U.S. Navy leaders needed advanced towed-array sonar systems for their fleet of nuclear submarines. They found their solution from Chesapeake Science Corp. in Millersville, Md. The Navy is ordering two TB-33 fiber optic thin-line towed-array submarine sonar systems from Chesapeake Science.

Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington awarded Chesapeake a $15.3 million contract to continue developing, and for two production representative units, of the TB-33 submarine towed sonar array. The contract also calls for Chesapeake to provide training, test equipment, and 3-D mock-up devices.

Engineers at Chesapeake are developing the TB-33 array to provide the same capability as the existing thin-line TB-29 array, but with significantly improved reliability.

The TB-29 submarine thin-line towed array is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) version of the legacy TB-29 towed array for Los Angeles- and Virginia-class attack submarines, with increased acoustic performance, improved combat control capabilities, and replaced obsolete equipment. The TB-29 is longer than the thin-line TB-23 and has a sensor-location system.

Work on the current Chesapeake contract will be in Greensboro, N.C., Stonington, Conn., and Millersville, Md., and will be finished by September 2009.

For more information, visit Chesapeake Science Corp. online at www.csciences.com.