Navy orders 48 additional Airborne low frequency sonar systems

TEWKSBURY, Mass., 25 Dec. 2012. Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $159 million contract for the sale of 48 MH-60R full rate production airborne low frequency sonar (ALFS) systems, including program management support. The order was placed by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

ALFS provides undersea warfare mission support capabilities, including submarine detection, tracking, localization, classification, acoustic intercept, underwater communication and environmental data collection.

The system has been proven for anti-submarine warfare. Navy officials have stated that carrier strike groups with the ALFS system consistently detect all exercise submarines during deployment. ALFS is deployed as the primary anti-submarine warfare sensor onboard the MH-60R helicopter, charged with defending the surface ships before the submarines come within range to launch an attack.

The ALFS is deployed by the U.S. Navy, and has also been sold to U.S. allies as well.