ATIRCM is the Army’s legacy Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) to protect crews and aircraft from advanced threat MANPADS. The system is designed for CH-47 aircraft and provides countermeasure capabilities versus most known threat systems.

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• The ATIRCM system operates with the Common Missile Warning System (CMWS). ATIRCM receives an angular bearing hand-off from CMWS and employs a pointing and tracking system that acquires and tracks the incoming missile. ATIRCM jams the missile by using modulated laser energy, thus degrading the tracking capability of the missile, and causing it to miss the aircraft

Defeat Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) threats thereby increasing aircraft survivability.

CIRCM is the next generation lightweight, laser-based infrared countermeasure system that interfaces with the Army’s Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS), Advanced Threat Warner (ATW), or future missile warning system to defeat current and emerging missile threats to target rotary-wing, tilt-rotor, and small fixed-wing aircraft across the DoD. CIRCM receives hand-off from missile warning systems and employs a pointing and tracking system to track incoming missiles. CIRCM, is a smaller, lighter form factor that draws less power and utilizes an Open Systems Architecture which allows flexibility with software and hardware refreshes to keep pace with future threats. CIRCM will replace the legacy Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasure (ATIRCM) system on CH-47F aircraft.

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• The CIRCM system operates with missile warning systems. CIRCM receives an angular bearing hand-off from the systems and employs a pointing and tracking system that acquires and tracks the incoming missile. CIRCM jams the missile by using modulated laser energy, thus degrading the tracking capability of the missile, and causing it to miss the aircraft.

Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) is a battle-hardened Ultra-Violet (UV) based Missile and Hostile Fire warning system that provides an airborne self-protection system that detects missile launch/flight.  The system protects aircraft from Infrared (IR) guided missiles and unguided munitions. It provides threat awareness and data required to deploy IR countermeasures. Over the last 16 years, the US Army has not lost an aircraft or crew to a Man-Portable Air-Defense System due in large part to CMWS effectiveness.

CMWS is part of an integrated IR countermeasures suite utilizing five sensors to display accurate threat location and dispense decoys/countermeasures. It detects launch and flight of infrared-guided threat missiles and unguided munitions fired at both US and Foreign Military partner aircraft. CMWS provides passive missile warning and hostile fire indication to aircrews. CMWS operates independently or as a component of the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures (ATIRCM) and Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) systems. It dispenses flares and cues laser-based counter measures devices (ATIRCM and CIRCM). CMWS consists of five Electro-Optic Missile Sensors (EOMS) that are mounted to the surface of the aircraft, an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), a reprogrammable User Data Module (UDM), a Sequencer, and Improved Countermeasure Dispensers.

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• CMWS resides on the host platform and provides crewmembers audio and visual indication of threats. It cues laser-based countermeasures (ATIRCM/CIRCM) and/or deploys expendable munitions (flares) via Improved Countermeasure Dispensers (ICMD). CMWS uses qualified software interfaces for the Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI), Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM), and flare-based ALE-47 Countermeasure System. The CMWS CIRCM interface supports multiple directable jamming devices and conforms to the CIRCM Interface Control Document (ICD). The CMWS ALE-47 interface utilizes RS-485 serial interface that supports multiple dispenser sets

(CMWS)

Improved Threat Detection System (ITDS) is the next generation Missile Warning and Threat Detection System. It will provide a higher resolution two color infrared sensor suite with a threat agnostic approach to aircraft survivability. ITDS is expected to field to the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and the enduring fleet.

ITDS will provide the capability to detect, classify, cue, and declare on existing and emerging Electro-Optical/Infra-red (EO/IR) threats. ITDS will deploy based on the threat classification and the appropriate countermeasure system (Directable Infrared Countermeasure and/or expendable countermeasure). ITDS also provides appropriate Hostile Fire Indications (HFI), differentiating between small arms and rocket threats.

ITDS will be a Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) conformant and Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)-compliant system, able to operate on a digital backbone. ITDS will be comprised of IR sensors, a processor, and a memory module. ITDS will employ an incremental approach, which will include incorporating laser detection into the overall system.

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• ITDS will reside on the host platform and provide crewmembers audio and visual indication of threats. It cues laser-based countermeasures (CIRCM) and/or deploys expendable munitions (flares) via Improved Countermeasure Dispensers (ICMD)

LIMWS is the Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) answer to the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Directed Requirement to rapidly develop, procure, and field a missile warning system with a greater capability than the current Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) to maintain tactical and technical overmatch of our enemies.

