Raytheon producing more sonar systems for U.S. Navy and Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Raytheon has been awarded a $65,801,757 modification contract for Lot XIII Airborne Low Frequency Sonar systems for the U.S. Navy and Saudi Arabia.

The modification to a previous contract covers the procurement of 20 sonar systems for use on MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters for the U.S. Navy and 2 sonar systems for Saudi Arabia, including associated program support. The purchase for the government of Saudi Arabia, nearly $6 million of the total, comes under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work on the sonar systems will be performed in France, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by September 2018.

The Airborne Low Frequency Sonar is the primary undersea sensor for the MH-60R Seahawk, and comes integrated with a dipping sonar system. This allows the aircraft to detect submarine activity and intercept underwater communications. The system is currently the only in-service dipping sonar with a multi-frequency operation, according to Raytheon.

The Naval Air Systems Command based in Patuxent River, Md., is contracting the activity.