Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Navy deploys SSTD to protect carriers from Torpedoes

Naval Open Source INTelligence: SSTD to head to sea for final assessment

3Phoenix, Inc. | SSTD System Successfully Completes End-to-End Testing on USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)

Navy Develops Torpedo Killing Torpedo | USNI News

Test 

SSTD Pre-Solicitation Conference – Presentation


After several false starts, the Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) project is finally providing US ships with a limited hard kill using modified Mk46 torpedoes launched from Mk 32 tubes.
Way back in October, 1988 the US and UK signed an MOU for a joint research effort. US wanted hard kill to defend against the known threat of wake homer and straight runners against carrier task forces, while the UK preferred soft kill, with concerns about fratricide in a convoy situation. Three consortia were formed to develop SSTD:
  1. General Electric with Alliant Techsystems (Honeywell) and Marconi Underwater Systems
  2. Westinghouse with AT&T, Dowty Maritime, and Ferranti
  3. Martin Marietta with Hughes GSG, British Aerospace Dynamics, and Frequency Engineering
I remember working on this effort in the late 80's and early 90's, as a follow on to our Mk48 ADCAP torpedo, SQS53C and submarine combat system efforts. The first two teams moved on, with team 3 being eliminated. The British have had an SSTD system since 2004. Joint US/UK program in late 90's stalled out. The program was killed in the US congress by security concerns, which really frosted the Brits, as we had been working closely with them.

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