Dominique Stump
Raytheon has partnered with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport to update a sonar system that the company developed to help U.S. Navy personnel recognize mines.
The AN/AQS-20A mine-hunting sonar has been updated through a Raytheon-NUWC collaboration that began in August last year as part of a “work for private party” contract funded by the company, Raytheon said Tuesday.
The technology captured clear images of the ocean floor during tests at sea, the company added.
“Building on the system’s proven performance, we’ve increased its ability to go further and see objects more clearly – critical abilities for the Navy’s mine warfare mission,” said Paul Ferraro, vice president of seapower capability systems at Raytheon’s integrated defense systems business.
The Navy approved the AN/AQS-20A as the primary sensor for the service branch’s mine countermeasure missions on Littoral Combat Ships.
The sonar also surpassed reliability and operational availability parameters during a recent technical assessment led by the Navy, according to Raytheon.
