The State Department approved a possible $141 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to the South Korea for Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) System, equipment, training, and support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on Nov. 16.
The sale would include the installation of AN/AAQ- 24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems for up to four A-330 Multi-Role Tanker and Transport (MRTT) aircraft. Each LAIRCM system includes several pieces of major defense equipment (MDE): three Guardian Laser Terminal Assemblies (GLTA), six Ultra-Violet Missile Warning System (UVMWS) Sensors AN/AAR-54, one LAIRCM System Processor Replacement (LSPR), one Control Indicator Unit Replacement (CIUR), one Smart Card Assembly (SCA), one High Capacity Card (HCC), and the User Data Memory (UDM) card.
Including spares, the sale MDE rises to 26 GLTAs, 12 LSPRs, and 54 UVMWS Sensors AN/AAR-54.
The FMS also includes several non-MDE items including CIURs, SCAs, HHCs, UDM Cards, initial spares and repair parts, consumables, support equipment, technical data, engineering change proposals, minor modifications, publications, Field Service Representatives’ (FSRs), repair and return, depot maintenance, training and training equipment, as well as contractor technical and logistics personnel services.
Other non-MDE items are U.S. government and contractor representative support, Group A and B installation support, flight test and certification, selective availability anti-spoofing module (SAASM) Global Positioning System, and other related elements of logistics support.
The primary contractor is Northrop Grumman [NOC].
South Korea is procuring the LAIRCM system to defend and protect its future aerial refueling and troop transport capabilities. “This helps the [South Korean] Air Force become more capable of sustaining and projecting air power across large distances and transporting its forces and fighter aircraft for both operational and training missions with less reliance on foreign partners, such as the United States,” DSCA said in a statement.
The agency also noted the sale increases South Korea’s ability to participate in Pacific regional security operations and maintain a strong self-defense capability.
The sale includes provisions for one FSR to live in South Korea for up to two years. Implementation of this sale also requires multiple temporary trips to Korea involving U.S. government or contractor representatives over a period of six years for program execution, delivery, technical support, and training.