Ultra USSI Wins $24M Contract to Design and Manufacturer ER-DIFAR* for the U.S. Navy

14 September 2020 – Ultra Electronics USSI, located in Columbia City, Indiana, has been awarded a cost-plus, fixed-fee (CPFF) contract with base and exercised options valued at $24,128,769 by the Office of Naval Research. The contract contains provisions to design, manufacture, test, inspect, package and deliver Extended Range – Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording (ER-DIFAR) system with an 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 USSI wherein the USSI proposal exhibited the best overall value to the US Government.  USSI’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 USSI 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.”

Ultra USSI is the leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of sonobuoy systems for the U.S. Navy. Ultra utilizes a 250,000 sq. ft. facility in Columbia City, Indiana and is uniquely qualified to handle projects for the Department of Defense, Ministries of Defence, and major prime contractors with regards to design and manufacturing of engineered underwater and in-air acoustic products. The technology core of the Product Development Group at Ultra includes business units representing Rugged Commercial Products and Naval Systems. These business units focus on customer solutions in the areas of advanced electronics, acoustics, and integrated sensor systems for both the commercial and defense markets.

*Extended Range – Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording (ER-DIFAR)