Lockheed Martin receives towed array contract

June 5 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $42 million contract modification for TB-37 Multi-Function Towed Array production units, accessories, shipping products and engineering services.

Fifty-six percent of the contract is for the U.S. Navy, with the balance of the purchases going to Japan. The work will be completed in Liverpool, New York, Millersville, Md., and Marion, Mass.

The work is expected to be completed by September 2019. Fiscal 2017 funding for the Navy and the foreign military sales program in the amount of $38.8 million will be obligated upon award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year.

The TB-37 is an integral part of the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Integrated Undersea Warfare Combat System Suite and is designed specifically to locate, identify and engage enemy submarines. It is the primary USW suite used by the U.S. Navy, including passive and active sonar, air- and ship-dropped sonobuoys and other acoustical sensors.

Towed arrays are designed to deployed behind a ship and use passive and active sonar to detect enemy submarines and other underwater threats. It has the advantage of being less affected by the noise generated by the deploying ship, allowing for more effective performance.