L3 Technologies Inc. was awarded a $73.7 million contract for repair, upgrades and overall services for the U.S. Navy's submarine photonics mast programs.

Ninety-eight percent of the work will be performed at the company's plant in Northampton, Mass., the Department of Defense announced Monday, and is expected to be completed by June 2025.

Naval fiscal 2019 other procurement funding in the amount of $2.1 million will be obligated on the first delivery order at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

A photonics mast is a sensor on a submarine that functions much like a periscope but without requiring a periscope tube. This prevents water leakage in the event of damage.

Virginia-class submarines include two photonics masts that host visible and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms, allowing the ship's control room to moved down one deck and away from the hull's curvature, according to the Navy.

The non hull-penetrating device significantly reduces the signature of the periscope, "making it less identifiable as a U.S. Navy submarine because it appears similar to existing periscopes," according to L3.

In 2013, L-3 was awarded a $48.7 million contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command to develop and build a new, slimmer version of its photonics mast for use on Virginia-class submarines. L-3 was contracted to produce up to 29 photonics masts over a subsequent four-year period, as well as engineering services and provisioning item orders with a contract maximum ceiling value of $157 million.

The newest variant is the Block 4, including the Vermont, which was christened in 2018 and became the 19th in the Virginia class. Nine other subs are currently under construction, according to the Navy.

L-3, which is one the leading submarine imaging providers in the world, will officially merge with

Harris Corporation in an all-stock deal that will close on Saturday after receiving regulatory approval.

"Receiving these approvals marks the successful completion of a thorough regulatory review process - clearing the way for one of the largest mergers in defense industry history," William M. Brown, Chairman, CEO and president of Harris, said in a statement.

The company will be named L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Harris provides services in three business segments: communication, electronic, and space and intelligence.

Related Links
Naval Warfare in the 21st Century

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

HII cuts first steel for Columbia-class submarine program
Washington (UPI) May 24, 2019
Huntington Ingalls Industries cut the first steel plate of the Columbia ballistic missile submarine at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, marking the start of advance construction for the new class of subs. A plasma-burning machine cut the first steel plate to be used to build Columbia, which is designated as SSBN 826 and the lead ballistic missile submarine in the class. Several company and Naval officials signed their names on the plate. "The first cut of steel is a major construct ... read more