U.S. Navy Awards $233M Contract for New Lightweight Torpedo

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a $233 million contract to manufacture and deliver a new lightweight torpedo for qualification testing.

Announced on Jan. 12, the contract covers proof of manufacturing, qualification activities, and delivery of multiple torpedoes for testing. The effort supports the MK54 Mod 2, an upgraded version of the MK54 torpedo developed under a cooperative program led by the U.S. Navy with the Australian Defence Force.

Integration and initial manufacturing will be carried out at Northrop Grumman facilities in Plymouth, Minnesota, and at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, West Virginia.

The MK54 Mod 2 is intended to expand the U.S. Navy’s existing inventory of MK54 Mod 0 and Mod 1 torpedoes. It incorporates a redesigned warhead and updated processing systems, and is designed to track, classify, and engage underwater targets across different ocean environments. The torpedo can be launched from multiple naval platforms.

The contract focuses on manufacturing readiness and system qualification rather than full-rate production.