Northrop Grumman equips U.K. tankers

ROLLING MEADOWS - Northrop Grumman Corp. has been selected to provide its laser-based large aircraft infrared countermeasures, or LAIRCM, systems for the U.K. Royal Air Force's air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft. Under the terms of the $93 million contract, Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division will provide LAIRCM system hardware and support for the U.K.'s Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft program to Thales U.K., a member of the AirTanker consortium. The AirTanker consortium will provide a fleet of 14 new tanker aircraft based on the Airbus A330-200, which will start to come into service in 2011, replacing the existing fleet of VC-10 and TriStar aircraft.