AN/AAQ-24 DIRCM

AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis

Description: The AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis is a Directional InfraRed CounterMeasure (DIRCM) system designed to protect actively fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft from IR guided missiles. When the Nemesis detects and incoming missile which represents a threat for the aircraft the system's laser is activated and directed to the missile's seeker jamming it.

The AAQ-24 protection system is being produced for the armed forces of Australia, Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Several hundred aircraft will receive Nemesis which will be qualified for over 20 different fixed and rotary wing aircraft models.

Northrop-Grumman announced on 14 March 2005 that Nemesis Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) were chosen to safeguard Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) A330s under a $24 million contract with deliveries expected to begin in January 2007. Nemesis was already selected by Australia for its modified Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft under project Wedgetail.

In August 2005, the US Air Force Special Operations Command awarded Northrop-Grumman a contract with a potential value of $125 million for the supply of Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) for the CV-22A tilt-rotor aircraft. The new smaller, more reliable, lower cost countermeasures were based on the proven AAQ-24 laser directional infrared countermeasures for both rotary- and fixed-wing applications with certification anticipated by 2006.

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Australia

Denmark

United Kingdom

United States of America