CV-22 Aircraft to Be Protected by Smaller Directional Infrared Countermeasures

Released on Monday, August 08, 2005

The US Special Operations Command awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract worth up to $125 million to supply directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) systems to protect the aircrews of its CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft from infrared-missile attack.

Deliveries of DIRCM systems under a $31.8 million initial firm fixed-price contract will continue through 2010. The initial units delivered will be small, multiband laser-transmitter assembly variations of Northrop Grumman's AN/AAQ-24 (V) DIRCM system, a combat-proven, laser-based countermeasures system.

The only such system currently in production, the AN/AAQ-24 (V) DIRCM is being installed on several hundred fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft for the US military and several allied countries.

Later deliveries will represent the first production order for Northrop Grumman's next-generation infrared countermeasures system, which builds on the proven technology offered by the AN/AAQ-24 (V) DIRCM.

In development for the US Air Force, the next-generation system is expected to be complete and certified for military use in 2006. The substantially smaller, lower-cost system will also feature reliability enhancements over the already-dependable system. The system's reduced size and weight will help extend aircraft operational range.