U.S. Navy to Receive Next-Generation MK54 MOD 2 Torpedo from Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is advancing naval defense capabilities with the development and delivery of a new advanced lightweight torpedo equipped with a custom-designed warhead to enhance its lethality. Drawing on decades of experience in undersea weaponry, the company will provide a highly capable weapon system that can be deployed from multiple naval platforms, ensuring flexibility and operational readiness for the U.S. Navy.
The program’s manufacturing and integration efforts will take place at Northrop Grumman’s Plymouth, Minnesota facility, along with the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) in Rocket Center, West Virginia. These state-of-the-art sites will conduct the initial proof of manufacturing, qualification phases, and subsequent production of multiple torpedoes for rigorous testing.
The contract, valued at $233 million, encompasses the proof of manufacturing, qualification processes, and delivery of torpedoes to ensure the system meets exacting performance standards. Northrop Grumman’s cutting-edge facilities and technologies make it possible to rapidly respond to the Navy’s urgent undersea defense requirements, delivering advanced capabilities efficiently and reliably.
Dave Fine, Vice President of Armament Systems at Northrop Grumman, emphasized the company’s commitment: “Northrop Grumman is leveraging over 80 years of innovative torpedo technology, combined with our capacity and speed in delivery, to accelerate the design qualification and manufacturing for the advanced lightweight torpedo. This new weapon will provide U.S. and allied sailors with a next-generation response to counter the most advanced undersea threats.”
Advanced Lightweight Torpedo Program
The MK54 MOD 2 torpedo was developed under a cooperative agreement with the Australian Defence Force, led by the U.S. Navy. This upgraded variant enhances the existing MK54 MOD 0 and MOD 1 inventory, incorporating Northrop Grumman’s advanced warhead and processing technologies to deliver improved performance, accuracy, and lethality. Capable of tracking, classifying, and engaging underwater targets, the MK54 MOD 2 operates effectively across all ocean environments, ensuring robust defense against evolving maritime threats.
These capabilities are part of Northrop Grumman’s comprehensive portfolio of advanced weapons, which includes missiles, armament components, electronics, and interceptors designed to deter and defeat adversarial threats. The company’s deep ocean engineering expertise and experience with undersea vehicles further support the successful integration, testing, and deployment of these systems.
With nearly 100,000 employees and over 30 million square feet of manufacturing space—equivalent to more than 500 football fields—Northrop Grumman has the scale, capacity, and agility to drive innovation at unprecedented speeds. The company’s advanced manufacturing methods go beyond production, accelerating every step from design and development to testing and deployment. Northrop Grumman continues to invest in U.S. infrastructure, research and development, workforce training, and supply chains to ensure it can meet today’s and tomorrow’s national security needs.
As a leading global aerospace and defense technology company, Northrop Grumman delivers pioneering solutions that enable its customers to connect and protect the world while pushing the boundaries of human exploration. Driven by a shared purpose to solve the toughest challenges, its employees define what is possible every day, turning ambitious ideas into practical, operational solutions.