A Lockheed Martin -led industry team recently completed a successful Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the U.S. Navy's Communications at Speed and Depth (CSD) program, essential to providing real-time, two-way communications to submarines without having to surface to periscope depth.

All U.S. Navy submarines will be equipped with this capability, which will allow communication between underwater submarines and surface ships, aircraft and land-based assets.

Under the program, Lockheed Martin will deliver three types of two-way communications buoys and associated submarine and shore equipment. Two tethered expendable communications buoy systems - for Iridium satellite and UHF communications - will be launched from submarines. The third is an Acoustic-to-RF Gateway system that can be launched from submarines and aircraft.

Following the successful PDR, the Lockheed Martin team will move into the Critical Design Review (CDR) phase, a vital milestone that must be achieved before hardware manufacturing begins. During the CDR, detailed components and subsystems of the design are assessed to ensure the overall system will meet all U.S. Navy requirements with reliable performance.

Since the January 2009 contract award, the Lockheed Martin-led team has successfully completed an integrated baseline review and system requirements review. "The team has made significant progress to date and is on schedule," said Brent Starr, the Navy's CSD Principal Acquisition Program Manager. "Once fully developed, this capability will be a key contributor to enhance information superiority for the warfighter."

The Lockheed Martin-led CSD team includes Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems and ERAPSCO, a joint venture between USSI, Inc. and Sparton Corporation.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin