The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of New Zealand for Mk 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes and associated equipment. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale today. New Zealand has requested to purchase a package centered on the Raytheon-built 12.75-inch (324 mm) airborne and surface-launched anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon system. While exact quantities and total dollar values are typically finalized during contract negotiations, the package routinely includes active round assemblies, Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORPs), air launch accessories, containers, spare and repair parts, as well as US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services.
The proposed sale aims to bolster the maritime capabilities of a key non-NATO ally in the Indo-Pacific region. The acquisition is structurally critical for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). The Mk 54 serves as the primary airborne ASW weapon for New Zealand’s fleet of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which fully replaced the vintage P-3K2 Orions in 2023. It also serves as a primary standard payload for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s fleet of eight multi-role MH-60R Seahawk “Romeo” helicopters, ensuring tight tactical interoperability with the US Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and other regional partners operating the same ecosystems. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, based in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is expected to be the principal contractor for the torpedo components.
The Mark 54 lightweight torpedo (formerly known as lightweight hybrid torpedo, or LHT) is a standard 12.75-inch (324 mm) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) torpedo used by the United States Navy and several other nations’ armed forces. The Mark 54 was co-developed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and the United States Navy (USN) under the USN’s Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo program in response to perceived problems with the extant Mark 50 and Mark 46 torpedoes. The Mk 50, having been developed to counter very high performance nuclear submarines such as the Soviet Alfa class, was seen as too expensive to use against relatively slow conventional submarines. The Mk 54 was created by combining the homing portion of the Mk 50 and the warhead and propulsion sections of the Mk 46, improved for better performance in shallow water, and with the addition of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology to further reduce costs.
In April 2003, Raytheon was awarded a sole source contract for the production of the Mk 54. Full rate production began in October 2004. The Mk 54 can be fired from surface ships via the Mark 32 surface vessel torpedo tubes or the vertical launch anti-submarine rocket (VL-ASROC) systems, and also from most ASW aircraft, although they are slightly different lengths and weights. The P-8 Poseidon uses the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Capability (HAAWC) GPS-guided glide kit to drop torpedoes from high altitude. A new version designated Mk 54 Mod 1 Increment 1 was fielded in 2021. As of 2022, the Navy intended to begin operational tests of versions Mod 1 Increment 2 and Mod 2 in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Mod 1 contains updates to sonar and computing hardware, and is replacing Mod 0 in existing inventories.
