LaBarge to support Raytheon torpedoes

U.S. company Raytheon has contracted electromechanical solutions provider LaBarge to deliver its torpedo harness technologies.

St. Louis-based LaBarge was selected by Raytheon to support the MK 48 and MK 54 torpedoes programs with its wiring harnesses. LaBarge says production on the $2.6 million contract will begin in January.

According to a news release, the MK 48 is a "heavyweight torpedo designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare … (and) the MK 54 is a lightweight torpedo that can be launched from surface ships, helicopters or planes to track, classify and destroy underwater targets in both deep and shallow water."

The contract, expected to last through December 2011, marks the first award for LaBarge to support the torpedoes programs (Upi news).

 

Additional Readings

• Department Of The Navy Fiscal Year (FY) 2006/FY 2007 Budget Estimates (February 2005) – Justification Of Estimates: Weapons Procurement, Navy [PDF format]

• Jane’s – Background Information: Mk 48 ADCAP

• GlobalSecurity.org – Mk-48 Torpedo

• Navysite.de – Mk-48 Torpedo

• Deagel – Mark 54

• Federation of American Scientists – MK-54 Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo

• Raytheon – Mark 46, Mark 48, Mark 50 Torpedoes. No, they don’t include their own Mk-54 on their site.

• Eurotorp Consortium

• US Dept. of the Navy Acquisition One Source – Exchange of Non-Excess Property for New Assets in the MK46 and MK54 Torpedo Programs. Innovative idea.

• DID (May 31/07) – Longshot: A Swooping HAAWC for Torpedos. Enables high-altitude launch, turning the Mk54 into a GPS-guided glide weapon that releases the torpedo near sea level.

• Australian Defence Materiel Organization (June 21/06) – JP 2070 ADF – Lightweight ASW Torpedo – Project Djimindi. Selected the MU90 Eurotorp.

• Spacewar (June 14/06) – Navy Selects LockMart For MK-54 Torpedoes High Altitude Launch Capability

• DID (Nov 15/05) – Australia’s Collins Class Subs, Submariners On Track for Upgrades. Mk-48 ADCAP torpedos are part of those upgrades.

• Seapower Magazine (June 2005) – Boeing Eyes High-Flying Torpedo. For the P-8A MMA program. The 737-based P-8A is a capable aircraft, but doesn’t do as well as a turboprop when flying just 100 feet above the waves.

• Undersea Warfare Magazine (Winter/Spring 2002) – Torpedoes and the Next Generation of Undersea Weapons

• Thanks to reader Gregory L. Bender, P.E. of Defense Holdings, Inc. for catching an (incorrect) reference to the Mk48’s use on surface ships. At present, they use smaller Mk46 and Mk50 torpedoes.