Infrared countermeasure system deemed operationally suitable by Army
NewsMarch 16, 2021
FALLS CHURCH, Va. The U.S. Army has declared the Northrop Grumman Corporation Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system operationally suitable, effective, and ready for full-rate production following a six-month initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) activity.
According to the company, CIRCM’s dual-jammer configuration is designed to help protect aircrews while providing the highest level of aircraft survivability. The CIRCM system is intended to provide protection against a range of infrared-guided anti-aircraft missile threats, including shoulder-fired, and vehicle-launched.
During the testing, the system was flown through multiple scenarios and environments to assess CIRCM’s ability to detect, engage, and defeat threats. Officials claim that the system defeated all threats during IOT&E, proving it is ready to support U.S. Army missions.
The system’s next-generation open architecture design is intended to enable rapid capability enhancements to keep pace with changing mission needs. Northrop Grumman also leverages digital engineering technologies and lean-Agile methodologies to deliver continued system improvement throughout CIRCM’s lifecycle.
