Navy orders shipboard torpedo defense systems to protect surface warships from enemy attack
WASHINGTON, 12 Sept. 2016. 2016 Torpedo-defense experts at Argon ST Inc. in Smithfield, Pa., are building nine additional shipboard electronics systems for the U.S. Navy that use torpedo-spoofing decoys to lure enemy torpedoes away from U.S. and allied surface ships.
Officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington announced a $10.2 million order on Friday to Argon ST, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boeing Co., to provide nine AN/SLQ-25A/C countermeasure decoy systems.
The AN/SLQ-25A/C is a digitally controlled modular electro-acoustic softkill countermeasure decoy system that employs an underwater towed body acoustic projector deployed from the ship's stern on a fiber optic tow cable to defend ships against wake-homing, acoustic homing, and wire-guided enemy torpedoes.
Argon ST won a $6.5 million order in January 2015 to provide five AN/SLQ-25A/C countermeasure decoy systems. Friday's order, which includes spare parts, is to provide improved naval surface ship defense against modern advanced torpedoes in support of the Navy's Undersea Defensive Warfare Programs.
Since 2006, Argon has served as the lead contractor for the torpedo countermeasures transmitting set AN/SLQ-25 -- commonly referred to as Nixie. It is a passive decoy system that provides deceptive countermeasures against acoustic homing torpedoes.
The AN/SLQ-25 is deployed on U.S. and allied surface warships, and consists of the TB-14A towed decoy device and a shipboard signal generator. The decoy emits signals to draw incoming torpedoes away from their intended targets.
The AN/SLQ-25 towed decoy emits simulated ship noise like the sounds of propellers and engines in attempts to defeat a torpedo's passive sonar.
The AN/SLQ-25A uses a fiber optic tow cable and winch, and includes extensive use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The AN/SLQ-25C is an upgrade to the AN/SLQ-25A, and includes new countermeasure modes and a longer tow cable.
On this contract modification Argon ST will do the work in Smithfield, Pa., and should be finished by July 2018. For more information contact Argon ST online at www.argonst.com, or Naval Sea Systems Command at www.navsea.navy.mil.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
