Elbit Awarded $472M to fit USAF F-16s with Pylon-based IR Missile Warning System

Elbit Systems of America has won a $471.63 million deal to provide pylon-based infrared missile warning system for US Air Force F-16 fighters.

Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete by February 2030.

Elbit Systems’ PAWS family of airborne warning systems are suitable for all aircraft types. They provide early warning regarding the presence of traditional MANPADS, extended range Electro Optical guided missiles, Surface-to-Air missiles, Air-to-Air missiles, RPGs, heavy machine guns and small arms (commonly referred to as hostile fire).

Using sophisticated signal processing and algorithms, PAWS detect and track incoming missiles, identify threatening ones, alert the aircrew with audio-visual warning signals, initiate timely flare dispensing and precisely cue Directional IR Countermeasures (DIRCM) towards an approaching missile. The PAWS systems operate either as a stand-alone, self-contained systems or as a part of a complete EW suite. The PAWS processing unit is provisioned to support expanded capabilities such as radar warning and laser warning. PAWS provides threat information to other EW and/or avionic systems for centralized display and management, as well as for enabling further threat handling.