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Transport Aircraft Self Protection
Transport Aircraft
Self-Protection
In the weeks that preceded the launch of air operations over Libya, a number of
Nato countries, reportedly Germany, Great Britain and Italy, deployed Transall
C160s and C130Js in challenging missions inside Libyan territory, landing on strips
and airfields near oil camps to extract national and international citizens and
workers. The British and Italian C-130Js (the Italians landed on Sabha airport
around 640 km south of Tripoli) flew in a fast evolving theatre of operations,
characterized by a variety of air defence surveillance radars, electromagnetic and
infrared missiles, without threat detection systems.
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The C-Music is a complete
self-protection solution, here under a
B707 based on an aerodynamic pod
incorporating both Elisra Paws missile
warner andJ-Music DIRCM. (Elbit Elop)
Since the late Soviet era years the manportable missile threat has evolved through
four generations:
The Russian SA-7A Strela-2 e SA-7B
Strela-2M, the Chinese HN-5A, the
Pakistani Anza Mk1 and the American
FIM-43 Redeye (the Block II has a gascooled seeker positioning it between 1st and
2nd generation) belong to the 1st generation
equipped with an uncooled seekers,
characterized by a rotating rectangular field
of view (FoV) with a single detector
element, which led to their increased
inaccuracy as they neared the target, or in
tail-chase configurations, not to mention
their vulnerability to flares.
The FIM-92A Stinger Basic, the Strela2M/A, SA-14 Strela-3, the Chinese HN-5B,
QW-1, FN-6, the Pakistani Anza Mk II and
the Iranian Misagh-1 are 2nd generation
weapons equipped with a cooled detector
and a conical scanning search technique,
which eliminates the above mentioned
inaccuracies. They feature all-aspect
capabilities, some resistance to flares and
offer relatively higher single-shot kill
probability.
The 3rd generation, to which the American
FIM-92B/C/E Stinger Post/RMP/Block I, the
Russian SA-16 Igla-1, SA-18 Igla and SA-24
Igla-S, the Polish Grom-1/2, the Chinese
QW-11/18/2, FN-16, the Pakistani Anza Mk
III and the Iranian Misagh-2 belong together
with the (then) Matra Mistral 1 and 2
systems, are characterized by their cooled,
dual-channel IR or combined IR/UV
detector with a rosette scanning a very
narrow FOV pattern (also known as quasiimaging) providing all-aspect engagement,
high resistance to flares, better unfavourable
conditions discrimination capabilities and
high single-shot kill probabilities.
The 4th generation includes the Japanese
Kin-SAM Type 91 and the Chinese QW-4
that are equipped with full-imaging IR
seekers that yield very high resistance to
flares and decoys. Command to line-ofsight and beam-riding missiles like the
Blowpipe, Javelin and Starburst belong to a
different league.
Until the 1990s, to protect low-speed
tactical and strategic transport aircraft
generating a large heat signature and
radar cross section, a typical EW suite would
have included a radar warning receiver
(RWR), a passive ultraviolet missile warning
system (MWS) and a countermeasures
(chaff/flare) dispensing system (CMDS),
although some platforms modified to
conduct a variety of missions for special
forces, combat search and rescue and
command and control, psychological
and electronic intelligence gathering
missions, were however equipped with a
more robust EW suite. However, the advent of
new-generation weapons sparked off the
need for improved suites, ranging from
advanced MWS to new flares and flare
patterns, in addition to fixed and, later
directional, infrared countermeasures now
known as Dircm.
Flares have been used as countermeasures
Luca Peruzzi
A
mongst the eagerly awaited
weapons on the ground in Libya
were the latest and most effective
man-portable missiles, namely the
SA-18 Igla and SA-24 Igla-S. These became a
prime target of recovery operations by
American and Nato forces at the end of the
conflict, as unknown quantities of these
missiles were purloined out of Libya to
enlarge the illegal market that feeds terrorist
organizations and paramilitary forces. The
Libyan crisis was the last one in a series of
conflicts (starting with the Balkans wars) in
which transport aircraft were required to
operate in enclaves surrounded by hostile
forces and well within range of radar and
infrared guided weapons. The threat
remained high not only for the military but
also for the civilian fleets.
