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Northrop Grumman continues work on smaller future submarine

By Tara Copp

8/6/2007

The US Navy (USN) has awarded Northrop Grumman up to USD21.5 million to continue work towards a smaller future submarine.

Under the terms of the 26 July contract, Northrop Grumman received USD16.5 million - with options worth an additional USD5 million in the next 12 months - to continue developing an external torpedo launch for submarines, to evaluate technologies for a future vessel, and to continue efforts to substitute hydraulic submarine components with electrical components.

The contract is related to, but separate from, the USN Tango Bravo programme. Tango Bravo is the initiative to field a next-generation submarine as lethal as but half the size of the current Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) fleet.

Tango Bravo was named for the five 'technical barriers' that the USN considers are essential to address in order to reduce hull size, namely: external launch, electrical systems, reduced crew size, shaftless propulsion and a modified sonar array.

Each of the new technologies aims also to help the navy reach its target of cutting USD400 million from each Virginia-class SSN. The cost reduction is essential to the USN goal to build two new Virginia-class submarines a year, starting in 2012, at a price of USD2 billion each in Fiscal Year 2005 dollars. 207 of 535 words

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(Northrop Grumman)

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