From Defense Aerospace

 

Lockheed Martin HAAWC Demonstrates Compatibility with Multiple Launch Platforms in Wind Tunnel Tests

(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued July 9, 2008)

 

ORLANDO, FL --- Lockheed Martin’s enhanced High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Capability (HAAWC) system recently completed a series of successful high speed wind tunnel tests at a commercial facility in Buffalo, NY.

 

The HAAWC employs a modified Lockheed Martin LongShot Wing Adapter Kit on the MK-54 to allow the launch of torpedoes from high altitudes and long standoff ranges. This technology enables P-3C and P-8A aircrews to launch from outside the range of enemy air defenses. The system is also compatible with shipboard Vertical Launch Systems (VLS). [Emphasis mine. Cool feature!]

 

“We made some minor design changes to the existing, proven design in order to make it compatible with the P-8 and VLS Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC), in addition to the P-3,” said Jim Pappafotis, director of the HAAWC program at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The capability of the system did not change with the new design. HAAWC provides increased mission effectiveness and lethality to both P-3s and P-8s, as well as increases to survivability of both of the aircrew and the aircraft.”

 

HAAWC is a low-cost, self-contained wing adaptor kit that provides range extension and autonomous guidance to a family of existing air-to-surface munitions. No aircraft modification is required to deploy a HAAWC equipped munition. The system is completely self-contained, including a flight control computer, a GPS-based navigation system and power sources.

 

In the wind tunnel test, HAAWC demonstrated expected performance over the full regime of weapon release conditions from the P-3C and P-8A aircraft, enabling the torpedo to be launched at the maximum desired range and altitude from the target. The tests followed successful flight tests of the original system in a Navy sponsored evaluation.

 

Previous versions of the system were compatible with only the P-3C platform, but with the design modifications, HAAWC can be used on all U.S. Navy aircraft used in anti-submarine warfare. In addition, HAAWC can also be successfully employed with MK-41 VLS used to launch torpedoes from surface vessels.

 

The system consists of a wing kit and tail kit connected to the existing torpedo. The wing kit is attached to the torpedo by two metal bands. A pyrotechnic device forces open the bands, enabling the wing kit to jettison normally from the torpedo. In operation, the wing kit jettisons when the torpedo reaches its normal launch altitude close to the surface of the water. From that point, the torpedo follows its normal operational procedures as it would in a normal low altitude launch from a P-3C or P-8A.

 

HAAWC reduces fuel consumption and minimizes mechanical stress on the P-3C and P-8A launching aircraft by allowing it to stay at altitude to launch HAAWC-equipped torpedoes. This will assist in extending the mission time-on-station and reducing fatigue on those aircraft currently in U.S. Navy service as well as future Navy aircraft.

 

When used on the VLS ASROC, HAAWC provides enhanced range, allowing the launching vessel to stay farther away from a submarine. This significantly enhances the survivability of the launch vessel.

 

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

Makes you wonder why they didn't work on this earlier, but better late than never

Cool stuff indeed

From Flight International

 

DATE: 11/07/08

SOURCE: Flight International

 

Competition quickly forms for new air-launched torpedo

By Stephen Trimble

 

A competition is quickly forming to design and build a new weapon that will enable the future US Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon fleet to attack submarines without first descending to low altitude.

 

Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are among the most likely competitors for the contract to develop the high-altitude, anti-submarine weapon concept. This will essentially be a Raytheon Mk54 torpedo modified with a wing kit, datalink and flight controls.

 

A request for proposals is scheduled for September, with contract award likely to follow in the second quarter of 2009, according to an industry source. The completed weapon would be installed as part of the first package of upgrades planned for the P-8A after 2014.

 

The USN has been working on the concept for the past few years. Airframe fatigue for the P-8A's ageing predecessor - the Lockheed P-3C Orion - is partly blamed on the need to practise, descending to low-altitude to release torpedoes.

 

The navy also wants to keep the P-8A at high altitude so the aircrew can continue monitoring the airspace and maritime environment for new threats.

 

Lockheed's design consists of connecting a wing kit to a Mk54 using two metal bands. As the weapon descends to the surface, a pyrotechnic device dislodges the bands to allow the torpedo to jettison from the wing kit. After designing the weapon for the P-3C, Lockheed recently showed that a new version adapted to fit inside the P-8A's weapons bay can be launched at maximum range and altitude from the target.

 

Raytheon is also understood to have demonstrated a similar capability, releasing a guided Mk54 from a Beechcraft King Air in the second quarter of this year, and Boeing is also expected to compete for the same contract.

 

"We know it's going to be a competition," says Richard Fry, Lockheed's business development manager for area attack weapons.

Makes you wonder why they didn't work on this earlier, but better late than never

Cool stuff indeed

 

Two reasons:

 

(1) the P-3 had good low altitude endurance and could drop its torpedo payload from there, while with the P-8, they don't want to be cutting into its endurance by forcing it down to low altitude (not to mention corrosion issues from low altitude patrol);

 

(2) blue water ASW engagements prior to now typically didn't require broaching an air defense envelope, whereas littoral ASW engagements of the future (such as those against ultra quiet diesels) would not only require flying close to coastal air defenses, but maybe the submarine itself may be armed for air defense.

 

That said, an air delivered, standoff ASW weapon (a cousin to Sea Lance?) may have been an interesting Cold War era weapon for attacking Soviet SSBNs inside their bastions. Problems there too, though, like (1) still some need to approach or penetrate thick Soviet air defenses; and (2) need for good targeting/location data that couldn't be acquired by sonobuoy.

 

Always fun to speculate.