Northrop Grumman announced Thursday that its Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system has reached initial operational capability.
This means that the US Army can now field the system on its rotary wing platforms “in significant quantities,” according to the company.
Among the platforms cleared for integration are the UH-60M Black Hawk, CH-47F Chinook, and AH-64E Apache helicopters.
The CIRCM system provides improved protection from shoulder-fired and vehicle-launched anti-aircraft missiles that detect the heat signature of their targets.
It reportedly ensures the survivability of military pilots, allowing them to focus on their mission.
“CIRCM’s ability to track and rapidly defeat infrared-guided threats has been validated over thousands of hours of rigorous testing in laboratory, flight, and live-fire test environments,” Northrop Grumman vice president Bob Gough said.
“Achieving IOC was made possible by the entire team’s dedication and our strong partnership with the Army. Together we’ll provide US Army aircrews with CIRCM’s unmatched threat protection.”
The company said it has delivered more than 250 CIRCM systems to the army.
