DHS awards anti-missile contracts

BAE Systems North America Inc. of Rockville, Md., and Northrop Grumman Corp. of Los Angeles each won $45 million contracts from the Homeland Security Department to develop and test prototype systems for protecting commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles.

Both companies are adapting infrared countermeasure systems they developed for the military.

The awards represent a downselect from three companies, including United Airlines Inc., each of which won $2 million deals in January for the first phase of research into adapting military missile detection technologies to commercial aviation.

The second phase of the Counter-Man Portable Air Defense Systems program will last 18 months, after which DHS will make its recommendations to Congress.