Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) Optical Detection and Identification Node (“ODIN”)

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has been awarded a $60,438,241 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) Optical Detection and Identification Node (“ODIN”) effort. The purpose of this effort is to develop an enhanced Infrared Missile Warning Sensor (IR MWS) sensor as part of the LAIRCM system to include Hostile Fire Indication (HFI), Laser Warning (LW), and Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-SUAS) Detection capabilities. The final end product of this acquisition, the updated IR MWS sensor, will be the production-ready ODIN sensor. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by 30 April 2029. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal year 2026 RDT&E funds in the amount of $11,200,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio is the contracting activity. There is no known congressional interest pertaining to this acquisition. The advanced nature of each new capability listed above is such that the Government cannot define exact requirements for developing, integrating, and testing the new capabilities into an existing sensor to sufficiently allow for a fixed-price contract type. As such, the uncertainties involved with this effort do not permit costs to be estimated with sufficient accuracy to use any type of fixed-price contract, thus making a cost type contract more appropriate. The Justification and Approval (J&A), dated 9 Nov 2022, enables the procurement of Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems/subsystems, associated support, engineering effort, integration/installation efforts, and sustainment for the Department of Defense, Other United States Government Agencies and Foreign Military Sales customers. Therefore, the awarded activity of system procurement falls within the type of work anticipated under the J&A.