Northrop Grumman's Laser Systems business unit announced that its All Semiconductor Airborne Laser Threat Terminator (ASALTT) infrared countermeasure (IRCM) laser system has advanced to Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6), a government measurement system that includes nine levels.

TRL-6 represents a successful system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment.

Following numerous environmental and field tests held at its Apopka facility and various sites throughout the country, the ASALTT system successfully passed a series of thermal, shock, vibration and other field tests equivalent to 2,500 hours of field use conducted in accordance with military standard 810G.

In addition, the ASALTT met all performance specifications for multiple IRCM platforms including the UH-60, C-17 and C-130 aircraft.

The ASALTT is an advanced technology quantum cascade laser-based mid-infrared laser designed and developed to protect a wide variety of aircraft including fixed-wing and rotor aircraft, whether based on land or at sea.

The system was designed using "MOSA Inside," a modular open systems approach (MOSA) to interior hardware and software that allows great flexibility for upgrades.

The MOSA Inside architecture provides for a single laser output, using the best technologies available from laser diodes, interband cavity lasers, quantum cascade lasers, fiber and more traditional laser sources from the ultraviolet through long-wave infrared bands.

"With field-proven capability, and the TRL-6 maturity, ASALTT is ready for integration into the next generation of aircraft-deployed counter-MANPADS systems," said Gordon Stewart, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Laser Systems.

"We are confident that ASALTT is ready to support flight testing and will greatly enhance IRCM system effectiveness, performance and protection of the warfighter."

Northrop Grumman Laser Systems has delivered more than 25,000 Electro-Optic (EO) laser systems units and is one of the world's leading manufacturers of military EO targeting systems.

These include ground-based (man-portable, handheld and vehicle-mounted) EO imaging/ranging systems for target location, laser designators/markers for precise guidance of smart munitions, and airborne laser rangefinders and designators fielded onboard many of the world's most sophisticated manned and unmanned aircraft.