Alliant Techsystems [ATK] awarded BAE Systems a $17.7 million contract to provide laser warning sensor sets to protect U.S. military aircraft, BAE said recently.
“With more than 16,000 systems delivered to date, this award continues our support to Alliant Techsystems and the Navy team,” said David Millspaugh, director of Product Support for Soldier & Vehicle Solutions in Austin, Texas. “We are very proud of our long heritage of protecting the warfighter by providing the components for the AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System.”
The contract provides components for the AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System, part of the ongoing U.S. Navy road-map of airborne protection and system improvements for U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army and foreign allied fleets, BAE said. The laser detection sensors provide critical warning systems for hostile threats.
A longtime prime contractor and development partner, ATK provides integration and delivery of the AAR-47 system to the military. Recently, ATK received a $67-million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from the Navy for the production of AAR-47 Missile Warning System Weapon Replaceable Assemblies.
The AAR-47 is installed on aircraft flown by the United States and its allies in more than 16 countries. The systems are installed on more than 2,600 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft including the C-5, C-17, C-130, P-3, AH-1W, HH/UH-60, CH-46, MH-47E, UH-1N, V-22, and others. ATK has delivered various configurations of AAR-47 for about 20 years.
BAE said it has been at the forefront of laser detection technology for more than 20 years. Its laser detection systems solutions provide the operator reliable laser threat warning including threat class identification and angle-of-arrival data. Each sensor can process and report simultaneous threats, the company added.
The sole-source award to the Austin facility is for the Naval Air Systems Command’s production and spares requirements. The circuit card assemblies are built in Wayne, N. J., and Austin, Texas.
Deliveries will begin in July 2011 and run through November 2012.