IED jammers from Sierra Nevada Corp. to protect U.S. infantry warfighters from roadside bombs

INDIAN HEAD, Md., 4 March 2015. U.S. military explosives-disposal experts are ordering additional electronic warfare (EW) jammers for deployed infantry warfighters to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in dangerous parts of the world.

Officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Indian Head, Md., announced a $27.9 million contract modification Tuesday to Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, Nev., for a yet-undetermined number of the AN/PLT-5 IED electronic jammer to support explosive ordnance-disposal personnel.

The order from the NSWC Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division is a modification to an original $14.1 million contract awarded to Sierra Nevada in 2009 for AN/PLT-5 IED jammers. Tuesday's modification is for option year four for the procurement and support of the transmitting set.

The AN/PLT-5 is a man-portable system designed to help experts from the U.S. Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal (JSEOD) Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (CREW) program.

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The JSEOD CREW program provides all military explosives-disposal services with an electronic warfare capability to counter the threat from improvised explosive devices. The JSEOD CREW systems protect EOD forces of all services.

The Sierra Nevada AN/PLT-5 THOR II is a man-packable jammer designed to counter radio-controlled IEDs to protect EOD technicians from IEDs and other deliberate explosive devices by preventing their initiation, while working in close proximity to suspect devices.

On this contract modification Sierra Nevada will do the work in Rancho Cordova, Calif., and should be finished by March 2016.

For more information contact Sierra Nevada Corp. online at www.sncorp.com, or the NSWC-Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division at www.navsea.navy.mil/nswc/indianhead.