Australia has awarded a contract to Saab for the delivery of a number of additional BOL countermeasure dispensers to be used on F/A-18A/B Hornet aircraft.
BOL is a high-capacity, 160-cartridge, electro-mechanical chaff dispenser designed to safeguard the aircraft against a wide range of both heat-seeking and radar guided missiles threats.
Saa Electronic Warfare Systems head Carl-Johan Bergholm said: "The success of BOL continues, and we are proud to receive this order from the Royal Australian Air Force.
"It is a testament to the capability and reliability of the BOL."
Deliveries under this contract are expected to take place in 2016.
In 2008, Australia acquired BOL for the F/A-18A/B Hornets of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The new order is aimed at increasing the RAAF’s operational capability.
RAAF’s Hornets is capable of carrying up to four BOLs, where each BOL features 160 chaff / infra-red decoy packages.
The system provides a number of installation options on new production aircraft and also for aircraft upgrades, the company stated.
With its slender shape, the system can be easily installed on aircraft structures, missile launchers and pylons.
Currently, the system is operational on aircraft including the Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon and Boeing F/A-18 Hornet.
Recently, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) extended its maintenance agreement with Saab for the SK60 trainer aircraft of the Swedish Armed Forces.
Valued at SEK400m ($42.85m), the contract will see Saab continuing its leading role as the provider of training aircraft flight services for the Swedish Armed Forces.
Image: Australia’s Hornet aircrafts. Photo: courtesy of Saab AB.
