Ducommun gets contract to provide motion sensors for U.S. and U.K. submarines

Staff, Naval Technology
14 October 2015

Boeing has awarded a multi-year contract to Ducommun for the production of position sensors for the trident navigation system used on US and UK navies' submarines.
Ducommun will manufacture the sensors, also known as resolvers, to support the US Navy's Ohio-class and UK Royal Navy's Vanguard-class submarines.
Ducommun chairman and CEO Anthony J Reardon said: "We designed and manufactured the original sensors in the early years of Polaris and Poseidon submarines, so we're particularly pleased to continue to provide these motion control devices for the navy's Trident nuclear submarine fleet.
"This work builds upon our relationship with both Boeing and the US Navy, reflecting the reliability of our technology in position sensing and Ducommun's efforts to continue to grow our military market presence."
Work under this deal will be undertaken at Ducommun's facility in Carson, California, through to 2017.
The US Navy's Ohio-class submarines are virtually undetectable undersea launch platforms of intercontinental missiles.
Armed with Lockheed Trident missile, the Ohio-class submarines feature an advanced SEAL delivery system (ASDS) and four 533mm torpedo tubes with an mk118 digital fire control system.
Designed to carry 16 missile tubes and Trident II D5 nuclear missiles, the Vanguard-class submarines are equipped with two SSE Mark 10 launchers for deployment of Type 2066 and 2071 decoys.
Currently, the US and UK navies use a total of 18 submarines of these classes.
In February, Ducommun received a $7.3m contract from Raytheon to continue manufacturing a range of interconnect and electronic assemblies for the US Navy's Tomahawk cruise missile.
Under the deal, Ducommun manufactures the assemblies at its facilities in Joplin, Missouri, Berryville and Huntsville, Arkansas, US.