Lockheed Martin to build submarine electronic warfare (EW) systems to detect enemy radar and communications
WASHINGTON – Submarine combat systems experts at Lockheed Martin Corp. will build and support electronic warfare (EW) systems for Navy submarines under terms of a half-billion-dollar contract announced Monday.
Officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington are asking the Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems segment in Syracuse, N.Y., to build and support AN/BLQ-10 EW systems on new-construction and in-service submarines in a contract worth $551 million.
Detection and classification
The Lockheed Martin BLQ-10 provides automatic detection, classification, localization, and identification of potentially hostile radar and communications signals at sea. Lockheed Martin will provide engineering and technical support and production of the AN/BLQ-10.
The AN/BLQ-10 helps Virginia-, Los Angeles-, and Seawolf-class fast-attack submarines, Ohio-class conventional guided-missile submarines, and future Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines to detect enemy radar and communications. It is not for existing Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. The contract has options that could bring its total value to $1.4 billion.
The AN/BLQ-10 processes signals from the submarine’s imaging mast or periscope when the boat is at periscope depth. It provides threat warning to avoid counter-detection and collision; determines the number and location of targets for subsequent prosecution; and conducts intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to support the fleet or battle group.
The program is adopting an open-architecture, incremental development process that fields hardware and software technology insertions every two years. The AN/BLQ-10 blends modular interoperable systems that adhere to open standards with published interfaces.
System upgrades
The system's first technology insertion (TI) in 2008 added a subsystem to intercept some low-probability-of-intercept radar signals. Fielded upgrades from the 2010 technology insertions updated commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors and displays, and Improved Communications Acquisition and Direction Finding (ICADF) system.
For TI-20, Lockheed Martin built an upgraded AN/BLQ-10 for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine new construction, and in-service Virginia-class modernization.
TI-22 work upgraded AN/BLQ-10 systems for in-service Los Angeles- and Seawolf-class attack submarines, as well as for Ohio-class conventional missile submarines. TI-24 work builds an upgraded AN/BLQ-10 for Virginia-class and Columbia-class new construction, as well as for in-service Virginia-class modernization.
On this contract Lockheed Martin will do the work in Syracuse, N.Y., and should be finished by January 2030. For more information contact Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems online at https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/electronic-warfare/surface-ew.html, or Naval Sea Systems Command at www.navsea.navy.mil.
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.
