The US Army has released a draft copy of a requirements list for a new self-protection system for rotorcraft that reveals a key new technology remains part of the competition.
The army issued a draft request for proposals for the common infrared countermeasure (CIRCM) contract on 10 May, opening the competitive phase for a deal to develop and install the missile jammer on thousands of helicopters and tiltrotors in the US military inventory.
The competition has drawn interest from familiar IRCM suppliers, such as the Northrop Grumman/Selex team that already manufactures the directed and large aircraft IRCM systems for the US Air Force and US Navy.
But the multi-billion order also has attracted companies to enter the IRCM market for the first time, such as ITT.
ITT has teamed with Lockheed Martin's recently acquired Acculite division to offer a CIRCM system, which includes new technology. Fibre-optic cable is used to connect a pointer-tracker control unit to multiple pointer-trackers, each of which aim laser energy at incoming, heat-seeking missiles.
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© Sgt Travis Zielinski/US Army |
CIRCM equipment will protect types like the UH-60 Black Hawk |
Northrop's approach relies on a single jam-head with a single pointer-tracker, although the company intends to move to a fibre-optic system within a few years.
The ITT system, however, encountered unspecified technical issues during reliability tests ordered by the army in late 2009. ITT executives say the root problems have been identified and corrected.
The draft requirements document specifically allows for different configurations, such as single or multiple pointer-trackers.
The army also requires that all equipment associated with the CIRCM system, including installation gear, can weigh no more than 38.5kg (85lb).
CIRCM is designed to offer spherical protection from missiles around rotorcraft, similar to IRCM-based systems already installed on larger, fixed-wing military, commercial and VIP aircraft.
The project replaces the army's previous plan to acquire the BAE Systems advanced threat infrared countermeasure system, which failed during aerial cable range tests in November 2004, according to the draft army documents.
Source: Flight International
