U.K. aircraft get $160 million missile-defense gear

A federal Defense Department notice published June 17 says the Pentagon is releasing the unclassified text of a proposed arms sale to the United Kingdom. The package is valued at $160 million and is built around equipment meant to defend large aircraft from infrared-guided surface-to-air missiles.

It includes 36 Guardian Laser Turret Assemblies, 18 Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures, or LAIRCM, processor replacements, plus missile-warning sensors, test equipment, spare parts and logistics support.

How the shield works

The system is designed to spot a missile and jam it with laser energy before it can hit a plane. That makes it a survival tool for aircraft flying where the threat can come from the ground, not just from the air.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency says the sale would help the Royal Air Force keep its large air mobility platforms ready and would not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor would be Boeing, based in Arlington, Virginia.