Sat, Nov 12, 2005
Flies on Commercial Airliner for DHS
BAE Systems has
achieved a major milestone in the Department of Homeland Security's
(DHS) Counter-MANPADS Program with the first flight of its
laser-based infrared countermeasures system on a commercial
airliner. The successful flight took place at Fort Worth Alliance
Airport.
The commercial airliner missile protection system, called
JETEYE, is currently installed and being flight tested on a Boeing
767 aircraft. Initial testing will focus on achieving key system
performance objectives. The tests are part of the DHS evaluation of
the system's performance against multiple missile threats. Testing
is scheduled to conclude by the end of this year with full FAA
certification expected in January.
During Phase I and Phase II of the DHS program, which began in
January 2004, BAE Systems developed the JETEYE system designed to
provide protection to commercial aircraft against the threat of
infrared guided missiles. The JETEYE system's design is based on
the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures (ATIRCM) system,
developed to protect military aircraft. A major focus of the
18-month program included working closely with experts from the
commercial airline industry to ensure the system fits into the
existing commercial airline infrastructure.
BAE Systems is partnered with American Airlines Maintenance and
Engineering Services, which provided the Boeing 767 test aircraft
as well as engineering services critical to the development and
refinement of the JETEYE System's installation, operations and
support concept (illustrated below).
"As a result of our partnership with the world's largest
airline, we understand the challenges that the airlines face. Our
installation approach minimizes any impact on airline operations,"
said Burt Keirstead, BAE Systems' Counter-MANPADS program director.
"We absolutely could not have done this without the support we
received from the American Airlines maintenance and engineering
team. They were integral in helping us understand how best to adapt
this technology for seamless integration into the commercial
airline industry."
BAE Systems has delivered more than 14,000 infrared
countermeasure systems worldwide - more than all other companies
combined. The company was selected by DHS in 2004 to adapt proven
military technology to protect commercial aircraft against
shoulder-fired missiles. Infrared guided missiles have been used to
shoot down aircraft in the past, and the likelihood of their use as
a terrorist tool has increased since the attacks of September 11,
2001 and subsequent MANPADS missile attacks on civil aircraft in
Kenya in 2002 and Baghdad in 2003.
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