Navy to hold October industry day for torpedo countermeasures system

The Navy will hold an industry day next month as it prepares to initiate a contract competition for a torpedo countermeasures system, the AN/SLQ-25E NIXIE, according to a Thursday service announcement.

Organized by Naval Undersea Warfare Division Newport, the Oct. 22 industry day will provide interested companies with technical information on the system’s requirements while gathering industry feedback.

The Navy plans to award an eventual contract for the system in June 2026, the announcement indicates.

Massachusetts-based company Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems is the system’s incumbent producer. In December 2020, the Navy awarded Ultra a $186 million production contract, the company announced at the time.

The AN/SLQ-25E NIXIE is used by U.S. and ally Navy ships for protection against torpedo attacks. Towed behind a warship, the decoy device emits simulated ship noises to catch the attention of a torpedo’s sonar and draw it to the device rather than the ship itself.