The Air Force resumed work on the C-17 Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures System (LAIRCM) at Robins AFB, Ga., after a two year delay, according to a service statement.
The modification line restarted with a new crew of sheet metal and aircraft mechanics, electricians and hydraulics technicians, working to complete the first aircraft by Wednesday, according to a statement.
Air Force spokesman Ted Theopolos said yesterday the pause in LAIRCM installations on C-17s were due to a delay in procuring the long-lead parts needed for the installation process. Theopolos said although previously contracted C-17 LAIRCM installations completed in July 2010, contractual agreements for further installations were not definitized until two months later.
Theopolos added LAIRCM installations were able to begin once parts became available in February. Northrop Grumman [NOC] develops LAIRCM.
LAIRCM is a missile threat detection system. It functions by automatically detecting a missile launch, determining if it is a threat and activating a high-intensity, laser-based countermeasure system to track and defeat the missile. The LAIRCM program is a solution to the problem of protecting Air Force transport aircraft from missiles, whether they be air-to-air, surface-to-air missiles or shoulder-fired, infrared (IR), man-portable air defense missiles (MANPADS).
The Defense Department initially focused on acquiring IR countermeasure systems to protect large aircraft, such as the C-130 and the C-17. These kinds of large planes have traditionally defended themselves from heat-seeking missiles by dropping flares, but as IR missiles became more advanced, they also became more resistant to this kind of countermeasure (Defense Daily, March 20).
LAIRCM is similar to the Army’s Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) program. The Army restarted in May the CIRCM program under a $38 million contract with Northrop Grumman and a $31.4 million deal with BAE Systems. CIRCM is the Army’s program to help protect rotocraft and small fixed wing aircraft from missiles. CIRCM will provide the sole acquisition of future laser-based countermeasure systems for all rotary-wing, tilt-rotor and small fixed wing aircraft across the Defense Department (Defense Daily, June 20).
C-130s are developed by Lockheed Martin [LMT] while C-17s are made by Boeing [BA]