The Army yesterday said Jan. 31 it awarded contracts to BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman [NOC] over Raytheon [RTN] and ITT Exelis [XLS] for the Technology Development (TD) phase of the Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM).

The TD Phase contracts provide for a 21-month period of performance. The contracts, issued by the Project Manager for Aircraft Survivability Equipment (PM ASE), include both Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) and Firm Fixed Price (FFP) elements and will use competitive prototyping.

In January, the Defense Department acting acquisition chief approved the TD phase for the potential $5.7 billion program.

CIRCM is a Special Interest, ACAT 1D program that will serve as the next generation to the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures program, PM ASE said in a statement. CIRCM shall provide the sole acquisition of future laser-based countermeasure systems for all rotary-wing, tilt-rotor, and small fixed-wing aircraft across DoD.

CIRCM consists of a laser-based countermeasure that will be fully integrated with an Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) suite that includes passive missile warning, an improved countermeasures dispenser, and advanced expendables. It will be a light-weight, low cost, highly reliable, laser-based countermeasure system designed to work in conjunction with missile warning systems across the services.

“CIRCM will bolster the level of protection that is provided to our aircrews and passengers from MANPADS as it combines with the Common Missile Warning System to ensure an envelope of protection,” said PM ASE Col. John Leaphart.

“This contract award for CIRCM is the result of a strong team effort. We are excited about moving the program forward with our industry partners and ultimately adding this great system into the Army inventory,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Brown, Product Manager Countermeasures.

Northrop Grumman’s CIRCM offering has an open architecture and includes a compact Eclipse pointer/tracker, a lightweight commercial-off-the-shelf processor and advanced Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) technology.

In a statement, the company said, “We look forward to applying Northrop Grumman’s world-leading infrared countermeasures experience and expertise in addressing the man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) threat faced by rotary-wing aircraft. In collaboration with our industry partners, SELEX Galileo and Daylight Defense, we are confident that we have the superior infrared countermeasure solution to help keep our nation’s warfighters safe from current and future IR missile threats.”

BAE Systems’ CIRCM Boldstroke system builds on the company’s developed, fielded and proven technologies such as ATIRCM, and incorporates multifunctional capability and a modular, scalable architecture. “This decision is a validation of our technology and commitment, and of our 30 years’ experience pioneering and delivering this type of technology and the exacting work behind it all, including threat exploitation, jam code development, hardware-in-the-loop simulations, flight tests, and live fire tests,” said Bill Staib, director of BAE Systems’ Survivability & Targeting Solutions business.

While disappointed, ITT Exelis is examining its options and looking at other areas, said Robert Ferrante, vice president of Airborne Electronic Attack, ITT Exelis. “Exelis is very proud of the affordable and reliable low-risk solution that our team developed. We have built a true Modular Open System Architecture IRCM system that we believe is one of the most technologically advanced available. Exelis will continue its focus on developing innovative, affordable EW solutions that effectively defeat the evolving threats facing our warfighters.”

For example, separately, ITT Exelis is under contract for associated work with Army Communications Electronics Command to use some of its CIRCM design work and some advanced algorithms to go after some specific threats (Defense Daily, Dec, 7).

Raytheon also is looking ahead: “We remain confident that our Directed Infrared Counter Measures programs can deliver the most affordable, lightweight and reliable speed-of-light protection to warfighters in the battlepsace. We look forward to providing our DIRCM solutions to current and future customers,” a company statement said.