The Airbus A400M strategic transport aircraft (here seen in a photomontage) is being
equipped with a baseline protection suite including Indra’s ALR400M RWR/ESM, Miras missile
multi-colour infrared alerting sensor from Thales and Cassidian, and a Saphir 400 chaff and
flare dispensing system from MBDA. (Airbus)
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27
Transport Aircraft Self Protection
for almost half a century to lure a manportable missile away from its target. They
come in a large array of shapes and sizes and
with a variety of functions and are designed to
present a more attractive IR signature than
that of the target. They may also be used to
confuse the threat by saturating its processing
or discrimination circuitry. A chemical
energy source (pyrotechnic or pyrophoric in
nature) is used to provide the required IR
radiation. The main reactive pyrotechnic
cartridge continues to be the legacy
magnesium-teflon-viton
(MTV)-based
decoy. This first saw service during the
Vietnam War, but has been continuously
enhanced in terms of performance and safety.
The introduction of dual-spectral flares
however, caused the introduction of missile
seekers able to discriminate radiation
intensities and, as a consequence, to
recognise and reject a standard MTV-based
flare event. Propelled flares have been
introduced to counter new IR missile seekers
responding in a particular manner that
enables them to discriminate between the
relative proportional movement of the
‘target’ under propelled flight and the
standard MTV flare, which basically freefalls
when released from the aircraft. In addition
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The AAR-47B(V)2 is the latest evolution
of ATK’s missile warner with hostile fire
indicator (HFI) capabilities, designed to
protect fixed and rotary wing platforms
against infrared- guided missiles, laser-aided
threats, small arms and rocket propelled
grenades. (Luca Peruzzi)
to area (as opposed to point source) and
ballistically modified decoys, covert flares
are pyrophoric (using metal foils that react
and burn when exposed to air). Their
advantage is that they are virtually
unobservable to the naked eye, enabling
aircraft not to reveal their position, as would
be the case with MTV flares. Their
disadvantage regards the fact they are mainly
suitable for pre-emptive flaring, requiring
the aircraft to carry additional reactive flares
for complete protection. Specialized
companies such as Alloy Surfaces, Armtec
Defense, Chemring Countermeasures,
Etienne Lacroix, IMI, Kilgore Flares,
Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions and Wallop
Defence Systems have developed a range of
kinematic, propelled, spectrally adapted and
spatially distributed flares, to be distributed in
cocktails and patterns by ‘intelligent’ CMDS
provided by companies such as ATK,
BAE Systems, Kanfit, MBDA, Meggit
Defense Systems, MES, Saab Electronic
Defence Systems, Symetrics Industries,
Terma and Thales to counter 2nd and 3rd
generation seekers.
State of the art passive missile warning
systems are those that are able to detect the
ultraviolet and infrared radiation emitted by a
missile’s exhaust plume. Northrop Grumman
and ATK are respectively providing AAR-54
and AAR-47 for fixed-wing platforms in
service with US Air Force, Navy, Army and
international customers, while outside, MWS
prominent providers are Elisra Electronic
Systems, Cassidian and Saab Electronic
Defense Systems. Elisra provides Passive
Missile Approach Warning System (Paws) IR
focal-plane-array and the Paws 2 with twocolour IR warning system, while Cassidian
offers the AAR-60 Milds and Saab the Maw300 UV-based MWSs.
I DIRCMS GAINING POPULARITY
The advent of new imaging infrared missile
seekers that are more resistant to flares has
accelerated the switch to the more drastic to
laser-based Dircm systems, which can
counter all known and projected IR-guided
missile threats. Dircm system cost,
maintenance and reliability concerns have
limited their application in the past, but as
laser technologies and miniaturization
improve on the one hand and the threat
becomes more sophisticated, larger fleets of
transport and special platforms are now
poised to be equipped with Dircm systems.
Built by Northrop Grumman, the AAQ24(V) Laircm (Large Aircraft IR
Countermeasures) is a derivate of the
company’s earlier-vintage AAQ-24 Nemesis
and has amassed until 2011 over one million
flying hours with US and allied forces, the
majority under deployment and combat
conditions, with an operational availability
of over 99%. Based on an open system,
modular and highly reliable family suite, the
Laircm consists of a Northrop Grumman
AAR-54 ultra-violet MWS package, a
number of point-tracker/jamming turrets
with laser transmitter assembly unit, control
interface unit and processors to detect, track,
jam and counter incoming IR missiles.
