USAF obtaining new missile counter-measure for aircraft

A U.S. Air Force transport fires counter-measures to infrared missiles. Photo: U.S. Air Force/Senior Master Sgt. Ray Lloyd.

DULLES, Va., Oct. 14 By Richard Tomkins (UPI)

A new pyrotechnic system to help protect aircraft from infrared missiles has been ordered by the U.S. Air Force.

A low-rate initial production contract has been issued to Orbital ATK by the U.S. Air Force for a pyrotechnic missile counter-measure system for aircraft. The new spectrally matched aircraft counter-measure, MJU-73/B, imitates the heat signature of an aircraft to lure infrared missiles away from the aircraft. The Air Force will use the system as part of a suite of protective measures on its special operations aircraft. Orbital ATK, which developed the system using its own funds, will use it as the technology baseline for several other counter-measure development efforts.

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