BAE Systems has received a $22 million award to supply the AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) and associated equipment as part of a U.S. Foreign Military Sales contract. The deal – facilitated by the U.S. Army – is for the production and delivery of CMWS for a fleet of Apache helicopters. Deployed across the U.S. Army’s rotary and fixed-wing fleet, as well as aircraft of 17 allied countries, more than 3,000 CMWS units have been installed on over 40 different platforms since 2005. The CMWS has logged approximately 4 million combat theater flight hours, saving dozens of aircraft and hundreds of lives in an ever-changing threat environment.
“Our Common Missile Warning System is a tried-and-true, electronic warfare system that protects aircraft and their crews in the most complex battlespaces,” said Chris Austin, director of Threat Detection Solutions at BAE Systems. “We are honored to have been selected to provide this critical capability.”
The CMWS alerts crews to incoming hostile fire and missile threats, automatically coordinates and cues countermeasures, and enables data recording capabilities for post-mission analysis. The fleet will leverage BAE Systems’ new Gen3X Electronic Control Unit with updated components which provide increased processing capabilities and longer term sustainability. The sophistication and proliferation of infrared (IR) missiles continue to increase, both on the battlefield and in less-clearly defined hostile zones. Defeating these IR threats – which are often hidden until fired and can strike in seconds – is crucial, requiring more advanced aircraft survivability equipment. While many missile warning systems have a tough time staying ahead of evolving threats, the BAE Systems‘ CMWS has a proven, distinctly superior ability to protect both aircraft and crews in these situations.
First called upon for a superior, adaptable aircraft survivability equipment solution by the U.S. Army, BAE Systems answered with a most viable solution –CMWS. Since CMWS was initially fielded in 2005, more than 3,000 systems have been delivered and installed on over 40 different platforms. Designed to work across a wide variety of aircraft, the system features line-replaceable units that can be switched out in 3-5 minutes on the flight line, with no need for special tools or test equipment. Given its more than 4 million combat hours and ability to customize algorithms to adapt to new threats, CMWS has repeatedly proven its adaptability and versatility in various situations. The BAE Systems CMWS has saved dozens of lives over the years, while delivering enhanced integration and survivability capabilities that continue to evolve.
