US allies secure BAE Systems’ aircraft survivability equipment
BAE Systems has received contracts to deliver $71 million in aircraft survivability equipment to several US allies – the UK, Netherlands, Spain and the UAE – via US Army Foreign Military Sales.
Above:
A Chinook helicopter in the foreground lases an inbound missile threat in the distance. A grid overlay identifies missile threats.
Courtesy BAE Systems
Under the contracts, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain and the United Arab Emirates, have agreed to purchase the AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) and associated equipment to protect their aircraft and crews from sophisticated threats.
For more than 15 years, CMWS has delivered unmatched, combat-proven aircraft survivability to U.S. and allied forces by providing superior threat detection and enhanced situational awareness. CMWS is designed to detect a wide range of infrared-guided missiles and hostile fire threats, providing warnings to pilots and cueing laser-based and expendable countermeasures. The system's rapid response capabilities improve survivability and reduce the cognitive load on pilots – enabling them to focus on their missions.
"Our customers that fly low and slow in dangerous situations face unobserved threats that can strike without warning in seconds," said Cheryl Paradis, director of Optical Electronic Warfare Systems at BAE Systems. "We level the playing field for pilots and crews with proven threat detection and countermeasures that quickly and automatically engage and defeat threats and help warfighters return home safely."
CMWS is designed to be cost-effective, easy to install, and extremely reliable. The versatile system is designed for a wide variety of aircraft, and its line-replaceable units and customizable algorithms allow it to adapt to emerging threats. The third-generation system combines hostile fire indication and data recording with its core missile warning capabilities in a single unit – providing protection from more diverse threats and enabling detailed post-mission analysis.
BAE Systems has more than 40 years of aircraft survivability experience. The company has a strong legacy in threat detection, integrated processing, and advanced countermeasures that protect rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft from advanced threats. CMWS has more than four million combat hours and has saved hundreds of lives. More than 3,000 units have been delivered and installed on 40+ platforms in more than 17 countries around the world.
CMWS is an integral system in BAE Systems' advanced optical electronic warfare technology portfolio, which also includes the company's innovative Smart D2 next-generation countermeasure dispenser, Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures (ATIRCM) system, and its next-generation missile warning technology.
