More C-5s to get Infrared Countermeasures

By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jan 15, 2008 19:05:03 EST

The Air Force announced it will install infrared countermeasure systems on to eight more C-5 Galaxies over the next two fiscal years in a force-wide effort to cut down the massive cargo aircraft’s vulnerability to heat sinking missiles.



Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract modification worth close to $25 million to install the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure system that utilizes a high powered laser to blind an infrared missile’s navigational system. LAIRCMs will be installed on five C-5s this fiscal year, followed by
another three next year, according to Capt. Charles G. Langhoff, C-5 LAIRCM Program Manager.

The push to bolster missile warning systems on cargo aircraft came in 2004 after a C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 got hit by missiles while taking off from Baghdad International Airport. Both made emergency landings with the crew exiting safely.

Air Material Command started researching ways to upgrade the flare and chaff defensive systems that had been installed onto the transport aircraft within three months of the two incidents.