Article Posted on : - Oct 13, 2010

The US Navy's MH-60R multimission helicopter. A Lockheed Martin photo

TEWKSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS (BNS): Raytheon has received two contracts totaling $115.7 million for the AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS), the primary undersea warfare sensor for the US Navy's MH-60R multimission helicopter.

ALFS provides critical undersea warfare mission support capabilities, including submarine detection, tracking, localization, classification, acoustic intercept, underwater communication and environmental data collection, Raytheon said.

Under the first contract, valued at $59.7 million, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems will manufacture, integrate, test and deliver ALFS systems.

The company will also provide data and weapons replaceable assemblies for systems under test as well as helicopter maintenance trainer assets. The second contract, for $56 million, provides for spares for fleet-deployed systems.

Raytheon said the system's performance and capabilities were tested and proved during two recent US Navy undersea warfare exercises.

The first was conducted by the John C Stennis Carrier Strike Group in the Western Pacific Ocean. ALFS was deployed as the primary anti-submarine warfare sensor onboard the MH-60R helicopter, charged with defending the surface ships before the submarines could come within range to launch an attack.

The second exercise is currently underway with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.

The contracts were awarded by Naval Air Systems Command and Defense Logistics Agency Aviation Strategic Acquisition.