BAE SYSTEMS AWARDED HOMELAND SECURITY CONTRACT TO EVALUATE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM ON U.S. PASSENGER AIRCRAFT
04 Jan 2008 | Ref. 004/2008
NASHUA, New Hampshire — BAE Systems has received a $29 million award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to test an infrared aircraft missile defense system on passenger aircraft. The tests will evaluate the system’s compatibility with daily passenger airline operations and maintenance.
The latest contract is for the third phase of the DHS counter-MANPADS program’s research development activities. There will be no testing of the JETEYE™ system’s missile-defeating capability, as that testing was done at government test ranges as part of an earlier phase of the program.
As part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) counter-man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) program, BAE Systems will install its JETEYE aircraft missile defense system on up to three American Airlines aircraft. The company will evaluate the system’s compatibility with daily passenger airline operations and maintenance.
“From the beginning, we actively engaged with U.S. cargo and passenger carriers to commercialize our technology to meet the needs of the airlines,” said Burt Keirstead, director of commercial aircraft programs for BAE Systems. “We’re confident that the passenger-aircraft phase of the program will provide valuable data for DHS’s findings, providing critical, fact-based information to the airline industry and policy-makers.”
The JETEYE system is based on BAE Systems’ existing directable infrared countermeasures technology, used to protect military aircraft. With this award, JETEYE will be the only system installed on both cargo and passenger aircraft.
“American Airlines is pleased to continue its partnership with BAE Systems and is fully committed to supporting and participating in the passenger airline evaluation phase of the DHS’s counter-MANPADS program,” said Craig Barton, American Airlines managing director. “We believe this is a key step toward understanding the true impact of the technology and operational models on the airline industry."
DHS selected BAE Systems in 2004 to adapt the company’s military countermeasures technology to protect commercial aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles. Since then, BAE Systems has received $105 million in funding, and has delivered more than 14,000 infrared countermeasure systems worldwide — more than all other participating companies combined.
The counter-MANPADS program, created by DHS and Congress, is designed to commercialize proven military technology and gauge its suitability for protecting U.S. commercial aircraft by evaluating its performance, impact on aerodynamic drag, weight, reliability, maintainability, and system cost.
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is the premier global defense and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 96,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded $27 billion in 2006*.
*On a pro forma basis, assuming BAE Systems had owned Armor Holdings Inc for the whole of 2006
For more information, please contact
:
Marianne Murphy, BAE Systems
Tel: +1 603 885 2812 Mobile: +1 603 315 1536
marianne.murphy@baesystems.com
Susan Lenover, BAE Systems
Tel: +1 703 907 8259 Mobile: +1 703 850 1621
susan.lenover@baesystems.com
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