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U.S. Navy Seeks New Defenses for Missile Submarines in Port and Transit
The U.S. Navy is developing technologies to protect ballistic missile submarines and supporting shore facilities from drones, mines, and anti-tank weapons. Officials issued a Sources Sought announcement seeking scalable detection and defeat systems for port, harbor, and open-ocean environments.
Jul 7, 3:10 PM·1m read1 source
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The U.S. Navy is developing new methods to protect its ballistic missile submarines and the shore installations that support them. When operating deep underwater, the submarines are considered difficult to locate. However, while berthed in port or moving on the surface during transit, the vessels face potential threats from drones, mines, and anti-tank rockets.
" The request covers shore-based installations and operations in port, harbor, littoral, and waterway areas as well as open ocean environments. The announcement also seeks systems for escorting the submarines during transit. It calls for "advanced maritime situational awareness, physical security enhancements for escorting SSBNs, and the detection, avoidance, and mitigation of maritime mines, and the defeat of direct-fire kinetic threats" such as shore-launched anti-tank guided missiles or rocket-propelled grenades.
The same announcement addresses threats to truck convoys carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles to submarine bases. It requests active protection systems for armored vehicles that could destroy incoming anti-tank rockets during ground transport and convoy operations.
