BAE Systems announced on 8 December 2025 that it has been awarded a USD 36 million (EUR 31 million) production contract from Lockheed Martin to deliver Multifunction Modular Mast (MMM) systems for integration onto US Navy submarines.
The MMM system is a radio frequency receiving antenna that provides US Navy (USN) submarines with the ability to detect, identify and direction-find adversary communications signals before rising to the surface. The antennas will be mounted on new Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) and feed into Lockheed Martin’s AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare (EW) system.
The tactical-communications-receiving antenna resides in a composite radome. Its pressure-rated and corrosion-resistant design allows the unit to survive the harsh undersea environment and maximise signal-gathering performance while minimising visibility of the mast and platform. The system also includes a payload module that enables the USN to incorporate additional sensors for other mission applications.
As of 25 November 2025 the USN has 25 Virginia-class SSNs in service, with a planned fleet of 66 boats.
“As network-centric naval warfare evolves, advanced sensors, datalinks, communications and EW systems are needed to outpace threats,” BAE Systems stated. “The MMM system plays a critical role in electromagnetic spectrum dominance and strategic situational awareness. It provides operators with a reliable secondary source to detect nearby adversaries, in addition to radar and sonar.”
Michael Rottman, programme area director for Maritime Sensors and Systems at BAE Systems, was quoted in a company press release as stating, “In dynamic and contested environments, stealth is key, and submarines rely on accurate communications signal information to make decisions quickly. The Multifunction Modular Mast system equips US Navy submarines with critical capabilities to locate and identify potential threats, enabling them to analyse and respond accordingly.”
Work on the MMM system is performed at BAE Systems’ New Hampshire facilities in Hudson, Merrimack, and Nashua.