The number of sensors (up to six) and
turrets (up to three) per aircraft is
determined by the size and signature of the
aircraft. Initially fielded on C-17s, its
deployment later expanded to C130s, C5s
Northrop Grumman Laircm suite is
progressively migrating from small laser
transmitter assembly (SLTA) turret to
reduced-size and lighter GLTA
(Guardian Laser Tramsitter Assembly)
jam head, while AAR-54 ultraviolet
warner is being replaced by NexGen
two-colour infrared missile warning
system. (Northrop Grumman)
and new C130Js, including
AC/EC/MC-130J. The Laircm is
also being integrated on US
Navy’ C40A Clipper transport as
well as selected to equip P8A
Poseidon ASW/ASuW and US Air
Force KC46A tankers, while testing
is underway on older
Guardian-configured
KC135s, but based on a
self-contained, easily
removable pods that
carry all the electronics to
manage both AAR-54 MWS
and a single laser transmitter
assembly turret. The Laircm is also
fielded on board the RAF’s C17s,
Tristars and soon Airbus A330 Voyageur
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Transport Aircraft Self Protection
Northrop Grumman’s AAQ-24(V) Laircm is based on an open system architecture and the
typical suite includes same company’s AAR-54 ultra-violet missile five-sensor warning suite,
two point-tracker/jamming turrets, control and processor units weighing just over 90 kg.
(Northrop Grumman)
tankers, and it was recently ordered for the
new Royal Air Force’s Airbus A400M
airlifters. Being marketed under the
government-to-government agreements
through FMS, the Australian, together with
Canadian Departments of Defence have
selected or are fielding the system on board
C130s, C17s and B737 Wedgetail AEW&C
platforms. It also is fitted to Nato E3B Awacs.
The Air Force Laircm Phase I system
became operational in 2005. Its jam head is
called the Small Laser Transmitter Assembly
(SLTA). It uses the colourless eye-safe multiband Viper diode-pumped solid-state laser,
developed by Fibertek, which operates in all
three segments of the IR waveband used by
heat-seeking missiles. The Laircm Phase II
programme produced a smaller and lighter
jam head, called the Guardian Laser
Transmitter Assembly (GLTA), which
Northrop Grumman began to deliver to the
Air Force in late 2008 alongside the NexGen
MWS. Selex Galileo, today Selex ES, has built
all of the point-tracker jam heads for the
Nemesis and Laircm programmes in Britain,
as a key supplier to Northrop Grumman.
The latter continues to produce both the
SLTA and GLTA, based on customer
requirements, while US Air Force is
progressively replacing the SLTA with GLTA
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INTERNATIONAL
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on a number of platforms, including the C17s. For the new special forces MC130J
programme, the US Air Force provides a
configuration with flush-mount turrets,
GLTAs and NexGen MWS. In May 2012, the
service authorized full-rate production of
the new two-colour IR missile MWS to
replace the original UV-sensor based AAR54. According to DoD documentation, the
NexGen MWS offers increased probability
of declaring actual missiles, lower false alarm
rate and long-range detection. Moreover,
with customized software on request, it can
be used to enhance crew situational
awareness by providing a 360° unobstructed
IR view around the platform.
Based on the joint agreement signed in
2007 between Elbit Systems and Elettronica
to cooperate and complete the joint
development of fibre laser technologybased Music Dircm family of systems aimed
at the protection of both rotary and fixedwing civilian and military aircraft,
Elettronica is working on a customized
dual-turret ELT/572 suite for the Italian
General Directorate of Armaments under a
three-year €25,4 million contract awarded in
December 2010, covering system
development, ground and flight tests and
certification. The dual-turret suite is to
equip both in-service tactical transports
(C130J, C27J) and new AW101 Combat
Search & Rescue helicopters, though there
is a follow-on requirement for B767A
tanker and Government transport aircraft
to be satisfied within different system
configurations.
Already successfully laboratory-tested by
Elettronica and the Italian air force mounted
on a rotary-wing platform in a single-turret
test configuration against both emulated and
real IR seeker head representatives, the
system has begun ground and flight tests
integrated with Cassidian’s Milds (AAR-60)
ultraviolet MWS. These systems are already
used by the Italian armed forces’ transport
aircraft and rotary-wing platforms. The final
dual turret/MWS configuration will be put
through its paces in the second half of the
year with a view to completing system
qualification by the end of 2013. Deliveries of
the first five dual turret suites are to begin in
2015, with contracts to be awarded for
follow-on systems.
Based on a fibre-optic laser operating in
different infrared bands and providing a high
level of jamming to target heat-signature
intensity ratio power (J/S), each ELT/572
system – including jamming turret, laser
generator and processor units – weighs 45kg.
