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World Aviation Defense & Security Industry News - Boeing Defense
 
 
Boeing lands a $99mn USAF contract for LAIRCM Block 30 systems
 
The US-based defense contractor Boeing has been awarded a $99,049,562 contract for the acquisition of Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) Block 30 hardware as contractor furnished equipment, the US DoD announced on Sept. 15, 2016.
     
Boeing lands 99mn USAF contract for LAIRCM Block 30 systems 640 001
     
Under this contract, Boeing will provide LAIRCM Block 30 hardware for low-rate initial production Lot 1 and Lot 2 aircraft, to include the non-recurring engineering required to account for known and future diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages issues and Block 30 common configuration for entire aircraft fleet.

"Work will be performed at Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 24, 2018. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity," the US DoD said.

The third-generation LAIRCM pod is produced by Northrop Grumman. With 360-degree coverage, it detects and tracks a man-portable air-defense system missile launch and uses a laser beam to jam the missile's guidance system, causing it to miss the target aircraft. The process is conducted automatically.

The system includes a multi-band laser pointer/tracker and four infrared missile warning sensors. The system is contained almost entirely in a single pod that mounts to the underside of an aircraft fuselage andwhich can be moved from one aircraft to another.

Platforms such as the C-5, C-17, and C-130 aircraft have already been equipped with the LAIRCM. The US Air Force plans to integrate LAIRCM on KC-46 aircraft and the Navy plans to integrate LAIRCM on P-8 aircraft which can be moved from one aircraft to another.

 

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