Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has secured a firm-fixed-price contract from the US Navy to support its MK48 heavyweight torpedo. Under the contract, the company will offer engineering and support services to manufacture, test and deliver fuel tanks for the torpedo. The $120m contract has an 18-month base period of performance. It comes with options to extend it for four additional years. In addition, SAIC will provide the required facilities, resources, and management to fulfil the delivery of the MK48 heavyweight all-up-round exercise and war shot fuel tank configurations.
SAIC Defense & Civilian Sector president Bob Genter said: “SAIC is proud to expand our work on the MK48 heavyweight torpedo system for the US Navy. We are confident that our proven performance on the MK48 afterbody/tailcone programme will be mirrored in the fuel tank programme.”
SAIC Defense & Civilian Sector Naval Business Unit senior vice-president Josh Jackson said: “We pride ourselves on providing reliable, innovative solutions to support NUWC Keyport, and we look forward to expanding our work on the MK48 heavyweight torpedo over the next five years.”
SAIC currently produces afterbody/tailcone sections of the MK48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedo. For the Naval Sea Systems Command, SAIC is manufacturing and integrating the MK48 heavyweight torpedo’s afterbody/tailcone, which controls its propulsion and steering mechanisms to stay on course. It also handles the testing and data collection for MK48 heavyweight torpedoes and MK54 lightweight torpedoes for the Naval Sea Systems Command in support of NUWC Division Newport. The support services will be offered in support of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport, Washington. SAAC will perform this work at its facilities in Indiana and Rhode Island.