Millions for MANPADS

News

The US Department of Homeland Security has awarded BAE Systems $29m to test a system that will protect passenger aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles.

The

(DHS) has awarded

$29m to test an infrared aircraft missile defence system on passenger aircraft. The latest contract is for the third phase of the DHS counter-man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) programme.

As part of the DHS counter-MANPADS project, BAE Systems will install its JETEYE aircraft missile defence system on up to three American Airlines aircraft. The company will evaluate the system’s compatibility with daily passenger airline operations and maintenance.

The contract will not involve testing of the JETEYE system’s missile-defeating capability, which was done at US government test ranges as part of an earlier phase of the programme.

‘From the beginning, we actively engaged with US cargo and passenger carriers to commercialise 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.’

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