The US Navy has awarded a modification contract to Raytheon to provide ship self-defence system (SSDS MK 2) hardware.
Under the $22.5m contract, Raytheon will continue to provide system development, test and integration, as well as providing platform systems engineering agent (PSEA) services and support for fleet-deployed systems.
Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business Seapower Capability Systems vice president Kevin Peppe said that the SSDS has been designed to provide enhanced capabilities and performance, as well as reliability, refresh and the inherent interoperability benefits of an open architecture design.
Raytheon-built SSDS system provides required, quick response and multi-target engagement capabilities, as well as speeding up the detect-to-engage action against anti-ship cruise missile targets.
"The evolution of SSDS, spanning decades, ship classes, sensors and weapons systems, demonstrates Raytheon’s ability to deliver innovation in a platform-agnostic approach for all major naval surface platforms," Peppe said.
The SSDS combat system integrates radar systems with anti-air weapons that are hard-kill missile and rapid-fire gun systems, as well as soft-kill decoys.
The US Navy has received a total of 31 SSDSs that are already deployed onboard Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, Whidbey Island-class and the Harpers Ferry-class ships, San Antonio-class landing platform dock ships (LPD), America-class amphibious assault ships (LHA) and Wasp-class amphibious assault ships.
Work on SSDS will be conducted at company’s facility in Expeditionary Warfare Center, San Diego, California and at Seapower Capability Center, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US.
In order to extend SSDS services and support throughout 2013, the US Navy is planning to increase the current PSEA contract ceiling by $50m.
