The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Mission Systems a follow-on contract modification worth $230 million for additional Hammerhead Encapsulated Effector systems, expanding production of the anti-submarine mine program. The award, issued by the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Maritime, covers 188 additional units, with manufacturing and assembly scheduled to be completed by October 2028.
Hammerhead is designed as a next-generation anti-submarine weapon for use at intermediate and deep-water depths. The Hammerhead Encapsulated Effector is an encapsulated torpedo employed as a moored influence mine: tethered to the sea floor, it passively listens for underwater sounds and uses onboard computers to distinguish among friendly vessels, marine life and hostile submarines. Once it confirms a hostile target, the system launches a modified Mark 54 lightweight torpedo intended to track and destroy the submarine.
Production work through 2028
Work under the modification is set to begin in August and continue through late 2028. General Dynamics Mission Systems will perform most of the work at its UUV Manufacturing and Assembly Center of Excellence in Taunton, Massachusetts, while its Greensboro, North Carolina, facility will provide fabrication support.
The contract supports an expansion of the company’s Hammerhead program workforce. General Dynamics said it will add 30 full-time positions across manufacturing, engineering and associated support functions, bringing the program team to more than 100 employees. Most of those positions will be based in Massachusetts, with the remainder in North Carolina.
Undersea access-denial role
General Dynamics characterized Hammerhead as a capability intended to deny adversaries access across surface and subsurface domains. Dr. Laura Hooks, vice president and general manager of the company’s Maritime and Strategic Systems business, said the award supports the Navy’s undersea warfare requirements as maritime security challenges evolve.
The Hammerhead system represents a significant step forward in providing the fleet with an undersea capability that denies adversaries access across surface and subsurface domains.
Dr. Laura Hooks, vice president and general manager, Maritime and Strategic Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems
The company has invested in the Taunton site to support Hammerhead and future undersea programs. Its UUV Manufacturing and Assembly Center of Excellence, established in 2021, is located within a 500,000-square-foot complex that includes purpose-built manufacturing cells and specialized test equipment. General Dynamics said the facility is intended to provide scalable UUV production capacity and serve as its principal Hammerhead production location.
The additional order follows the Navy’s August 2026 award, valued at $229.65 million, for production of the 188 Hammerhead units. With work now planned through late 2028, the modification continues the system’s development and delivery effort while increasing the industrial capacity assigned to the program.
