BAE Systems to upgrade minehunting sonar capabilities of Navy AN/SQQ-32 system on Avenger-class warships

HUDSON, N.H., 22 Dec. 2010.Sonar systems designers at the BAE systems Electronic Solutions segment in Hudson, N.H., are upgrading the U.S. Navy AN/SQQ-32 minehunting sonar system to better detect and classify bottom and moored sea mines from the Navy's Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships under terms of a $14 million contract announced Tuesday.

BAE Systems will provide four AN/SQQ-32(V)4 minehunting sonar sets with a high-frequency wideband upgrade for Avenger-class ships. The AN/SQQ-32(V)4 replaces the existing SQQ-32(V)3 detection sonar. This upgrade improves detection performance in shallow coastal waters and harbors, as well as improves detection and classification of stealth mines, BAE Systems officials say.

The upgrade replaces the operator consoles located in the Avenger-class ship's combat information center, as well as the sonar system's detection sonar in the towed body. The operator consoles process sonar data from high speed optical channels in a computer server layout on a 10-gigabits-per-second network.

The contract for four production systems has two options for an additional 10 systems and one spare, and is potentially worth $42 million. For more information contact BAE Systems Electronic Solutions online at www.baesystems.com/Businesses/ElectronicSolutions.