The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a full-rate production contract for the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC), a weapon which will allow the P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) the ability to launch anti-submarine torpedoes from high altitudes.

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Boeing a 25.6 million fixed-firm-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only, full-rate production contract for the production of High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability Air Launch Accessory (ALA) equipment, related engineering and hardware repair services, and other direct cost support.

High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC)

“This is an important milestone because it brings HAAWC one step closer to becoming fully operational and deployed by the Navy. Our solution transforms the Mk54 into a precision glide weapon in GPS-aided and GPS-denied environments.

The HAAWC system provides flexibility by allowing the Navy to carry out anti-submarine operations throughout the full flight envelope of the P-8A,” said Dewayne Donley, Boeing’s High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) program manager, in a press release.

There are also provisions for Boeing to provide engineering such as design studies, testing, prototyping and/or analyses of production related issues. Repair service provisions include hardware repair and maintenance services for government-owned HAAWC ALAs and associated hardware and equipment. A provision item order option also allows the Navy to procure spare hardware in support of the program.

This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $121,4 million. Work is expected to be completed by September 2024. If all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2030.

HAAWC is an all-weather add-on glide kit that enables the Mk54 torpedo to be launched near or below the cruising altitude of the for-poseidon. The kit consists of a modular ALA that strapped to a Mk54 torpedo, enabling it with precision navigation to glide to a target area, where the ALA separates and drops the torpedo into the water.

A new precision-guided weapon that Boeing will provide to the U.S. Navy will fundamentally change anti-submarine warfare by incorporating technologies never before used on an anti-submarine weapon. Adapting current JDAM and SDB technologies will also reduce development risk and cost for the Navy.