Northrop Grumman [NOC] has privately funded a direct infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) solution for fast-moving jets that it hopes to get on the F-35.
Known as Threat Nullification Defensive Resource (ThNDR), the solution uses infrared lasers to deflect land-based missile attacks, and, for the first time, air-launched missile attacks, according to Jeff Palombo, Northrop Grumman sector vice president and general manager for land and self-protection systems division. Palombo said yesterday at a media briefing in Washington Northrop Grumman has traditionally developed IRCM solutions for slower-moving aircraft like helicopters, so developing an IRCM solution for fast-moving jets will be a big step up. Palombo said there are currently no DIRCM solutions on fast-moving aircraft.
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| Northrop Grumman’s Threat Nullification Defensive Resource (ThNDR) direct infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) solution. Photo: Northrop Grumman. |
“It includes an airplane that pulls nine G-forces, which may be a little different than a helicopter,” Palombo said.
Northrop Grumman believes there could be an application for ThNDR on the F-35 and that an opportunity could be “just right around the corner,” according to Palombo. But a Pentagon source told Defense Daily yesterday though there is no formal DIRCM requirement for F-35, the Defense Department is monitoring the technology for possible future integration. Palombo said, in addition to F-35s, ThNDR can also be placed on other fast-moving jets like F-15s, which are developed by Boeing [BA].
One challenge for ThNDR, Palombo said, will be the small, hexomino-like space on the F-35 Northrop Grumman will have to fit its DIRCM solution into because the F-35 is already in production. Due to its limited and unusual space allotment that puts heat dissipation at a premium, Palombo said ThNDR will be liquid-cooled, a first in Northrop Grumman’s line of IRCM solutions. A heximino is a polygon made by six equal sized squares touching end-to-end.
“The specific challenge is how do we get the cooling to pull the heat off the system based on the way we have to design it.” Palombo said.
An advantage of laser-based countermeasures over legacy technologies is that lasers don’t expire, Palombo said. Militaries previously used flares to distract and deflect incoming, heat-seeking missiles, but during the 80s and 90s, third generation missiles started to discriminate flares. Invisibility of laser countermeasures is also an advantage over older technology, helping provide stealth.
Northrop Grumman said its DIRCM solutions help fight multi-spectral threats ranging from shoulder-fired, infrared-guided “manpad-” launched rockets to infrared-guided air-to-air missiles and radar frequency (RF)-guided missiles that have the ability to strike targets from long distances. The company said its DIRCM solutions protect a range of aircraft, including transport, executive, tilt-wing rotorcraft, utility and attack helicopters.
Palombo said, in a related helicopter matter, he expects the Army to release a request for proposals (RFP) for the digitization of the Black Hawk “L” model helicopters to go from analog to digital capability in the cockpit, among other things. Palombo said Northrop Grumman is looking forward to supporting the Army in that regard. The Black Hawk helicopter is manufactured by Sikorsky, a division of United Technologies Corp. [UTX]
The F-35 is developed by Lockheed Martin [LMT] with subcontractors Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.