BAE Systems' Close-In Countermeasure (CICM) active protection system successfully intercepted and destroyed incoming Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) during end-to-end testing at the U.S. Army's Redstone Technical Test Center at Huntsville, Alabama. Testing in August 2005 included on-the-move defeats on a vehicle moving at speeds greater than 23 mph, establishing a Technology Readiness Level 6.
In repeated, successful end-to-end tests, the BAE Systems CICM system detected launched RPGs, tracked incoming RPGs, launched its countermeasures and defeated RPGs before they reached the protected system.
The CICM hardware and software were developed in a rapid prototyping environment in only nine months and then underwent testing. Static defeats were successfully accomplished in less than 11 months and on-the-move defeats in 18 months. The team was able to accomplish this through knowledge and expertise gained from the U.S. Army's Integrated Army Active Protection System (IAAPS) program and targeted research and development efforts by BAE Systems and its teammates. The CICM is a successful, affordable near-term counter to RPGs.
BAE Systems expects to offer the CICM system to the U.S. military branches as a force protection measure for our fighting forces in combat scenarios.
CICM is an outgrowth of the many years supporting the U.S. Army's Tank and Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in survivability integration.
The BAE Systems CICM system uses a variety of innovative technologies, including passive cueing sensors, low-cost tracking radar, a compact high-speed launcher, lightweight and precise non-bursting countermeasure and new nickel-metal-hydride batteries to supply pulse power.
