Jun 4 2004
Goodrich Corporation was selected by Northrop Grumman Newport News to supply six Virginia class submarine sonar bow domes. The agreement includes the fabrication, testing, and delivery of the bow domes at a rate of one per year beginning in 2005. The contract award is possible because of the innovative multi-year contract strategy enacted by the Navy in January 2004.
The bow dome is a large, hydro-dynamically shaped composite structure that houses and protects the highly sophisticated sonar transducer sphere -- the "eyes and ears" of a submarine. The bow domes are manufactured at Goodrich's Engineered Polymer Products division in Jacksonville, Florida. Goodrich has been supplying sonar domes, windows, and acoustic materials to the U.S. Navy for over 35 years.
This is the second order for bow domes received from Northrop Grumman Newport News in the past three years. The first order was awarded in August 2001 for three bow domes. Delivery of all three domes will be complete by the middle of this year.
"We are extremely pleased to continue our successful supplier relationship with Northrop Grumman and to be part of the world's premier submarine program," stated Edward Hart, President of Goodrich's Engineered Polymer Products division. "Our employees take great pride in designing and manufacturing quality advanced composite products for the U.S. Navy."
For more information on submarines, click here.