Ultra Group wins to design and manufacture ER-DIFAR sonobuoys for the U.S. Navy

Ultra Group

Ultra Electronics has been awarded a cost-plus, fixed-fee (CPFF) contract with base and exercised options valued at $24 million by the U.S. Office of Naval Research, the company announced. The contract contains provisions to design, manufacture, test, inspect, package and deliver Extended Range – Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording (ER-DIFAR) system with expected completion by July 2024.

The ER-DIFAR system is integral and force multiplication to the US Navy’s technology roadmap to ensure global ASW superiority. This critical system will enhance the Navy’s ability to detect underwater threats. The present contract was competitively awarded to Ultra wherein the Ultra proposal exhibited the best overall value to the US Government. Ultra’s past performance in producing hydrophones and DIFAR elements, combined with modern-day fabrication and test methods associated with air-deployed sonobuoys, presented a clear advantage over the competition.

Patrick Allison, Vice President of Business Development, commented: “Ultra is pleased to partner with the U.S. Navy for this important underwater warfare capability. As a company, Ultra has positioned its technology and decades of ASW sonobuoy experience to leverage low-cost, highly reliable ASW sensors that complement the USN underwater sonar architecture. ER-DIFAR will enhance the warfighters ability to complete the ASW mission.”