BAE Systems, Leonardo Collaborate on Interoperable Aircraft Survivability Solution
February 16, 2023 | Business WireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
BAE Systems, Inc. and Leonardo UK recently received U.S. government approval to develop an interoperable aircraft survivability suite consisting of BAE Systems’ AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) and Leonardo’s Miysis Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) System. The combined capability will significantly enhance aircraft survivability against advanced threats.
“This layered defense against new and advanced threats will protect aircraft and their crews in the most complex battlespaces,” said Chris Austin, director of Integrated Survivability Solutions at BAE Systems. “Using interoperable, combat-proven systems is a smart, efficient, and cost-effective aircraft survivability solution for our international customers.”
BAE Systems’ AN/AAR-57 CMWS detects incoming hostile fire and missile threats, alerts crews, and automatically cues countermeasures. It is deployed across the U.S. Army’s and numerous partner nations’ rotary- and fixed-wing fleets. More than 3,000 CMWS units have been installed on over 40 different types of aircraft. CMWS has logged more than four million combat flight hours, saving hundreds of lives and dozens of aircraft in ever-changing threat environments.
The Miysis DIRCM system, developed and produced by Leonardo in Edinburgh, UK and chosen by multiple international customers, provides exceedingly dependable, persistent protection from Infrared Man Portable Air Defense Systems (IR MANPADS). It overwhelms a missile seeker head with a sudden and massive stream of coded laser energy that can defeat multiple simultaneous threats.
The BAE Systems-Leonardo solution will allow existing CMWS users to add a proven, readily exportable DIRCM capability in the most cost-effective way. It will maximize the effectiveness of CMWS flare decoying while enhancing aircraft survivability with a highly effective directed infrared countermeasure system.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer this capability to operators around the world in collaboration with BAE Systems. The AN/AAR-57 CMWS is in service on thousands of platforms worldwide, making it highly complementary to our readily exportable Miysis DIRCM,” said Tony Innes, VP Sales Radar and Advanced Targeting at Leonardo. “International customers who operate the AN/AAR-57 now have a fast, simple and low risk way to equip their platforms with gold standard DIRCM protection against infrared missiles.”
AN/AAR-57 CMWS is produced at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facilities in Nashua, N.H. and Huntsville, Ala.
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
From AI to AEP, an Impressive Array of Keynotes at APEX EXPO 2026
04/17/2026 | Marcy LaRont and Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Each year at APEX EXPO, the Global Electronics Association provides an impressive lineup of keynote speakers to kick off the largest electronics manufacturing event in North America. This year included four keynote speeches, on topics ranging from the promise and peril of AI to the power of electronics, quantum computing, and the importance of heterogeneous integration in advanced electronics packaging.
AI, Connectivity, and Systems-Level Thinking: New Frontiers in Advanced Packaging
04/16/2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamThe upcoming issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest examines key developments shaping the next phase of electronics innovation, from the reliability challenges of AI-driven packaging to emerging connectivity standards and the broader systems-level implications of artificial intelligence.
RTX's Raytheon Completes First Flight Test for RAIVEN® Sensing System
04/15/2026 | RTXRaytheon, an RTX business, has successfully completed the first flight test of its RAIVEN® Staring system, an air-cooled sensor suite that delivers greater situational awareness and operator survivability, on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
HYFIX Raises $15M to Build U.S.-Made Chips for Next-Gen Drones and Robots
04/15/2026 | PRNewswireHYFIX Spatial Intelligence, Inc., a U.S.-based semiconductor company, announced a $15 million seed round to build and manufacture a new class of American-made chips designed to power high-precision drones and autonomous robots.
Carbice Awarded Multi-Million Dollar U.S. Navy Contract for Thermal Assembly Joint Technology
04/14/2026 | PRNewswireCarbice, a U.S.-based manufacturer and supplier of novel multifunctional assembly joint technologies, has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract by the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research.