On order: Royal jet with infrared anti-missile system for Saudi king
Monday, March 31, 2008 Free Headline Alerts
WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia has ordered a high tech royal aircraft that could protect against surface-to-air missiles.
The Saudi royal family has ordered an aircraft from the United States that would be fitted with an infrared counter-measure system. The jet, meant to be used by King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, would be capable of warning and deflecting anti-aircraft missiles. The U.S. Defense Department awarded a $19.8 million contract to Northrop Grumman for the aircraft with the counter-measure system. The system was identified as the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure, meant to protect such aircraft as the Boeing 747 passenger jet.
In a March 28 announcement, the Pentagon said the U.S. government intends to award a "letter contract" to Northrop Grumman for one "Saudi Head of State" aircraft LAIRCM. Officials said the contract would system hardware, support equipment and services. So far, $7.5 million was obligated to the contract, overseen by the U.S. Air Force. Officials said the contract could also include systems engineering program management, logistics, spares as well as installation, installation support, and field service support.
Northrop Grumman has been marketing LAIRCM to Gulf Cooperation Council states amid the threat of an Al Qaida SAM strike. In 2002, Al Qaida gunners fired a SAM-7 missile that barely missed an Israeli passenger jet in Kenya.