Boeing will create a HAAWC kit to increase the launch range of Mark 54 torpedoes to 80 km

The US Navy wants to arm itself with Mark 54 cruise torpedoes with the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAAWC) kit

. A system for increasing the launch range of ammunition will be developed by the American company Boeing.

What is known

HAAWC will allow Mark 54 torpedoes to be dropped fromaltitude 10 km. They will be able to hit enemy targets at a distance of up to 80 km. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon will be carriers of the cruise torpedoes. Thanks to this kit, anti-submarine aircraft will be able to attack the enemy while remaining out of range of enemy air defense systems.

The US may not be the only Mark operator54 with HAAWC kit. Other states are showing interest in the development of Boeing. In particular, the United Arab Emirates, as well as the countries of Asia and Oceania.

Mark 54 is a development of RTX (formerly Raytheon). The 324 mm torpedo has a weight of 276 kg and a speed of more than 70 km/h. The mass of the warhead is 44 kg. One torpedo costs almost $1 million.