Boeing press release
The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a contract for the full-rate production of the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability, or HAAWC, with work expected to begin in the coming months. HAAWC is an all-weather add-on kit that enables the MK 54 torpedo to be launched near or below the cruising altitude of Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon.
“This is an important milestone because it brings HAAWC one step closer to becoming fully operational and deployed by the Navy,” said Dewayne Donley, program manager.
The contract includes production of HAAWC Air Launched Accessory, or ALA, kits and containers for the Navy and international customers. There are also provisions for Boeing to provide engineering such as design studies, testing, prototyping and/or analyses of production related issues. Repair service provisions include hardware repair and maintenance services for government-owned HAAWC ALAs and associated hardware and equipment. A provision item order option also allows the Navy to procure spare hardware in support of the program.
Carried on board the P-8A multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, the advanced weapon system will meet the Navy’s operational need to conduct anti-submarine warfare from higher altitudes and longer distances.
“Our solution transforms the MK 54 into a precision glide weapon in GPS-aided and GPS-denied environments,” Donley said. “The HAAWC system provides flexibility by allowing the Navy to carry out anti-submarine operations throughout the full flight envelope of the P-8A.”
To date, the global operating P-8 fleet has amassed more than 450,000 mishap-free flight-hours.
The Boeing HAAWC consists of a modular Air Launch Accessory, or ALA, kit that attaches to a Mark 54 torpedo, transforming it into a precision-guided glide weapon. At the ALA separation point, the ALA deploys a stabilizer to enter the water as intended. (Boeing illustration)
The long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft is capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations, and performs humanitarian and search and rescue missions around the globe.
