The BSY-2 is a fully integrated system used for sonar tracking, monitoring, and launch of all on-board weapons, including Mk 48 ADCAP/ADCAP MOD torpedoes, Tomahawk missiles, and mines. It provides improved overall response time, operability, tactical reconfiguration, firepower, and availability. Significant advancements include the hull-mounted Wide Aperture Array (WAA) for rapid localization of targets, more than 3.1 million unique software lines of code developed in Ada, a 92-processor node flexible architecture called “FLEXNET” using fiber-optic technology, and a fully integrated Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) supporting on-board and shore-based maintenance, operations, and training.
The AN/BSY-2 Submarine Combat System is a new development program that began following cancellation of the 1981 Submarine Advanced Combat System program. Development of the AN/BSY-2 began in early 1986. Program Milestone I approval was granted in October 1986 and Milestone II approval was granted in March 1988. The BSY-2 combat system for the Seawolf-class submarines had problems that resulted in late delivery and increased costs. The BSY-2 combat system was to be delivered in two phases with all of the hardware and 86 percent of the software in November 1993 and the remaining software in November 1994. However, the BSY-2 experienced development problems, and the first phase was not delivered to the shipbuilder until July 1995. The second phase was not delivered until after the ship, which was previously scheduled for delivery to the Navy in October 1996, or 8-1/2 years after the award of the BSY-2 contract in March 1988.The Submarine Combat System program provides systems engineering support to the AN/BSY-2 Submarine Combat Systems (SCS) and develops software fixes and enhancements designed to correct system deficiencies or anomalies identified during shipyard testing, at sea testing, IN-SERVICE trials, Acoustic Trials (Phase I and II), Weapons System Accuracy Trials (WSAT), Technical Evaluation (TECHEVAL), and Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL). It introduces Joint Maritime Command and Information Systems (JMCIS) and Advanced Capability (ADCAP) torpedo shallow water capability to the AN/BSY-2 SCS. It develops, integrates and tests the scheduled Block 2 and Block 3 system upgrades which enhance acoustic detection capabilities and combat control functions of the system.
Newer ship configurations feature interfaces like CCS MK2 and AN/BSY2 with many more possible trackers. The BSY2 system, for example, has 187 possible trackers, many of which could provide data simultaneously and are of interest to tactical applications.
Three systems were procured, with the first delivery to the USS Seawolf (SSN- 21) in February 1995 and the second delivery to Connecticut (SSN-22) in October 1997. The BSY-2 system completed initial testing on Seawolf in the summer 1996 and was delivered to the Navy in summer 1997. The third system will be installed on Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), currently under construction by General Dynamics Electric Boat Corporation (see separate summary for the SSN-21 Program).