In a significant boost to international defense cooperation, BAE Systems has secured $137 million in Foreign Military Sales contracts through the U.S. Army to provide its cutting-edge AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) to allied nations. This advanced technology is designed to detect and defeat a wide array of battlefield threats, ensuring aircraft and their crews can operate safely in contested environments.
The CMWS serves as a electronic warfare sentinel for aircraft. It is engineered to instantly detect incoming dangers, including infrared-guided and radio-frequency missiles, as well as unguided munitions. Upon detection, the system automatically triggers cockpit warnings and deploys appropriate countermeasures, providing pilots with crucial seconds to evade attack. This real-time, automated response is critical for survivability in modern combat scenarios.
The system’s versatility has made it a global standard, currently integrated on more than 40 different types of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. With the addition of this latest contract, the CMWS will now safeguard the fleets of over 20 nations, solidifying its role as a cornerstone of coalition air power.
“The international community continues to select CMWS because of its combat-proven track record,” said Jared Belinsky, director of Integrated Survivability Solutions at BAE Systems. “It has a legacy of saving lives in real-world operations, and we are committed to ensuring our allies have this mission-critical capability. We are proud to support U.S. coalition partners with technology they can trust.”
BAE Systems has already delivered more than 3,000 CMWS units globally and continues to expedite production, consistently delivering systems ahead of contractual deadlines. This efficiency underscores the company’s dedication to rapidly equipping warfighters with essential defensive technologies.
The CMWS family, which includes the advanced 2-Color Advanced Warning System currently utilized by the U.S. Army, forms a vital component of BAE Systems’ broader Intrepid Shield™ strategy. This layered defense approach harnesses the full electromagnetic spectrum to detect, analyze, and counter rapidly evolving threats, ensuring platforms remain protected against future innovations in enemy weaponry.
Manufacturing and design for the CMWS are carried out at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facilities in Huntsville, Alabama; Austin, Texas; and Nashua, New Hampshire, supporting American jobs while fortifying the defensive capabilities of allied nations worldwide.
