Lockheed Martin has awarded BAE Systems a $36 million contract to produce new multifunction modular mast (MMM) assemblies supporting upcoming upgrades for US Navy Virginia-class attack submarines, the companies announced. The equipment order is part of the Navy’s ongoing effort to boost sensing and intelligence capabilities across the underwater fleet.
The MMM is a next-generation radio-frequency detection antenna built to identify, classify, and map enemy signals beneath the surface. According to the company, the hardware is enclosed within a durable composite radome engineered to survive underwater pressure while reducing radar signatures and limiting detectability during submarine operations.
The mast design is modular and can incorporate additional payload modules, ensuring future integration of upgraded sensors and EW components as mission demands evolve. When installed, the MMM system will be linked with Lockheed Martin’s AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare suite, giving Virginia-class boats a strengthened capability to monitor adversary communications and electronic emissions from stealthy positions.
BAE Systems stated that assembly and production will be conducted in Hudson, Merrimack, and Nashua, New Hampshire, supporting local defense manufacturing activity and reinforcing the industrial base tied to US submarine modernization programs.
