CHICAGO, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- NATO is upgrading anti-missile countermeasures capabilities aboard 17 of its AWACS planes, it was announced Monday.
Northrop Grumman said its Defensive Systems Division in Illinois received a $104.6 million contract to equip the NE-3A command-and-control planes with its Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems starting next year.
The LAIRCM is designed to automatically detect the launch of anti-aircraft weapons from the ground, particularly shoulder-launched weapons such as the Stinger, and then activate countermeasures that track and then defeat the threat. The main defense for the plane is a laser on the AWACS that disables the Stinger or other missile's guidance systems.
"Integrating LAIRCM on NE-3A will give NATO proven infrared countermeasures technology while providing a foundation for using LAIRCM on the remaining domestic and international AWACS fleet," said Northrop Vice President Jeffrey Palombo.
The LAIRCM is formally known as Nemesis AN/AAQ-24(V) and is already in use on several different types of U.S. and allied warplanes and helicopters.
NATO's 17 AWACS jets are in the midst of a $1.3 billion midlife modernization program that includes new communications, navigation and other avionics systems. The planes have been active recently in the war on terrorism by flying patrols during major events such as the recent World Cup soccer tournament. They also helped the U.S. Air Force with homeland security duties in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
