Lockheed Martin to provide 76 sonar signal processing systems for P-3 aircraft updates in $23.8 million contract

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 24 April 2011.Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems designers at the Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors (MS2) segment in Manassas, Va., will build and deliver 76 AN/USQ-78(V) sonar signal processing systems for the U.S. Navy P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft under terms of a $23.8 million contract announced last week.Lockheed Martin experts will use technology developed under the Navy's Acoustic Rapid COTS Insertion (A-RCI) program to build acoustic processor and receiver technology refresh retrofit kits for the AN/USQ-78(V) acoustic processor in the P-3C update III program. Awarding the contract were officials of Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.The USQ-78(V) upgrade program is improving the USQ-78(V) single advanced signal processor system display control unit -- a programmable system control processor that provides post-processing of acoustic data. This signal processor is the main component of the P-3 update III acoustic configuration.

The Navy is upgrading as many as 100 P-3C four-engine turboprop aircraft to USQ-78B configuration with system controller (SC) and acoustic sub unit (ASU) technology upgrades. The program also seeks to replace all analog acoustic data recorders with digital data recorders. The P-3 is an ASW version of the Lockheed Electra aircraft.

Lockheed Martin will do the work in Manassas, Va., should be finished by February 2014. For more information contact Lockheed Martin MS2 online at www.lockheedmartin.com/ms2, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.