US Navy awarded BAE Systems $70 million contract for the upgrade of its Mk 45 naval gun systems to the Mod 4 configuration, which provides Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) range of even more than 20 nautical miles (36 km).
Another five Mk 45 naval gun systems in the Mod 4 configuration will be delivered to the US Navy by the end of 2023 / Image: BAE Systems
Under the recently issued contract, worth $70.6 million, to upgrade existing guns to the Mod 4 configuration, BAE Systems will deliver five Mk 45 naval gun systems to the US Navy, increasing their firepower and extending their range.
The Mk 45 retains its reputation as the industry standard for large-caliber naval guns, and the Mod 4 makes it adaptable to advanced munitions, said Joseph Senftle, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems. We are the world leader in developing and manufacturing maritime guns and producing reliable and affordable technology that meets the warfighter’s needs today and into the future, he added.
Work on the Mk 45 Mod 4 upgrades will be performed at the BAE Systems facility in Louisville, Kentucky, with support from the company’s supplier base, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
According to the manufacturer, the Mk 45 is the lightest, most compact, and most widely deployed 5-inch fully automatic naval gun in the world, with more than 260 deliveries to the US Navy and the navies of 10 other allied nations.
The Mod 4 configuration consists of a structurally strengthened gun mount that increases firing energy by 50%, enabling munitions to travel faster and farther. A new fully digitized control system provides significantly greater computing power and features a touchscreen user interface.