INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. defense contractor Raytheon has received a $14.8 million U.S. Navy contract for increasing helicopter protection technology.
Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC Vice President of Customized Engineering and Depot Support Wayne Iurillo said: "The CH-53 dual pod system will improve survivability of the aircraft in the combat zone. But most important, it will save lives of our warfighters," the company reported Friday.
The CH-53 dual pod system will be used by U.S. Navy helicopters to dispense chaff and flares to counter incoming missiles in war zones, to distract heart-seeking surface-to-air missiles, whether from man-portable air-defense systems or more sophisticated surface to air missile batteries.
The CH-53 dual pod system will replace single-pod dispenser systems currently deployed, enhancing the protection provided to crews and passengers.
According to the Department of the Navy contract solicitation earlier this year, "the (Department of the Navy intends to procure 184 shipsets (368 Dual Pods) of the AN/ALE-47 Dual Dispenser Pods and attaching hardware, configured for the CH-53 aircraft."
