Jane Edwards
Rear Adm. Charles Richard, a U.S. Navy official, has said the service branch has begun development work on a prototype of a new Mk 48 torpedo version designed to target hostile weapons, submarines and ships at a longer range, Scout Warrior reported Monday.
Richard, director of undersea warfare, told Scout Warrior reporter Kris Osborn in an interview the Navy also intends to integrate a wide range of payloads with the torpedo prototype.
The service branch also plans to issue a request for proposals for the development of new Mk 48 torpedoes, Osborn writes.
According to the report, Lockheed Martin has started to update the amplifier, guidance control box and broadband sonar acoustic receiver components on Mod 6 and Mod 7 versions of the Mk 48 torpedo and will supply approximately 250 torpedoes to the Navy under a five-year contract.
Tom Jarvo, director and general manager of targets, torpedoes and sensors at Lockheed, said the company has started to deliver 20 update kits each month to the military branch under the contract.
Jarvo told Scout Warrior that such update kits are designed to make adjustments to the guidance control sections, electronic circuitry and auto fuel propulsion tools on Mk 48s.
