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Laser missile jammer to protect Marine Corps helicopters
www.flightglobal.com ^ | 06/04/07 | Graham Warwick

Posted on 06/04/2007 8:08:51 AM PDT by Freeport

Laser missile jammmers to protect Marine Corps helicopters in Iraq

US Marine Corps helicopters in Iraq are to be equipped with laser jammers to defeat shoulder-launched missile attacks after a series of shoot-downs by insurgents.

Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $10.8 million contract to design and proof a kit to equip first Sikorsky CH-53s then Boeing CH-46s, and potentially Bell Boeing MV-22 tiltrotors, with directed infrared countermeasures comprising two-colour missile warning systems (MWS) and dual laser jam heads. The work is to be completed in 12 months.

Northrop says the US Marine Corps selected its third-generation infrared MWS and laser DIRCM over advanced flares and ultraviolet missile warners for urgent installation on its helicopters in Iraq.

A DIRCM works by detecting and tracking the incoming missile and directing a modulated laser beam at its infrared seeker to confuse the guidance system, causing the missile to veer off course.

"This is the first operational installation of third-generation equipment, including the Guardian laser-only mini pointer/tracker," says Jack Pledger, IRCM business development director.

Northrop is working with Terma on a podded version of its Guardian DIRCM for installation on Dutch Boeing AH-64D Apaches, and Pledger says the system is now considered for Boeing CH-47F Chinook transport helicopters on order for the Netherlands.

(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Technical; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aerospace; helicopter; jammer; jammers; marines; saljammer
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One would think that this would be standard equipment these days.
1 posted on 06/04/2007 8:08:52 AM PDT by Freeport
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To: Freeport

Will they be deployed on dolphins?


2 posted on 06/04/2007 8:10:51 AM PDT by wastedyears ( I deleted my tagline by accident =()
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To: Freeport

Hm. I thought this was already included on the MV-22...I guess I was mistaken.


3 posted on 06/04/2007 8:12:13 AM PDT by rlmorel (Liberals: If the Truth would help them, they would use it.)
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To: Freeport
...... The work is to be completed in 12 months.

Another 12 months to install and train personnell........another 12 to debug field problems..........another 12 to retrofit upgrades...........

4 posted on 06/04/2007 8:14:41 AM PDT by Red Badger (Bite your tongue. It tastes a lot better than crow................)
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To: Red Badger
It’s a currently fielded system. If they can find a place to put them on the helo, it’s supposed to work quite well.
5 posted on 06/04/2007 8:17:56 AM PDT by Freeport
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To: Freeport

...supposed..........I cringe everytime an engineer uses that word around here...........


6 posted on 06/04/2007 8:21:16 AM PDT by Red Badger (Bite your tongue. It tastes a lot better than crow................)
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To: wastedyears
no, they'll be on frickin' sharks...


7 posted on 06/04/2007 8:25:11 AM PDT by Andonius_99 (There are two sides to every issue. One is right, the other is wrong; but the middle is always evil.)
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To: Freeport
Which country will be the first one that develops missiles that home in on countermeasure lasers?
8 posted on 06/04/2007 8:34:54 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Parker v. DC: the best court decision of the year.)
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To: Freeport

we need more ea-6b prowlers.......


9 posted on 06/04/2007 8:37:54 AM PDT by joe fonebone (Nothin' from Nothin' leaves Nothin')
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To: rlmorel

It’s on the AFSOC CV-22, but the Marines haven’t bought it for the MV-22. Things are changing rapidly though, and that priority may change.

TC


10 posted on 06/04/2007 8:45:39 AM PDT by Pentagon Leatherneck
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To: Freeport

This is the crap that the FAA wants installed on all domestic airliners. It isn’t even proven on military aircraft yet.


11 posted on 06/04/2007 9:12:24 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: Andonius_99

LOL


12 posted on 06/04/2007 9:14:58 AM PDT by wastedyears ( I deleted my tagline by accident =()
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To: Freeport

None of these “defensive measures” would be necessary, if we would simply not insert our forces into any area as “policemen” or “occupiers” - until AFTER the complete and total devastation of the enemy, his supporters, his families, his friends and his neighborhood/city’s infrastructure...

Think Dresden... Think Hiroshima and Nagasaki.....
Think Victory via the DEFEAT and TOTAL AND UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF THE ENEMY..


13 posted on 06/04/2007 9:17:45 AM PDT by river rat (Semper Fi - You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: joe fonebone
What are Prowlers going to do for you in this situation?

Plus the Growler is going to fly it's first flight this summer

14 posted on 06/04/2007 9:37:27 AM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: USNBandit

prowers are jammers...i believe they already possess the capability to perform this task.....


15 posted on 06/04/2007 10:05:27 AM PDT by joe fonebone (Nothin' from Nothin' leaves Nothin')
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To: river rat

Come on, River Rat...I’ve seen your postings enough to know you understand this stuff better than that!

Regardless of what is going on in Iraq or Afghanistan, we need to be able to insert our stuff into hot zones no matter what. We won’t always be so lucky as to control the air and the ground all the time.


16 posted on 06/04/2007 4:02:51 PM PDT by rlmorel (Liberals: If the Truth would help them, they would use it.)
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To: Pentagon Leatherneck

Thanks for the clarification! I appreciate it.


17 posted on 06/04/2007 6:45:53 PM PDT by rlmorel (Liberals: If the Truth would help them, they would use it.)
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To: Freeport

That sort of thing was just getting retrofitted to the C-17 fleet a year and a half ago. You’d expect helicopters to take a while longer.


18 posted on 06/04/2007 6:56:30 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: rlmorel

huh? whether or not it is on the mv-22 has nothing to do with this article since it is just now starting to be deployed. this is talking about the still much more common legacy helicopters which will — theoretically — some day be replaced with the mv-22.


19 posted on 06/04/2007 7:04:46 PM PDT by newguy357
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To: rlmorel

hmm remind me to read the article before the comments in the future... sorry


20 posted on 06/04/2007 7:07:41 PM PDT by newguy357
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