The US Marine Corps has selected Northrop Grumman’s Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) system to outfit its Sikorsky CH-53E transport helicopters, it was announced today.
The $19.7 million inaugural contract – more are expected in future – will be the first application of the two-colour infrared missile warning sensor with the mini pointer/tracker assembly jamming head to form a DIRCM suite for protection against surface-to-air missiles. The threat to CH-53Es is particularly strong from man-portable air defence systems (Manpads).
The new suite will detect threat missiles in the same spectrum that the missile uses to track the aircraft. DIRCM is now installed or scheduled for installation on several hundred military aircraft, representing around 40 different large fixed-wing transport and rotary-wing platforms.
Source: Flight Daily News