BAE Systems Unveils Cutting-Edge Missile Alert Technology for U.S. Partners

BAE Systems secured $114 million in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreements from the U.S. Army for AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS). CMWS delivers the United States and its partners with cutting-edge threat detection and countermeasure capability that safeguards aircraft and flight crews operating in hostile combat environments.

“Combat zones are becoming increasingly competitive, and aerial forces worldwide need to identify and neutralize contemporary infrared threats,” stated Jennifer Bartley, deputy product line director of Integrated Survivability Solutions at BAE Systems. “When invisibility is unfeasible, CMWS offers a barrier that enhances aircraft survival and mission accomplishment.”

With the recent FMS agreements, additional U.S. allies are now acquiring CMWS for its established protective capabilities. These partners will employ these systems to safeguard their current fleets and newly obtained aircraft, including AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook, and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

CMWS systems have been deployed across various platform types globally. It serves as the default missile warning and hostile fire detection system for U.S. Army aircraft.

CMWS stands as a combat-tested aircraft survivability system for both rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, integrating missile warning, hostile fire alerts, and countermeasure controls. It boasts millions of combat flight hours with a verified capacity to protect aircraft and preserve lives amid shifting threat landscapes. CMWS is compatible with expendable countermeasure dispensers—including BAE Systems’ AN/ALE-47 Airborne Countermeasures Dispenser System and Smart D^2TM next-generation countermeasure framework—as well as laser-guided directable infrared countermeasure systems.

BAE Systems’ CMWS forms an integral part of the company’s Intrepid Shield^TM multi-layered strategy for the survivability of aircraft and ground platforms, harnessing the full electromagnetic spectrum to detect, exploit, and counteract advanced threats.

CMWS is conceived and fabricated at BAE Systems’ facilities located in Nashua, New Hampshire; Austin, Texas; and Huntsville, Alabama.