Mine-hunting sonar kits to Navy PC

Northrop Grumman has delivered the first of three lots of mine-hunting sonar upgrade kits to Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla. The end-users will be the HM-12, 14 and 15 Mine Countermeasures squadrons. Production contracts from the Navy’s PMS-495 are for upgrading 27 AQS-24A mine-hunting systems into the more advanced AQS-24B system. Work is being conducted in three production lots. The first production lot has been delivered. Lot 2 is to be delivered in the fall; and Lot 3 in Spring 2017. The AQS-24B will be operated from MH-53E helicopters and the Mine Hunting Unmanned Surface Vessels currently deployed in the Arabian Gulf. (Source: Maritime Link 09/21/16)