Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has integrated the ALQ-251 radio frequency countermeasure (RFCM) system on the AC-130J aircraft.
The aircraft is the first AC-130J in the engineering and manufacturing development programme phase, according to SNC.
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The RFCM system integration was carried out as part of the AC/MC 130J aircraft upgrade programme. The system was developed by Northrop Grumman.
SNC was selected by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) as the supplier for the programme in July 2020.
SNC IAS business area Programs vice-president Brendan Walsh said: “SNC is excited to deliver this critical capability to the SOF warfighter.
“With this delivery, USSOCOM can gain confidence operating in the modern, ever-evolving threat environment, thanks to the protection RFCM provides.”
Northrop Grumman’s RFCM is designed to provide superior situational awareness to the special operation forces (SOF) and improve aircraft survivability in the modern threat environment.
The system offers capabilities such as threat detection, accurate geolocation, and active countermeasure against electronic warfare systems and radar-guided weapons.
SNC has leveraged its expertise in electromagnetic and aerodynamic modelling to increase the system’s performance.
SNC senior vice-president strategy Mark Williams said: “SNC is committed to providing our customers fully integrated systems that incorporate open architecture principles.
“In this way, SNC supports maximised innovation, enhanced competition and reduced system lifecycle costs to enable our customers’ and partners’ continued success.”