According to Elettronica, the system is
‘readily exportable’, not being affected by
export limitations (ITAR regulation), and
allows the customer to load proprietary laser
jamming code libraries. The system has
Elettronica developed and integrated a dualturret configuration of ELT-572 fibre-laser
based Dircm, which is on-track to complete
testing and trails within 2013. Based on a joint
Elettronica-Elop Music system, the ELT-572 is
to equip Italian military fixed and rotary wing
assets. (Elettronica)
Based on an the highly dynamic small
spherical mirror turret (which differs from the
squared Music turret), Elbit Elop’s J-Music
features a distributed configuration for large
aircraft in single/dual turret version. The
J-Music is already contracted for Embraer’s
KC-390. (Elbit ELOP)
already attracted the interest of European and
Middle East nations and has already been
successfully tested by the German Ministry
of Defence in July 2012 at WTD52 test facility
in Oberjettenberg.
Keeping Elettronica good company,
Elbit Elops subsidiary is marketing the
family of Music compact and lightweight
fibre laser-based Dircm systems, which has
already scored sales successes in Israel and
abroad – notably in India for use on the
Ministry of Defence’s AgustaWestland
AW101. In addition to the Music solution
offered for the protection of helicopters and
small to medium fixed-wing turboprop
aircraft, Elbit is promoting the J-Music and
the C-Music. Based on a later, highly
dynamic mirror turret version (instead of
the Music’s facetted turret), the J-Music
features a distributed configuration for the
protection of large aircraft such as heavy
airlifters, tankers and fast bizjets and can be
had in a single or dual turret configuration
and has already been selected for Embraer’s
KC-390 tactical airlift program in Brazil.
The C-Music for its part, is a complete selfprotection solution, based on aerodynamic
pod incorporating both the Elbit Paws
infrared missile warning system and the JMusic Dircm for a total weight of 160 kg.
Especially designed for civilian and large
business jets, the C-Music naturally meets
commercial aircraft certification standards
and has been selected by the Israeli
Government for its airline fleet. According
to Elbit, C-Music performed a series of
successful flight tests on board a B707 in
January 2012, while more recently
according to other sources, it completed
operational tests on an unspecified Heyl
Ha’Avir platform. Such activities emerged
after an SA-7 Strela was fired against an
Israeli air force aircraft flying over the Gaza
Strip in October 2012, raising strong
suspicions of arms shipments from Libya,
following Col Muammar Gaddafi’s regime
collapse in 2011.
Ten years ago, Indra in Spain decided to
launch the Manta (Manpads Threat
Avoidance) project to complement the selfprotection suite of military transport aircraft
with the addition of a Dircm system. Today
the Manta is qualified by the Spanish
airworthiness authorities (Inta) for use on
transport aircraft, after a challenging process
proving its technology maturity, readiness
and integration with the widely used
Cassidian AAR-60 Milds. It proved its mettle
during the SG2/NATO group’s Embow trials
in Cazaux (France) in September 2011 and
other international test campaigns in 2012.
Developed with Rosoboronexport in Russia,
the multi-spectral multi-band Manta uses a
relatively large but powerful chemical laser
supplied by Russian industry, enabling the
system to feature closed-loop performances,
from classification between IR/non-IR
guided missiles to the highest jamming
success probability, thanks to a common
optical path for tracking and jamming, as
well as multi-threat capability and
instantaneous assessment of the effectiveness
of the countermeasures. Able to defeat 1st,
2nd generation and imaging seekers, the
Manta is being offered in internal, pod and
sponson mount configurations. As the
system was designed for medium and large
platforms, Indra is now working on a more
compact version for lighter platforms, but
maintains the original version for the
protection of large-size aircraft like the
A400M. The Manta was to be installed on
board Spanish A310 VIP and C295 aircraft
and later on A400M, but budget reductions
have delayed such plans.
Capitalizing on the experience garnered
with the development and manufacture of
high-performance airborne lasers and
electro-optic pointing and stabilisation
systems, Selex ES presented a new Dircm
solution at IDEX 2013.
Called Miysis, after the ancient Egyptian
lion-headed god of war, the new-generation
system is based on the company’s Eclipse
lightweight
and
low-cost
IRCM
point/tracker and Type 160 IRCM diodepumped fibre laser source-based
developments, in a hardware and software
format that is readily exportable. Both the
Eclipse and the Type 160 were selected by the
British MoD in March 2010, to be part of the
Common Defensive Aid Suite technology
demonstrator programme aimed at defining
Based on a self-contained, easily removable pod, Northrop Grumman’s Guardian Dircm has
been developed for civilian and military applications. Such a system has been tested by US
Government to protect national airline fleets. (Northrop Grumman)
INTERNATIONAL
3/2013
31
Transport Aircraft Self Protection
Developed to protect large fixed-wing platforms, Indra’s Manta (MANpads Threat Avoidance)
multi-spectral multi-band Dircm uses a relatively large, but powerful, chemical laser supplied
by Rosoboronexport in Russia, although work on a compact version is underway. (Indra)
the architecture for advanced defensive aid
system. Available for integration into a
defensive aid sub-system, or in a stand-alone
configuration with either federated
components or as a role-fit pod solution, a
Misys Dircm suite comprising two sensor
head assemblies, a MWS package with five
sensor heads, an electronics unit cockpit
display and control unit weighs less than 50
kg. Being suitable for a range of applications,
from light aircraft and unmanned air
vehicles to large transport aircraft, the Misys
suite draws less than 500 watts of electrical
power and its open architecture allows its
integration with a range of warning systems,
including the latest versions of Cassidian’s
Milds AAR60 and Saab’s Maw300.
