General Dynamics to continue work in unmanned undersea vehicle and manned submarine propulsion technologies
ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers needed enabling technologies for next-generation propulsion for crewed submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that will be quieter and more efficient than ever before. They found a solution from General Dynamics Applied Physical Sciences Corp. in Groton, Conn.
Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., announced a $14 million order to Applied Physical Sciences last week for additional work in the Advanced Propulsor, Experimental (APEX) project.
Hydrodynamic propulsion
Applied Physical Sciences initially won a $9.4 million APEX contract in April 2023, and an additional $8.6 million APEX order in September 2023. Last week's order brings the total cumulative value of the contract from $38.2 to $52.2 million.
The company will continue developing enabling technologies in hydro-dynamics, hydro-acoustics, mechanical engineering, naval submarine architecture, electro-mechanical, and other disciplines. Details are classified.
U.S. military experts constantly are looking for new propulsion technologies for manned and unmanned submersibles to operate in dangerous areas amid ever-more-sophisticated enemy sonar systems.
Today's submarines are quieter than ever before, and are difficult to detect and track even with the most advanced sonar systems. Still, it's a cat-and-mouse game for submarine designers to keep their vessels quiet enough to evade current- and next-generation sonar technologies.
Operational considerations
DARPA researchers are looking for submarine propulsion technologies related to efficiency, signature, mechanical design and limits, and operational considerations.
The project's phase 1A base lasted for one year, and considered theoretical propulsion designs and identify knowledge gaps. Phase 1B option lasted for nine months, and worked toward defining one APEX design approach, then refine the design. The phase 1C option is refining the APEX design.
On this order Advanced Physical Sciences will do the work in Groton, Conn.; Concord, Mass.; Leander and San Antonio, Texas; Imperial and Cheswick, Pa.; and Arlington, Va.,and should be finished by March 2026.
For more information contact General Dynamics Applied Physical Sciences online at https://aphysci.com, or DARPA at www.darpa.mil/research/programs/advanced-propulsor-experimental.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
