MK 48 Mod 7 torpedoes. Credit: Lockheed Martin.

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) will continue supporting the US Navy’s MK 48 MOD 7 Heavyweight Torpedo following a $112.3m contract modification announced by the US Department of War (DoW) on 22 May 2026.  

The modification modifies an existing contract to provide for the production, spares, production support material, engineering support, and hardware repair of MK 48 Heavyweight Torpedo All Up Round components. 

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According to the DoW, the contract combines procurement for the US Navy, which will receive 99% of the work, and the Royal Australian Navy, which will be allocated 1% through the Foreign Military Sales programmes.

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) will oversee contract administration. Work under this modification is set to conclude by April 2029. 

Manufacturing and related activities will take place primarily in Bedford, Indiana, covering 80% of the workload, while the remaining 20% will be completed in Middletown, Rhode Island. 

Funding for the project will utilise multiple sources. Fiscal year 2025 Navy weapons procurement funds amount to $94.78m, representing 86% of the total. Fiscal year 2026 funds provide $12.79m, which makes up 12%.  

Fiscal year 2024 funds contribute $1.87m, accounting for 1%, and foreign partner funding accounts for $917,625, also representing 1%. Of these, $1.87m will expire at the close of the current fiscal year, DoW stated. 

The MK 48 torpedo, used across all classes of US Navy submarines, serves as the force’s only submarine-launched weapon for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare.  

This torpedo is deployed to counter threats against high-value vessels and maintain sea control.

SAIC’s scope of work includes building, integrating, and testing the afterbody, tailcone sections, and fuel tanks of the MK 48 MOD 7 Heavyweight Torpedo for NAVSEA.  

The afterbody and tailcone, which are responsible for the torpedo’s propulsion and guidance from launch to target, consist of 26 major assemblies and integrate more than 500 components.  

In addition to this role, SAIC designs and produces Mark 710 Torpedo System Test Sets for the US Navy.