Northrop's acoustic flank array tested
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) has conducted testing on Northrop Grumman's new hull-mounted acoustic Advanced Flank Array (AFA), the company announced on 14 November.
The testing, carried out under a Work for Private Parties agreement, demonstrated that the new system addresses next-generation requirements.
The system has been designed to support a variety of flank array programmes, including those for the US Navy's Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine and Virginia-class fast attack submarine.
Northrop Grumman invested over $3 million to develop its alternative AFA product line and proved that the manufactured prototypes meet or exceed the navy’s strict performance specifications.
Alan Lytle, VP, undersea systems business unit, Northrop Grumman, said: ‘We are not just designing systems for today’s fleet, but we are developing solutions with the future in mind - the missions, requirements and applications our submarine force will face over the lifetime of these ships.'
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