ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., June 25 (UPI) -- Advanced Threat Warning sensors, a part of infrared countermeasures for U.S. Navy planes, are entering early operational production with Northrop Grumman.
A total of 110 ATW sensors will be provided to the Navy by the company, which will also upgrade 200 processors for integration as part of the currently fielded Department of Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures.
The department's LAIRCM is a missile warning system.
The contract is worth $25.5 million and builds on a 2011 Navy contract for upgrades to the fielded Department of Navy LAIRCM infrared missile warning system that was built by Northrop.
"Northrop Grumman's multifunction ATW provides our warfighters with three proven capabilities in one lightweight sensor, including missile warning, laser warning, and hostile fire detection," said Carl Smith, vice president of infrared countermeasures programs at Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems division.
"ATW's multifunctionality can significantly improve affordability, while reducing size, weight and power, over four individual subsystems."
ATW provides instant warning of heat-seeking missiles, small arms fire, medium-caliber machine gun fire, anti-aircraft artillery, unguided rockets and laser-guided weapons.
