Northrop Grumman's LAIRCM to Offer Passenger Jets Protection
Northrop Grumman is offering a self-contained installation based
on its LAIRCM-multiband laser transmitter to protect large passenger
aircraft from short-range man-portable missile attacks.
According to Dr Robert Boca, VP IRCM and laser systems at Northrop
Grumman, its extensive experience in the protection of large aircraft
places his company among the leaders in the protection of passenger
airplanes. Northrop Grumman has fielded several generations of
directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCMs) on board C-130s,
C-17 and KC-10 and Wedgetail AEW aircraft, EH101 and MH-53 helicopters,
and the V-22 tiltrotor.
For the protection of commercial aircraft Northrop Grumman is
proposing a canoe-shaped add-on kit that will weigh only 350 pounds
and fit to the lower rear fuselage of the aircraft by means of
a special 'template.' The canoe will accommodate an integrated
set of passive warning systems, processors and LAIRCM. Installation
is expected to take only a few days, as most of the integration
and testing will be done on the canoe for installation on the
aircraft as a standalone system that will require only the attachment
points, activation switching and electrical connector.
The estimated cost per system, based on a 300-aircraft acquisition,
is $2 million: a 1,000-aircraft lot would reduce the unit cost
to $1 million. Operation, maintenance and repair costs are expected
to total around $26 per hour, representing less than 1% of the
total flight support cost, or 60c per passenger, on a typical
long-haul transoceanic flight.
Boca said that while there is interest from operators, as yet
there were no decisions to finance such systems by the Department
of Homeland Security or foreign governments. Boca expects that
the certification process will take nine months.
