For more than two million in-theater combat hours, U.S. Army aviators
have relied on BAE Systems’ Common
Missile Warning System (CMWS) to locate and protect against infrared
threats. As a result of the system’s success, the U.S. Army has awarded
the company a $39 million contract for more than 300 third-generation
(Gen3) units. This order coincides with the fielding of the Gen3 system
that includes hostile fire indication to detect and evade small arms
fire and new data recording capabilities for detailed post-mission
analysis.
BAE Systems' Common Missile Warning System supporting U.S. Army troops. (Photo: BAE Systems)
“Our Common Missile Warning System has been battle tested with more than
2,100 systems delivered and integrated on more than 30 different
platform types,” said Bill Staib, director of Threat Management
Solutions at BAE Systems. “The Gen3 enhancements allow us to provide a
missile warning, hostile fire indication, and data recording system all
in one box. This can immediately make a difference for our troops by
improving survivability and increasing situational awareness.”
As a highly automated and tightly integrated infrared countermeasures
suite, CMWS locates threats and dispenses countermeasures without
requiring pilot intervention. The system features a modular,
customizable design that allows for seamless integration with other
aircraft and survivability systems. To that end, CMWS has demonstrated
its ability to serve as a centralized processing system for Integrated
Aircraft Survivability Equipment.
The $39 million order is the first under a proposed $496 million
indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract and increases the
total U.S. Army Gen3 procurement to more than 1,300 units. The current
contract includes unit spares and engineering and technical services.
The Gen3 systems will be fielded to more than 1,000 U.S. Army platforms
over the next two years, and has already begun with in-theater
installations on the Apache, Kiowa, and Blackhawk aircraft in
Afghanistan.
BAE Systems has a long history of providing threat detection and
advanced threat countermeasures for superior protection against guided
and unguided threats to both rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
Highlighting the company’s leadership in this area, its CMWS technology
is expected to be utilized to identify incoming threats for the U.S.
Army’s next-generation Common Infrared Countermeasures system, which is
designed to protect the U.S. Army and Navy helicopter fleets. Additional
information regarding the company’s threat management solutions can be
found at www.baesystems.com/threat-management.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140114006033/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2014