According to Selex’s documentation, two
sensor head assemblies and a MWS suite are
powerful enough to defend a platform such as
the A400M. In addition to discussions it is
Unveiled at IDEX 2013, the Miysis is based on
an Eclipse pointer/tracker and Type 160 IRCM
laser developments, in a readily exportable
hardware and software format, according to
Selex ES. A Miysis demonstrator pod is
expected to be test-flown in 2014.
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INTERNATIONAL
3/2013
holding with Northop Grumman on a
possible participation in the Misys
programme, Selex ES also says that it is in
advanced stages of negotiations with a
launch customer.
Aware of the threat posed by newgeneration manpads right from the
beginning of multinational Airbus A400M
strategic transport programme, the
consortium’s nations and industries have
been working on a complete baseline
protection suite. This is to include the Indra
ALR400M RWR/ESM, the Miras (Multicolour Infrared Alerting Sensor) missile
warner from Thales and Cassidian, the
Saphir 400 countermeasures dispensing
system (CMDS) suite from MBDA, a Dircm
system and a suite manager. Indra’s
ALR400M is the most advanced version of
the RWR/ESM ALR400 family, based on
wide-band digital reception technology,
while the Miras provides a unique
multicolour infrared detector (Fraunhofer
IAF developed the core sensor component)
with band subtraction algorithms, offering
long range detection, short reaction and low
false alarm rate against both man-portable
and air-to-air missiles, with a three-sensor
unit managed by a dedicated signal
processor. An MBDA Saphir 400 rounds up
the baseline suite, offering large decoy and
fully programmable capacities. France and
Germany, through Cassidian, Thales, Sagem
and Diehl BGT Defence, have been
collaborating on the Flash (Flying Laser selfdefence system Against IR Seeker head
missiles
of
High
performances)
demonstrator programme, based on an
experimental closed-loop Dircm that carried
out threat confirmation, identification,
jamming and defeat assessment. In
September 2011, the two nations requested
the European Organisation for Joint
Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) to
manage the risk-reduction phase of the
programme aimed at developing a Dircm for
the A400M and, potentially, other aircraft.
According to OCCAR documentation
released in late 2009, a laser-based closed
Partnership S piri t
In addition to its Idas integrated defence suites, here seen installed in
a Saab 2000 AEW&C, the Swedish group is marketing a solution that
was specifically developed for commercial applications called Camps,
in other words Civil Aircraft Missile Protection System. (Saab)
loop (Dircm-CL) solution was
to be ready in 2014 to cope
with first- to third-generation
manpads, with growth
potential to blow a deadly deal
to both fourth-generation
manpads and larger infrared
homing missiles. Although a
risk-reduction phase was
completed, an agreement
between the two nations has
yet to be concluded to launch
the development, production
and integration programme
managed by OCCAR. In the
meantime, the baseline
configuration
described
above (sans Dircm) for the
A400M was agreed upon by
the launching countries with
the addition of Malaysia.
French and German industries’
Today the involved industries
Cassidian, Thales, Sagem and Diehl
are providing the defensive
BGT Defence have been collaborating
aids subsystems to be tested
on the Flash demonstrator programme,
based on an experimental closed-loop
and qualified as part of
Dircm. Germany and France requested
standard
operational
OCCAR to manage the programme, but
capability 1 (SOC 1) before
no decision has been taken on actual
the end of 2013. Airbus
development, production and
Military is ‘firmly committed’
integration. (Luca Peruzzi)
to delivering the first A400M
to the French air force before the Paris air show.
While Dircm systems applications are expanding, expendable decoy
systems will continue to equip transport and special fixed-wing
platform fleets as they are magnitudes cheaper than Dircms and provide
extended protection in a multi-threat, evolving environment. The recent
crisis in Libya has however highlighted the need to broaden the
protection spectrum to include radar guided missiles.
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