The US Navy has exercised a contract option for the delivery of AN/SLQ-25C electro-acoustic decoy systems to help counter acoustic homing torpedoes, as part of the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD) programme.
Under the latest $8m contract, which follows a previously awarded contract, Boeing subsidiary Argon ST will develop and deliver eight new AN/SLQ-25C systems, also known as Nixie, for the US Navy surface ships.
Designed to provide fully integrated defence capability, the Nixie-towed decoy system is capable of communicating with its host ship’s network.
Boeing AN/SLQ-25C programme manager Kim Patterson said: "Nixie’s open architecture allows us to continue to innovate advances in engineering and technology that improve the system’s capability and reliability and reduce its cost."
Delivery of the eight new systems is expected to boost integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) defence capabilities for the US Navy fleet.
Earlier in 2012, the US Navy awarded a $14.8m follow-on contract to Argon ST to continue manufacture and delivery of new SSTD systems.
The fixed-price contract, awarded in January 2012 for the towed torpedo decoy system, also includes optional cost-plus-fixed-fee enhancements to existing SSTD systems for five years.
Since 2002, the company has been supporting the US Naval Sea Systems Command’s Nixie programme and has received multiple follow-on awards with options to date.
Argon is also the sole contractor for the design, development and manufacturing of the passive, electro-acoustic decoy system.
Work under the current contract option will be performed at Argon ST’s facilities in Smithfield, Pennsylvania, US, while the first production system is expected to be delivered in February 2013.
