Canadian Commercial to provide spare parts for U.S. Navy surface ship sonars

Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Canadian Commercial has been awarded a $10 million contract by the U.S. Navy for the refurbishment and manufacturing of the TR-343 sonar transducer tube assemblies for repair purposes.

The TR-343 transducer is used in the AN/SQS-53C hull-mounted sonar array for the AN/SQQ-89(V) sonar weapons system. Manufacturing of the tube assemblies is expected to run through November 2023 under the Navy contract.

The AN/SQQ-89(V) Surface Ship ASW Combat system is an integrated undersea warfare suite designed to detect, track, provide targeting data and engage enemy submarines, mines, and other underwater systems.

It collects data from a variety of sonar systems such as towed-arrays, sonobuoys and other active and passive systems into one sensor picture, allowing better situational awareness and response time. It is designed to integrate and share data with the Aegis Weapons System.

The AN/SQS-53C is the hull-mounted active and passive sonar array mounted on U.S. and allied surface combatants. It was the first digital U.S.sonar designed to integrate with command-and-control systems like the AN/SQQ-89(V).

AN/SQS-53C is used for detecting and tracking underwater targets but can also be used for undersea communication and as a countermeasure against enemy acoustic torpedoes. It can perform some functions in oceanographic research and mapping as a acoustical recording device.

It is used on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, Ticonderoga-class cruisers, and Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates in foreign service.