Orbital ATK Awarded MJU-73/B Aircraft Countermeasures Contract

Orbital ATK, Inc.

, a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, announced today the United States Air Force has awarded the company an initial production contract for the MJU-73/B, a new spectrally matched aircraft countermeasure. "Leveraging Orbital ATK's expertise in solid rocket propulsion has enabled us to develop highly reliable and advanced countermeasures such as the MJU-73/B," said Charlie Precourt, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK's Propulsion Systems Division. "These sophisticated pyrotechnic devices protect the warfighter by mimicking the ‘heat' signature of an aircraft to lure infrared missiles away." Orbital ATK's latest innovation in aircraft survivability, or the increase in an aircraft's odds of not being hit by a missile, will be an integral component of a suite of protective measures used by USAF Special Operations aircraft. The MJU-73/B was specifically chosen for its significant technological enhancements and outstanding performance against an array of infrared missile threats. Internally funded and developed, the MJU-73/B also serves as the technology baseline for several other countermeasure efforts underway at Orbital ATK. These efforts are currently undergoing test and evaluation. "Today the MJU-73/B is the best infrared countermeasure available, but every day we try to push beyond what is possible," said Orbital ATK Program Manager Jared Olson. "Our research and manufacturing capabilities will lead to even greater evolutions and effectiveness to protect our nation's warfighters and their aircraft."