Northrop Grumman has been contracted to provide its common infrared countermeasures (CIRCM) technology for use by the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) future fleet of 14 Boeing CH-47 Chinook extended-range transport helicopters.
Northrop notes that the UK is the first international customer for its CIRCM self-protection system, which is already operational with the CH-47, Boeing AH-64 Apache and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk for the US Army.
“The UK will be outfitting 10 of their new CH-47 helicopters with CIRCM,” the company tells FlightGlobal.
London in March 2024 finalised an order for the new-build Chinooks, with deliveries to commence in 2027. Its aircraft will be in a similar configuration to the US Special Operations Command’s MH-47G variant.
In a related development, Collins Aerospace in early November also announced the receipt of a $19 million contract to equip the RAF’s future rotorcraft with its Common Avionics Architecture System.
“This cockpit upgrade will make UK Chinooks interoperable with US Chinooks, using the same avionics system, advanced digital cockpit displays and applications,” the RTX subsidiary says.
It notes that the use of a modular open systems architecture to integrate communication, navigation and mission sensor subsystems will enable “cost-effective system upgrades and enhancements, reducing total sustainment costs over a platform’s life cycle”.
Story updated on 6 December with Northrop Grumman confirmation of number of CIRCM systems to be supplied.
