Northrop Grumman has demonstrated the company's fifth generation infrared countermeasures (IRCM) system specifically designed to protect military rotary-wing platforms.

The demonstration proved the system's capability to effectively receive commands from the missile warning system, slew a pointer/tracker to acquire a fast moving target, and maintain jam energy to defeat advanced infrared missiles.

The optical design of the system utilizes a contiguous dome to avoid the obscuration issues that are consistent with older technology-faceted windows pieced together. The demonstration took place at Northrop Grumman's Rolling Meadows facility and was witnessed by representatives of Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, a division of the U.S. Navy.

"We have taken advantage of new technology to give rotary-wing users a lightweight, affordable system with the jamming power to defeat future threats," said Carl Smith, vice president of infrared countermeasures for Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems Division.

The fifth generation IRCM technology is at the heart of the company's U.S. Army Common Infrared Countermeasures self-protection system offering and features a modular system that uses a commercial off-the-shelf processor.

Compared to current generation directional IRCM systems, it is one-third lighter in weight and requires one-fourth the electrical input power.

With open interfaces and a built-in high resolution infrared camera, the system is designed for quick upgrades as technology and threats evolve in the areas of infrared countermeasures and hostile fire detection and protection

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