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NAVAL DEFENSE

At sea, Curtiss-Wright delivers innovative, high-performance technologies for nuclear propulsion systems as well as the systems designed for the capture and launch of tail hook-equipped aircraft and ship-borne helicopters.



Curtiss-Wright has been a critical provider of vital technology to the U.S. Nuclear Navy for more than 60 years, with significant content on nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers throughout the fleet starting with the first nuclear submarine – the USS Nautilus. We are a preferred supplier of sealed valves and critical function pumps used in the nuclear propulsion system of U.S. Navy submarines and aircraft carriers. This equipment operates at the heart of one of the most important operational functions for these vessels. We also supply the main generators that power the U.S. nuclear fleet, which are the Navy’s largest electric components.

Our partnership with the U.S. Navy positions Curtiss-Wright as a leading supplier of mission-critical applications for Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and Virginia-class submarines, as well as the new Ford-class carriers. Our technologies also support various surface ships, including the DDG-51 Destroyer and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).

For next generation products, Curtiss-Wright’s expertise in electric motors and permanent magnets is integral to the Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear system, which together enable a more efficient and effective means for launching and capturing aircraft on an aircraft carrier deck. We are also participating in the U.S. Navy’s next-generation Ohio Class replacement submarine program.

On worldwide destroyer and surface ship fleets, Curtiss-Wright’s helicopter landing systems enable the safe launch, recovery and maneuvering of ship-borne helicopters in the most demanding sea-state conditions. The company also provides customized cable handling systems for variable depth sonar deployment, towed line array handling systems for surface and submarine application, torpedo decoy handling systems and lightweight dipping sonar winches.

Our embedded computing electronics perform critical monitoring and control functions aboard nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers throughout the U.S. Navy. A wide range of products include electronics for radar target detection and tracking and radar video processing, as well as single board computers and digital signal processing cards, graphics display cards, data recorders and Ethernet switches for the internetworking of on-board systems.

In a market where products must meet the most rigorous standards, often operating for the life of the ship without maintenance and where failure is simply not an option, Curtiss-Wright excels.

“Did You Know?”
“Curtiss-Wright has been designing and manufacturing critical application pumps and valves for the U.S. Navy since the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, was commissioned in 1954.”