L-3 Avisys installs civil aircraft protection systems to thwart heat-seeking man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS)

NEW YORK CITY, 19 September 2006. L-3 Communications' Avisys (L-3 Avisys) subsidiary has been awarded a major contract that expands its capabilities to provide turnkey civil aircraft protection systems for three popular models of civil and VIP aircraft. L-3 Avisys, a unit of the L-3 Integrated Systems Group, has installed or is in the process of installing its systems on the Airbus A340, and Boeing 737 and 747 aircraft.

The L-3 Avisys systems protect aircraft from the threat of heat-seeking Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS). The company's solutions include the widebody integrated platform protection system (WIPPS) and the second-generation civil aircraft protection system (CAPS2).

The systems are designed at the L-3 Avisys facility in Austin, Texas.

The WIPPS and CAPS2 systems can be used for the duration of a flight from takeoff to landing, or only during the takeoff and landing segments, selectable by the customer. The technology eliminates false alarms and inadvertent infrared decoy dispensing when operating in high-clutter urban areas. Its infrared decoy technology provides multi-threat and multi-launch protection.