Tenth AN/AQS-20C sonar delivered to US Navy
Raytheon has delivered the tenth AN/AQS-20C minehunting sonar system to the US Navy, the company announced on 15 January.
The sonar-towed system – which is the program of record for the navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mine countermeasure mission package – is now fully qualified and will move toward initial operating capability.
The AN/AQS-20C comprises five distinct sonars, including a synthetic aperture sonar which provides the highest possible resolution for acoustic identification. The system detects, classifies, localises and identifies mines on the seabed, near-bottom moored mines, volume mines and near-surface mines.
The AQS-20C system is platform agnostic and can be integrated onto various tow vehicles. It is a key element in single sortie detect-to-engage capability, which combines the search-detect-identify and neutralise elements of an MCM mission on a single platform.
The programme completed developmental testing in February 2019, and will undergo further integration on the MCM Unmanned Surface Vehicle in early 2020 and ultimately aboard the LCS.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Royal Canadian Navy advances with the construction of its first River-Class destroyer]()
Royal Canadian Navy advances with the construction of its first River-Class destroyer
Scheduled for delivery by 2033, HMCS Fraser will be a major surface component of the Canadian maritime combat power.
-
![Ireland orders Thales towed array sonar]()
Ireland orders Thales towed array sonar
Ireland has a large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which extends 370km (200nm) offshore and contains 75% of the transatlantic subsea cables which carry $10 trillion in financial transactions daily. The country is investing to increase protection and surveillance of these waters.
-
![South Korea advances next-gen naval concepts for future force needs]()
South Korea advances next-gen naval concepts for future force needs
HHI and Hanwha Ocean outline highly autonomous and unmanned-enabled designs as the ROKN explores force structure for the 2030s and beyond.
-
![US representatives plan to invest $1.6 billion in US Coast Guard inventory in FY2026]()
US representatives plan to invest $1.6 billion in US Coast Guard inventory in FY2026
The FY26 Homeland Security Bill Markup of the House Committee on Appropriations included resources for the procurement of ships, aircraft and unmanned systems.
-
![US Navy seeks industry partners to address pressing research needs]()
US Navy seeks industry partners to address pressing research needs
The Office of Naval Research will host an Industry Engagement Day in August aiming at building new partnerships and advancing its science and technology initiatives in multiple areas.
