The US Navy has awarded BAE Systems a $13.5 million contract to deliver its airborne countermeasure system for the ALE-47 Common Carriage program.
Under the agreement, the firm will supply its Smart D2 system to support the aircraft’s existing ALE-47 Airborne Countermeasures Dispenser System, which protects airborne survivability against infrared and radiofrequency-based missile threats.
Work for the program will be performed at BAE Systems’ Austin, Texas, facility.
“Aircraft survivability technology is in a race against emerging threats,” BAE Systems Advanced Compact Electronic Warfare Solutions Director Don Davidson said.
“Smart D2 elevates legacy systems to the technology capabilities of next-generation smart countermeasures.”
BAE Systems’ Smart D2
The latest contract is the first Smart D2 order placed by the US Department of Defense.
Smart D2 provides two-way communication for pilots to make real-time decisions. It works with existing warning systems, such as the widely-deployed Common Missile Warning System.
It employs a constantly-updated database of identified threats and associated payload, quantity, and dispensing intervals.
Supporting US Navy Countermeasures Modernization
Instead of removing the ALE-47 in an aircraft, the Smart D2 only requires the replacement of key countermeasure capabilities, including the programmer, dispenser, expendables, and sequencer.
Incorporating the Smart D2 will also support the US Navy’s transition to countermeasure expendables with the same shape orientation as in the US Air Force and US Army.
Once delivered, the Smart D2 will be installed on the navy’s fixed-wing and rotary fleet. The service can also use the system for other aircraft it will deploy in the future.
