The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £732,219 contract to Cranfield Aerospace Solutions for support to the Chinook Aircraft Infrared Suppression System (IRSS) Environmental Data Gathering (EDG) Trials.
The 19-month contract, listed under reference CHC/666, will run from 1 April 2025 to 31 October 2026.
The work will focus on gathering environmental data to support the Chinook helicopter’s IRSS programme, aimed at improving survivability against infrared-guided threats.
According to the contract award notice, the project falls under the category of “military aircraft, missiles and spacecrafts” and is part of the Ministry’s wider efforts to enhance defensive countermeasures for existing rotary platforms.
Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, was the sole supplier awarded under the procurement, which the Ministry confirmed is “suitable for SMEs”. The contracting authority for the project is the MOD site at Bristol.
The Infrared Suppression System is designed to reduce the aircraft’s heat signature, making it less vulnerable to detection and targeting by infrared-seeking missiles. The EDG trials will provide critical data on system performance across different environmental conditions to inform future upgrades and operational effectiveness.
