Direct proof of use
Naval Air Systems Command states that Department of the Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures was originally fielded under a Headquarters Marine Corps urgent-needs statement on Marine Corps CH-53E helicopters in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2009. In the catalog conflict model, Operation Iraqi Freedom falls under the 2003 Iraq War.
DOT&E's FY2009 program reporting gives the fielding in operational terms: the Navy fielded DoN LAIRCM as an early operational capability in January 2009 on Marine Corps CH-53E aircraft that had deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sources: NAVAIR DoN LAIRCM Upgrade Contract, DOT&E FY2009 DoN LAIRCM Report
Timeline
In 2008, DOT&E reported that the Navy intended to field one early-operational-capability DoN LAIRCM squadron to U.S. Central Command and that CH-53E and CH-46 testing used scenarios anticipated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The fielding followed in January 2009 on Marine Corps CH-53E aircraft deployed for OIF/OEF support. COTF then conducted CH-53E initial operational test and evaluation from March to June 2009, and DOT&E reported one CH-53E squadron with the early operational capability deployed to U.S. Central Command by late 2009.
Sources: DOT&E FY2008 DoN LAIRCM Report, DOT&E FY2009 DoN LAIRCM Report
Operational role
The Iraq War use was a force-protection role rather than an offensive weapon employment. NAVAIR describes DoN LAIRCM as aircraft survivability equipment that defends against surface-to-air infrared missile threats by detecting, tracking, and jamming the threat with a high-intensity laser beam.
DOT&E described the same mission as automatic protection for rotary-wing aircraft against shoulder-fired, vehicle-launched, and other infrared-guided missiles during takeoff and landing, assault landing, tactical descents, resupply, rescue, forward arming and refueling, low-level flight, and aerial refueling.
Sources: NAVAIR DoN LAIRCM Upgrade Contract, DOT&E FY2009 DoN LAIRCM Report, DOT&E FY2010 DoN LAIRCM Report
System and platform context
The DoN configuration was a Navy and Marine Corps adaptation of the Air Force LAIRCM family for Marine Corps helicopters. NAVAIR identifies the AN/AAQ-24(V)25 system and lists five infrared missile-warning sensors, a central processor, a cockpit control indicator, and two pointer-tracker or Guardian Laser Tracker assemblies as the major components.
The public record supports fielding and deployed operational use on Marine Corps CH-53E helicopters in the OIF/OEF theater, but it does not identify a specific Iraqi location, unit name, missile engagement, or aircraft-by-aircraft sortie for the Iraq War deployment.
Sources: NAVAIR DoN LAIRCM Product Page, NAVAIR DoN LAIRCM Upgrade Contract, DOT&E FY2009 DoN LAIRCM Report, DOT&E FY2010 DoN LAIRCM Report
