Royal Navy's fifth Astute-class submarine, HMS Anson (S123)

BAEBAE System has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman‘s subsidiary Sperry Marine to design and deliver a platform management system (PMS) for the UK Royal Navy’s fifth Astute-class nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine HMS Anson (S123).

Under the performance partnering arrangement (PPA), Northrop will provide the PMS to BAE for installation onboard the navy’s Astute vessel. The company will also provide software, safety case, equipment and obsolescence management in support of the Astute-class submarine.

The submarine’s platform machinery and onboard systems will be controlled and monitored by BAE in its shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, UK.

The Northrop-built PMS features control and monitoring software, human interface equipment and programmable logic controller-based hardware, designed to meet naval hardware standards for shock, vibration, temperature and electromagnetic compatibility requirements.

Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine managing director Alan Dix said: "This latest contract reflects confidence in the capability of our platform management system for this important Royal Navy programme."

Astute Boat 5 PMS is expected to reduce lifecycle costs for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and minimise programme risk, while providing advanced network design to ensure stringent levels of safety and nuclear submarine control systems optimisation.

Capable of configuring commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software, the PMS can also be used in other military and commercial applications.

"This latest contract reflects confidence in the capability of our platform management system for this important Royal Navy programme."

Able of carrying a crew of 98, the 97m-long HMS Anson is armed with torpedoes, Tomahawk land attack missiles and features advanced stealth technology, greater firepower and the latest communication systems.

The Astute-class submarines have been designed to support anti-ship and anti-submarine operations, surveillance and intelligence gathering.

BAE has been awarded a contract to build seven Astute-class submarines for the Royal Navy to replace existing Swiftsure and Trafalgar class submarines. The 7,400t HMS Anson is due to enter service in 2020.

Image: Keel laid for the Royal Navy’s fifth Astute-class submarine HMS Anson (S123) in 2011. Photo: courtesy of cioRoyal Navy.