Warship sonar domes in development for U.S. Navy and allies
NewsFebruary 18, 2021
CRANE, Ind. The Naval Surface Warfare Center has awarded Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of Raytheon Technologies (RTX), a seven-year, $64 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide sonar domes for surface combat ships for the U.S Navy and Allied forces.
The agreement, which builds upon a previous five-year production contract, includes shipping, installation, engineering support, field services, inspection, and repairs. Work will be produced by the Naval Programs (Engineered Polymer Products) group of the Aerostructures business unit at Collins Aerospace.
According to the company, sonar domes, located on the hulls of warships, protect critical electronic equipment used for detection, navigation, and ranging. The domes permit acoustic energy to pass through with minimal sound transmission interference.
Officials claim that the contract includes domes made of a proprietary advanced composite material developed by Collins Aerospace that provides structural and acoustic performance to the ship’s sonar system. This is intended to allow for enhanced detection and classification of underwater targets.
