Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $233 million contract to manufacture and supply the US Navy’s next-generation MK54 MOD 2 lightweight torpedo for anti-submarine warfare operations.
The agreement includes development of a customized high-lethality warhead, manufacturing proof and qualification activities, and the delivery of torpedoes for qualification and test purposes.
Production integration and early manufacturing work will be carried out at the company’s Plymouth, Minnesota facility, as well as at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, West Virginia.
According to Northrop Grumman, the contract addresses an urgent Navy requirement, with rapid production enabled by expanded industrial capacity as the service prepares for initial operational testing and evaluation in 2027.
The advanced lightweight torpedo is designed for launch from ships, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters, enabling detection, classification, and engagement of submarine threats.
Developed as an evolution of the Raytheon-produced MOD 0 and MOD 1 variants, the MK54 MOD 2 emerged from a joint development effort between the US Navy and the Australian Defence Force, with Northrop Grumman leading the program.
L3Harris is contributing propulsion technology to the system, having successfully completed a critical test of its Stored Chemical Energy Propulsion System in August 2025, a major step toward fielding the MOD 2 Increment 2 variant.