LIMWS protects the aircraft from guided missile and unguided hostile fire indication by deploying flares and/or by cueing laser-based countermeasure systems for Conventional Army and Special Operations aviation platforms. The system builds upon the CMWS A-kit to provide Commanders’ flexibility between Missile Warning Systems.

LIMWS utilizes up to six 2-color infrared (IR)-based sensors to detect incoming missiles and unguided hostile fire. The system integrates fiber optic cabling to provide high band-width imagery data link from the sensors to the system processor.  The system employs machine learning algorithms to discriminate threats, improves performance in various atmospheric conditions, and high clutter environments.  It is interchangeable between aircraft without a requirement for special alignment equipment, integrates with CIRCM laser-based and ALE-47 flare-based countermeasure systems, and provides faster detection times and increased detection range to provide greater protection of aircraft and aircrews. Finally, both the fiber optic cabling and system processor are designed for future upgrades and integration with other Aviation Survivability Systems.

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• LIMWS resides on the host platform and provides crewmembers audio and visual indication of threats. It cues laser-based countermeasures (CIRCM) and/or deploys expendable munitions (flares) via Improved Countermeasure Dispensers (ICMD). The sensor interface utilizes a fiber-optic high-speed downlink for a higher data rate and reuses qualified software interfaces for the Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI), Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM), and flare-based ALE-47Countermeasure System. The LIMWS CIRCM interface utilizes Ethernet that supports multiple directable jamming devices and conforms to the CIRCM Interface Control Document (ICD). The CMWS ALE-47 uses a serial interface to support multiple dispenser sets

(LIMWS)

Provide 360° coverage to detect and identify radio frequency guided threats to an aircraft.

The AN/APR-39D(V)2 is a partially digital system used to rapidly detect, track, and identify increasingly complex radar threats. It modernizes the currently fielded 23-year-old APR-39C(V)1 Radar Warning Receiver. The AN/APR-39D(V)2 detects radar threats to aircraft, such as radar ground sites and particularly radar-guided missiles and guns and provides 360-degree coverage around the aircraft. It detects Radio Frequency (RF) energy, sorts and processes the signal, identifies/classifies the threat, determines the intent of the threat, and prioritizes threats detected by lethality to the aircraft. It provides the information to pilots who will utilize Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) to employ onboard countermeasures. The Army adopted the Navy AN/APR-39D(V)2 as a bridging technology to the fully digital AN/APR-39E(V)2

AN/APR-39D(V)2 improvements over legacy systems:

• Increases detection range by as much as 4x
• Dual polarized antenna improves threat Angle of Arrival

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• N/A

AN/APR-39E(V)2 (Modernized Radar Warning Receiver (MRWR)) will detect, categorize, and prioritize Radio Frequency emitters to provide visual and aural alerts to the aircrew warning them of targeting by Radio Frequency (RF)-guided weapons.

The objective of the ASE Development project is to improve RF ASE for Army Aviation. AN/APR-39E(V)2 detects, categorizes, and prioritizes RF emitters and provides a visual / aural alert to aircrew members warning them of targeting by RF-guided weapons. The AN/APR-39E(V)2 provides 360-degree coverage around the aircraft.  The Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) approved Phases 1 and 2 of a 3-phased path forward. RWR is designated as an ACAT-II program. The system consists of 1 Processor, 2 Receivers, 1 Dual Blade Low Band Array, and 4 quadrant Antennas.

AN/APR-39E(V)2 provides the following advantages over the AN/APR-39D(V)2:

• A full digital capability to enhance threat discrimination capability in millimeter wave band
• 7x Instantaneous Band Width over the AN/APR-39D(V)2
• Increased overall receiver performance against frequency agile RF threats and AESA radars
• Open VPX backplane enables Open Architecture for future growth
• Interoperable with RF electronic countermeasures (ECM), the next step in RF-ECM modernization

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• The AN/APR-39E(V)2 is the detect system hardware for the USAF F-16 AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS)

Airborne self-protection system which detects aircraft targeting by laser illumination.

The AN/AVR-2B(V) LDS is a passive laser warning system which receives, processes, and displays threat information resulting from aircraft illumination from Laser Designators, Range Finders, and Beam Riding Missiles for aircrew situational awareness.

SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES:

• On the UH-60 aircraft, the LDS works with the APR-39 RWR for display and voice capabilities
• On the CH-47F, the LDS works with the AAR-57 CMWS system for display and voice capabilities

LDS