Northrop Grumman awarded $200M infrared countermeasures contract

Aug. 20, 2019
The LAIRCM system protects aircrews by automatically detecting, tracking, and jamming incoming IR threats.
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman was awarded a $200M contract for its LAIRCM system that protects aircrews by automatically detecting, tracking, and jamming incoming IR threats. Shown is the Guardian (trademarked) Pointer/Tracker.
Northrop Grumman was awarded a $200M contract for its LAIRCM system that protects aircrews by automatically detecting, tracking, and jamming incoming IR threats. Shown is the Guardian (trademarked) Pointer/Tracker.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC; Rolling Meadows, IL) has received a $200 million order for Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) systems and support from the U.S. Air Force. This order was received under an existing indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract.

The LAIRCM system “relies on information from a missile warning system that detects and tracks solid-state missiles by observing the ultraviolet (UV) light from their hot exhaust. A gimbal system with a full 360° pivoting system then points the modulated countermeasure beam at the missile,” as described in the article linked in the first sentence of this paragraph.

“With this award, we continue to protect U.S. and international partner aircrews from the threat of infrared guided weapons,” said Bob Gough, vice president, land and avionics C4ISR, Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman’s infrared countermeasures are enabling missions worldwide, having been installed on more than 1,500 aircraft of more than 80 types worldwide.

Northrop Grumman is a security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide.

SOURCE: Northrop Grumman; https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-receives-200-million-infrared-countermeasures-systems-order

About the Author

Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)

Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.

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