats. In the first increment, the program is prioritizing the G&C and Warhead development and their integration with existing LWT Otto fuel propulsion section. Increment 2 will complete the development and integration of the capability delivered by the SCEPS section and meet the full requirements defined by the Capability Development Document (CDD). Each increment will have its own test and evaluation phase and IOC. Increment 1 is focused on meeting the lethality requirements at its IOC and Increment 2 is expected to meet the full set of system requirements (as defined in the CDD) at its IOC. The program intends to award a competitive OTA in FY 2024 to a single AUR Industry partner. The winner of the OTA will complete POM of the Increment 1 AUR and procure up to the equivalent of 48 POM AUR test assets to be used in the Increment 1 Developmental and Operational Test and Evaluations. The winner of the Increment 1 OTA will be responsible for managing the subsystem and system level qualification, AUR assembly, and platform integration. Increment 2 will be competed and awarded in FY2030 and will be expected to complete development and integration of the Increment 2 AUR and procurement of POM AUR test assets to be used for the Increment 2 Developmental and Operational Test and Evaluations. FY 2025 funding will be used to procure Increment 1 AUR POM hardware, associated test spares, test sets and support equipment to support the execution of POM qualification testing and engineering in-water runs. FY 2025 funding will be used primarily for subcontracts to the major subsystems (G&C, WH, and FES) to procure POM Hardware for qualification and delivery of subsystems under the Increment 1 AUR POM contract planned for award in FY 2024. Modification and integration of the existing LWT Otto fuel afterbody with the POM G&C and Warhead will be a collaboration between Government, UARC, and industry partners, and included as part of the scope of the Increment 1 AUR tasking. Long Lead Materials are being procured in FY 2023 under the POD subsystem OTA agreements ahead of the POM effort to meet the aggressive schedule. The remaining critical materials to support the G&C, WH, and FES subsystems will be procured in FY 2024 under the Increment 1 AUR system OTA agreement. The winner of the Increment 1 AUR/POM phase OTA agreement is required to complete hardware development and provide the tests assets needed to execute engineering, qualification, developmental and operational test programs in preparation for the follow-on LRIP and deployment phases of the Increment 1 capability. The program will also continue in-water engineering testing with POD Hardware through FY 2025. Operational software development, modeling and simulation verification, platform integration, live warhead testing, and fleet exercise section development efforts will continue in FY 2025 to support Increment 1 engineering and qualification efforts. SCEPS POD development efforts will be completed in FY 2025, but further integration tasking and POM development will be deferred until Increment 2. Studies will be conducted in FY2024 to determine the compatibility of the MK 54 MOD 2 Increment 1 with the existing HAAWC design without any major hardware modifications. The redesign of the HAAWC will align with the MK 54 MOD 2 Increment 2 development that has been deferred to FY2030.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 3418_0604610N_5_1319_PB_2025

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