Textron unit wins contract for test equipment

AAI Corporation, an unit of Textron, won a contract form the USAF to build Joint Service Electronic Combat Systems Tester (JSECST) systems. See an article here. These will be used to test the electronic warfare equipment and avionics on various US aircraft. Since they are joint they will be used by USAF, Navy, USMC and Army aircraft. Even helicopters are starting to carry more sophisticated electronic and infra-red countermeasures as the threat has got more complicated. The contract is worth up to $67 M if all options are exercised. Sophisticated electronic systems require expensive test equipment to support their operations. The JSECST has been in production for several years and is used by the US and some allies.

Air Force awards LAIRCM contract to Boeing

February 25, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Boeing, Contract Awards, U.S. Air Force, production program 

Boeing won a contract to buy and install Large Aircraft Infra-Red Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems on US Air Force aircraft. These would go on tankers and transports and provide protection against heat-seeking missiles. While no aircraft has recently been attacked in Iraq or Afghanistan there remains the chance that it will be. Forbes.com article on this is here. The contract is worth $77 M.