The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s (NAWCAD) Aircraft Prototyping Systems Division has awarded BAE Systems a prime position on a $26.7 million task order to install, integrate, and test the Department of the Navy (DoN) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system on KC-130J aerial transport and refueling aircraft. The DoN LAIRCM advanced missile warning system improves aircraft capability and survivability by countering advanced infrared missile system threats.
The BAE Systems turnkey solution provides program management, inventory control, engineering support, installation, and system testing of the DoN LAIRCM upgrade. Aircraft maintenance and support activities will also be provided as required. This is the second task order awarded to BAE Systems under the Prototyping and Limited Production indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract. The DoN LAIRCM installation will be performed on up to 19 KC-130J aircraft over the next five years; the work will take place in Crestview, Florida in partnership with Vertex Aerospace Aircraft Integration & Sustainment (AIS) Division.
BAE Systems’ Intelligence & Security sector has extensive experience in advanced aircraft engineering, fabrication, installation, modification, systems integration, and logistics support, and has performed more than 200 separate complex modification programs involving over 2,200 aircraft. The BAE Systems and Vertex AIS team have installed Directional Infrared Countermeasures and DoN LAIRCM systems for the U.S. Air Force and foreign military customers under previous contracts.
The Lockheed Martin KC-130J is the basic designation for a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft modified for aerial refueling. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps, with 48 delivered out of 79 ordered. The KC-130J is ready to fuel fixed-wing, tilt-rotor, or rotary-wing aircraft using the standard probe and drogue technique. The two wing-mounted hose and drogue refueling pods can each transfer up to 300 gallonser minute to two aircraft simultaneously allowing for rapid cycle times of multiple-receiver aircraft formations.
