Leonardo DRS Awarded NAVAIR Contract to Produce DAIRCM Aircraft Survivability System
Key Highlights
- ➤DRS awarded three-year IDIQ contract for DAIRCM low-rate initial production
- ➤DAIRCM combines missile warning, directed infrared countermeasures, laser warning and hostile-fire indication
- ➤DRS will provide hardware, aircraft integration, engineering, program management and logistics support
- ➤DAIRCM hardware production will occur in Dallas and San Diego facilities
- ➤Production award follows DAIRCM’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase
Expert Statements
John Baylouny, President and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS
“This award moves the DRS DAIRCM System into low-rate initial production and expands our ability to provide critical integrated aircraft survivability capabilities to our military customers.”
John Baylouny, President and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS
“We are proud to help address evolving aircraft survivability requirements and to enhance crew protection with a cost-effective advanced integrated capability.”
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has awarded Leonardo DRS a three-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for low-rate initial production of the AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure, or DAIRCM, aircraft survivability system.
The DRS DAIRCM system is a combat-proven lightweight aircraft survivability suite designed for small- and medium-sized aircraft with demanding size, weight and integration requirements. The integrated modular system combines advanced missile warning, directed infrared countermeasures, laser warning and hostile-fire indication to help protect aircraft and crews from surface-to-air threats in contested environments.
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