BAE Systems to upgrade additional Mk 45 naval guns for US Navy

UK defense company BAE Systems has received a contract to upgrade Mk 45 5-inch naval gun systems and ancillary equipment for the US Navy.

On September 30, 2024, BAE Systems received a $23.5 million modification to a $47 million contract awarded at the end of July, bringing the total value to over $70 million. Under the contract, BAE Systems will upgrade and overhaul existing systems to the Mk 45 Mod 4 configuration.

The upgrade to the Mk 45 Mod 4 configuration includes a 62-caliber barrel and a mechanically strengthened gun mount. It also features a fully digital control system that integrates targeting and fire control data.

Together, these upgrades allow the use of modernized munitions with 50% greater firing energy and prepare for future precision-guided munitions, according to BAE Systems.

“Events in the Red Sea this year have underscored the importance of firepower aboard U.S. Navy ships,” said Brent Butcher, vice president of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems.

“Equipped with the latest configuration of the Mk45 gun system, the men and women in the Navy have the capabilities to protect themselves at sea. We continue our commitment to providing the latest naval gun technology, including advanced munitions, to U.S. Sailors and their allies.”

Work on the contract will take place at the BAE Systems production facility in Louisville, Kentucky. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2028.

In November last year, the UK defense company signed a contract with the Dutch Materiel and IT Command (COMMIT) for eight Bofors 40Mk4 naval gun systems for the Royal Netherlands and Belgian navies. The contract is part of the anti-submarine warfare frigates program—a joint venture between the Netherlands and Belgian Navies—and provides both countries with two frigates each and two naval gun systems per frigate.

It includes installation, training, documentation, spares, and tools, with an option for BAE Systems’ 3P programmable ammunition and additional guns for training purposes. The first gun is scheduled for delivery in 2026.