Lockheed Receives $76.6M for MH-60S’ New Airborne Anti-Mine Systems

AMCM Components(click to view full) Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Oswego in Oswego, NY received a $76.6 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract in support of Phase II of the MH-60S‘ Airborne Mine Countermeasures System’s (AMCM) Development and Demonstration process. This initiative involves the use of the new MH-60 Seahawk helicopter outfitted with new AMCM systems: * The Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (AES-1 ALMDS) * AN/AQS-20 mine hunting sonar, towed by the WLD-1 UUV. * Organic Airborne and Surface Influence Sweep (OASIS). Long, thin, 10 foot long towed “fish” that can mimic the acoustic or magnetic signatures of a variety of US ships. If there are mines in the area programmed to detonate on that basis, it should set them off. Good for doing fast minesweeping. * The Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System (RAMICS), coupling sensors with a 30mm cannon. The cannon rounds are “supercavitating”, which means they ride inside a bubble of gas that lets them move through the water at high velocity to hit and destroy underwater mines. * Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS). Small towed vehicle that acquires mines via sonar, then fires a shaped charge into them. The towed vehicle is expendable. Good for disposing of found mines at a […]