US Air Force to protect HH-60W rescue helicopters from missile attacks with new laser defense.

The HH-60W Jolly Green II fleet of the U.S. Air Force is set to gain enhanced survivability against infrared-guided missile threats as the service moves to integrate Advanced Infrared Countermeasures (AIRCM) systems.

Through a newly issued Sources Sought notice, the Air Force seeks industry solutions to equip its rescue helicopters with laser-based defensive capability, closing a critical gap in active missile defeat and significantly improving crew protection in contested environments. The requirement targets full fleet integration with a contract award planned for FY2027, focusing on rapid detection and neutralization of MANPADS threats during low-altitude rescue missions.

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The current configuration of the HH-60W lacks an active infrared countermeasure capability and relies solely on missile warning systems without a means to defeat incoming threats, exposing the helicopter to infrared-guided missiles such as MANPADS. (Picture source: US Air Force)

On April 7, 2026, the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) released a Sources Sought notice to identify contractors capable of integrating Advanced Infrared Countermeasures (AIRCMs) onto the HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter fleet, with responses due by April 23, 2026, and a planned contract award in the second quarter of fiscal year 2027. The requirement covers a full integration scope that includes Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, A-Kit design, manufacturing, and fleet-wide installation. The countermeasure systems themselves will be provided as Government-Furnished Equipment, limiting industry responsibility to aircraft modification and system integration.

The notice is structured as a market research to determine technical feasibility, integration approaches, and industrial capacity before issuing a formal solicitation. The requirement is driven by a survivability gap created by the absence of an active infrared countermeasure capability on the HH-60W. The HH-60W helicopter is currently equipped with missile warning sensors but lacks any active infrared defeat system, creating a condition where crews receive threat alerts without an automated response capability. This forces reliance on pilot maneuvering against infrared-guided missiles, which reduces survivability margins against modern MANPADS and short-range air defense systems.

The issue is operationally significant in combat search and rescue missions, where aircraft operate at low altitude and within engagement envelopes of shoulder-fired and vehicle-mounted systems. During recent operations, including rescue missions in Iran following the downing of an F-15E, some rescue helicopters have been exposed to hostile fire, thus highlighting the lack of an integrated infrared countermeasure. The U.S. Air Force has now explicitly identified this gap as increasing the probability of enemy engagement success, affecting both aircraft survivability and crew safety. The requirement, therefore, focuses on enabling automatic detection, tracking, and defeat of incoming threats within seconds of launch.

Integration must be achieved without altering flight performance, structural loads, or mission system reliability of the HH-60W. The U.S. Air Force has identified two Advanced Infrared Countermeasures (AIRCMs) systems as candidates, the Common Infrared Countermeasure and the Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure, both mature systems already in service on other U.S. aircraft. These systems are based on directional infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) technology, using modulated laser energy to disrupt missile seeker tracking rather than relying on expendable countermeasures.

Each system includes a processor, missile warning interface, pointer-tracker mechanism, and laser emitter, with total subsystem weights typically below 50 pounds per major component. The integration challenge is defined by the HH-60W electrical architecture, which operates on 28V DC power, as well as by cooling limitations and available mounting locations. Data integration must be achieved through existing avionics networks, including MIL-STD-1553 data buses, ensuring real-time communication between missile warning sensors and countermeasure systems. The Air Force requirement specifies that no degradation of existing avionics, communications, or navigation systems is acceptable. The evaluation of industry responses will focus on the ability to integrate these systems across the entire fleet under these constraints.

The first candidate, the Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM), is a laser-based system developed by Northrop Grumman for helicopters and light fixed-wing aircraft, with operational deployment on the AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook, and UH-60 Black Hawk. The system consists of three main components: a processor unit weighing about 10 pounds, a pointer-tracker assembly weighing about 26.5 pounds, and a laser unit weighing about 9.8 pounds, all operating on 28V DC power. The CIRCM uses a directional laser to emit modulated energy at incoming missile seekers, breaking lock and causing the missile to miss the target.

At the time of writing, CIRCM systems have accumulated more than 30,000 operational flight hours and have been installed on more than 1,500 aircraft across approximately 80 types. The system is designed to integrate with existing missile warning systems and supports open architecture upgrades, allowing future enhancements without major redesign. Its relatively small size, weight, and power requirements make it compatible with medium-lift helicopters such as the HH-60W. The system engages threats within seconds of detection, providing automated defense without pilot intervention. The Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure (DAIRCM) from Leonardo DRS uses a different architecture, combining missile warning, laser countermeasures, and situational awareness into a single integrated system.

It employs multiple infrared sensors distributed around the helicopter to provide full 360-degree coverage, feeding data into a central processor that controls a laser emitter distributed across beam directors. The DAIRCM has been tested and deployed on the HH-60G, MH-60S, AH-1Z, and UH-1Y, where it demonstrated the ability to defeat MANPADS and vehicle-launched infrared-guided missiles. The system includes additional functions such as hostile fire indication and laser warning, increasing its role beyond missile defense. The DAIRCM uses a centralized laser source that distributes energy to multiple apertures, enabling simultaneous engagement of threats from different directions.

Testing has included live missile firings and operational evaluations conducted between May 15 and July 20, 2018, as well as subsequent fielding decisions in 2020. Like the CIRCM, the DAIRCM is designed for automatic operation, requiring no manual input once a threat is detected. The industrial scope of the notice requires contractors to design and produce A-Kits that include structural mounts, wiring harnesses, power distribution modifications, and avionics interfaces specific to the HH-60W. Integration must ensure compatibility with mission computers, data buses, and existing survivability equipment without introducing latency or signal conflicts.

Contractors must demonstrate prior experience with rotary-wing integration (which is, in fact, the case), including examples of RDT&E efforts completed within the past seven years. The program requires a complete supply chain management approach, including parts selection, counterfeit prevention, and management of diminishing manufacturing sources. Quality certifications such as AS9100 are expected for production activities. The U.S. Air Force also requires contractors to provide data rights for both hardware and software, including source code, design documentation, and integration models, to support long-term sustainment. Participation from small businesses is encouraged, either as prime contractors or subcontractors.

Program schedules must include timelines for prototype installation, testing, and transition to production across the fleet. The integration effort must address several technical constraints specific to the HH-60W, including limited electrical power margins, cooling capacity, and available internal and external mounting space. Laser-based countermeasure systems require a stable power supply and thermal management, which must be accommodated without exceeding aircraft limits. Structural modifications must be validated through analysis and testing to ensure no impact on fatigue life or flight safety.

Software integration must ensure real-time communication between missile warning systems and countermeasure components, with no interference with other avionics systems. The system must function across a range of operational environments, including high-temperature and high-dust conditions typical of deployed operations. Testing requirements include laboratory integration, ground testing, and flight testing to validate system performance under operational conditions. These constraints require contractors with experience in integrating electronic warfare systems on H-60 series aircraft or similar helicopters. The acquisition timeline begins with the current market research phase and progresses toward a contract award planned for the second quarter of fiscal year 2027.

Industry responses submitted by April 23, 2026, will be used to refine technical requirements, integration approaches, and cost estimates. The Air Force is encouraging proposals that include accelerated schedules, provided that technical risks are addressed and integration feasibility is demonstrated. The program emphasizes a Modular Open Systems Approach, allowing future upgrades and interoperability with evolving threat detection systems. The requirement for extensive government data rights is intended to ensure long-term flexibility in sustainment and future modifications. The acquisition strategy remains under development and will be shaped by the information provided by the industry. The objective is to field an operational capability that addresses the identified survivability gap within the HH-60W fleet in a relatively short timeframe.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.