MINNEAPOLIS, 5 Nov. 2009. Alliant Techsystems and BAE Systems won a $32.2 million contract to develop the Joint Allied Threat Awareness System (JATAS). JATAS, a next-generation missile warning system, will provide protection for U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps helicopter and tilt-wing aircraft.

The ATK and BAE Systems team is one of two industry teams selected to execute the JATAS Technology Demonstration (TD) phase, scheduled for 16 months. This phase will culminate in flight demonstrations of prototype systems and a final down-select award by the Navy. Work on the contract will be performed in ATK's Woodland Hills, Calif. and Clearwater, Fla., facilities and at BAE Systems' facility in Nashua, N.H.

The ATK and BAE missile warning systems have protected aircraft in Iraq and Afghanistan from Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), also known as shoulder-fired missiles.

The JATAS system will protect aircrews from MANPADS, and detect laser-guided weapons and hostile fire from small arms and rockets.

JATAS is synthesized in an open-architecture design that allows easy updates with other self-protection functions in the future. For example, the current expendable countermeasure can be augmented by a directable, infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) using existing interfaces, says a representative.

"ATK and BAE Systems have developed and fielded combat-proven systems which have saved dozens of aircraft and their crews from hostile fire," says Bill Kasting, vice president and general manager of ATK's Integrated Systems division. "Our JATAS team brings together the best capabilities of our industry to develop an affordable, innovative and more capable system that aircrews can trust with their lives when flying in harm's way."

"The team is committed to providing the best protection available to Navy and Marine aircrews," says Jim Crouch, vice president and general manager of Survivability & Protection Solutions at BAE Systems. "The entire team brings a rich blend of competencies in electronic warfare, and we're poised to execute this important program for the warfighter."

Other members of the JATAS industry team include DRS, Goodrich, and Symetrics.