Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. Received a contract from the US Air Force to manufacture the LAIRCM system to protect aircraft from infrared-guided missiles, providing protection in both hemispheres.
A new system for protecting aircraft from infrared-homing missiles will be developed for the US Air Force by Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. It is argued that LAIRCM will provide reliable protection of aircraft from all angles.
The contract, promulgated on Monday by the US Department of Defense, is worth more than $ 3.6 billion.
In addition to the LAIRCM systems themselves, this contract provides for auxiliary equipment, logistic support, system and engineering support, and much more. Work will be completed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by December 2025.
According to a Northrop Grumman spokesman, LAIRCM is designed to protect large aircraft from MANPADS. It notifies the crew faster and at the same time reduces the number of false alarms and confronts modern missile IR systems, directing a high-intensity modulated laser beam to the enemy’s missile, without any additional crew action.
The system includes a multiband laser pointer / tracker and four infrared missile warning sensors. LAIRCM is almost entirely composed of one module, which is attached to the bottom of the fuselage and, if necessary, can be easily rearranged from one aircraft to another.
