Northrop Grumman expands aircraft protection to Germany

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. – Mar. 5, 2026 – For the first time, Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) is providing its Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) system to Germany, reinforcing the company’s position as a leading developer of advanced aircraft survivability systems, with a broadening presence in Europe.

CIRCM, a U.S. Army program of record, acts as a high-tech shield when installed on the outside of military helicopters. Using advanced electro-optical infrared technology, the system quickly defeats incoming threats, such as shoulder-fired missiles, and shoots a high-performance laser at the threat to jam its targeting signal – disrupting its tracking ability, which causes it to fall away.

Key Highlights:

    Germany will receive 47 CIRCM systems as part of a U.S. Army production award.

    The CIRCM systems for Germany will be installed on their newly ordered CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

    These CIRCM units will modernize capabilities for Germany’s new rotary aircraft, fulfilling NATO combat readiness mission requirements.

Nearly 700 Northrop Grumman CIRCM systems have been installed on rotary wing aircraft worldwide, making it the most widely used system of its kind. CIRCM is achieving more than 70,000 operational flight hours on Army AH-64, CH-47 and UH-60 rotary aircraft, with an exceptional performance record and no aircraft losses.

Experts:

Leah Hooten, vice president, aircraft survivability, Northrop Grumman: “More international partners are recognizing CIRCM’s pioneering protection capabilities to maximize successful missions. With open architecture, the lightweight CIRCM system stays ready for any mission with the agility for rapid technology upgrades. It’s not only ideal for small aircraft – it’s a crucial system that brings key advantages to our international warfighters.”

Details: 

Northrop Grumman has protected warfighters against infrared threats for more than 50 years, developing infrared countermeasures (IRCM) technology that’s installed on more than 1,500 aircraft of 85 types. IRCM refers to a variety of systems designed to protect aircraft from infrared-guided threats.

The next generation missile warning system, Northrop Grumman’s Improved Threat Detection System (ITDS), is integrated with CIRCM to deliver greater performance against emerging threats. In 2025, the Army announced an early decision to select ITDS for Phase II development. 

Learn more about Northrop Grumman’s electro-optical and infrared sensor capabilities and see how CIRCM detects and locks onto emerging threats by watching this brief animation.

With nearly 100,000 employees and over 30 million square feet of manufacturing space – more than 500 football fields – Northrop Grumman has the capacity, scale, and agility to drive innovation at unprecedented speeds. The company’s manufacturing approach isn’t just about flawless production – it was developed to accelerate and enhance the entire process from design and development to production and testing. The company has invested in U.S. infrastructure, R&D, its workforce, and supply chain to deliver the national security needs of today and for tomorrow.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day

photo courtesy Northrop Grumman