Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM)

The Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) program is a critical line item in the Army's Aircraft Procurement budget, specifically under Ground Support Avionics. The primary objective of CIRCM is to provide advanced, lightweight, laser-based infrared countermeasure protection for rotary-wing, tilt-rotor, and small fixed-wing aircraft. This system is designed to counter current and emerging missile threats that use multispectral seeker technology, ensuring survivability of Army aviation assets in increasingly complex threat environments.

CIRCM's specific goals include the procurement and integration of both A-Kits and B-Kits. The A-Kit consists of the mounting hardware, wiring harnesses, and installation components necessary to interface the countermeasure system with various aircraft platforms. The objective for the A-Kit is to ensure that the mission kit is functionally and physically compatible with each host aircraft, supporting rapid installation and operational readiness in alignment with the Army's Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM).

The B-Kit is the core mission kit, containing the laser, pointer tracker, and processor required to achieve near-spherical coverage for each aircraft. The budget continues procurement of B-Kits, including the next-generation Jupiter laser, which offers enhanced capability against advanced threats as outlined in the Capability Production Document (CPD). The program plans to award a new ten-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to sustain B-Kit production, including support for Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The B-Kit's open systems architecture enables ongoing software and hardware refreshes to address evolving threats efficiently.

The CIRCM system is designed to integrate seamlessly with the Army's Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS), Advanced Threat Warner (ATW), and future Improved Threat Detection System (ITDS). Upon receiving a threat hand-off from the missile warning system, CIRCM's pointing and tracking subsystem acquires and tracks the incoming missile, then jams its seeker with modulated laser energy, thereby degrading the missile's tracking capability and increasing aircraft survivability.

The budget supports a range of objectives, including hardware procurement, integration, testing, software and jam code updates, systems engineering, program management, fielding, and sustainment. The program's procurement objective for B-Kits was increased to support the Army's modernization priorities, particularly for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The budget also reflects a reduction in advisory and assistance services to promote efficiencies in line with Executive Order 14222.

CIRCM is currently supported by contractor logistics for initial fielding, with a planned transition to organic depot support through a private-public partnership by FY 2027. The program has achieved key milestones, including Full Rate Production (FRP) approval in April 2021 and Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in September 2022. The ongoing procurement strategy balances the need for technological advancement, cost efficiency, and timely fielding to meet both current operational requirements and future modernization goals.