Here is the BAE Systems' news release issued last Friday evening (GMT) on the subject:
BAE SYSTEMS AWARDED HOMELAND SECURITY CONTRACT TO EVALUATE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM ON U.S. PASSENGER AIRCRAFT
NASHUA, New Hampshire — BAE Systems has received a $29 million award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to test JETEYE, its infrared aircraft missile defense system, on passenger aircraft. The tests will evaluate the system’s compatibility with daily passenger airline operations and maintenance.
The latest contract is for the third phase of research and development on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) counter-man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) program. There will be no testing of the JETEYE system’s missile-defeating capability, as that testing was done at government test ranges as part of an earlier phase of the program.
As part of the, counter-MANPADS program BAE Systems will install its JETEYE aircraft missile defense system on up to three American Airlines aircraft.
Burt Keirstead, director of commercial aircraft programs for BAE Systems said:
“From the beginning, we actively engaged with U.S. cargo and passenger carriers to commercialize our technology to meet the needs of the airlines. 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.”
The JETEYE system is based on BAE Systems’ existing directable infrared countermeasures technology, used to protect military aircraft. With this award, JETEYE will be the only system installed on military cargo and passenger aircraft.
Craig Barton, American Airlines managing director said:
“American Airlines is pleased to continue its partnership with BAE Systems and is fully committed to supporting and participating in the passenger airline evaluation phase of the DHS’s counter-MANPADS program. We believe this is a key step toward understanding the true impact of the technology and operational models on the airline industry. “
DHS selected BAE Systems in 2004 to adapt the company’s military countermeasures technology to protect commercial aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles. Since then, BAE Systems has received $105 million in funding, and has delivered more than 14,000 infrared countermeasure systems worldwide — more than all other participating companies combined.
The counter-MANPADS program, created by DHS and Congress, is designed to commercialize proven military technology and gauge its suitability for protecting U.S. commercial aircraft by evaluating its performance, impact on aerodynamic drag, weight, reliability, maintainability, and system cost.
The company has already tested build and fit of the system on an AA 767, which was not operating passenger services. It does not involve an 'upturned canoe' being fitted to the belly of the airframe, but instead has some small sensors and a point and track head, within which the laser system is fitted. The technology is an adaptation of that already fitted to military and VIP fleets.