Tel Aviv: Elbit Systems was selected to supply a Direct Infrared Counter Measures (“DIRCM”) system and an airborne Electronic Warfare (“EW”) system for a Gulfstream G650 aircraft of The Netherlands Ministry of Defense.
Elbit Systems will provide J-MUSIC™ DIRCM system together with the company’s Infra-Red-based Passive Airborne Warning System (IR-PAWS), for a Gulfstream G650 aircraft, providing high levels of protection and redundancy. These systems have accumulated hundreds of thousands of flight hours to date, and have been selected by numerous customers to equip more than 25 types of aircraft. Customers include Israel, Germany, NATO’s multinational fleet and others.
Oren Sabag, General Manager of Elbit Systems ISTAR & EW, commented: “The rising threat that aircraft face from shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles increases the demand for certified and operationally proven self-protection systems. Our capability to provide a complete and tested solution well positions us to address this growing need.”
Earlier this year Elbit Systems announced that its subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”), Elbit Systems Emirates Limited was awarded an approximately $53 million contract to supply Direct Infrared Countermeasures (“DIRCM”) and airborne Electronic Warfare (“EW”) systems for the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft of the UAE Air Force. The contract will be performed over a five-year period.
The contract adds the UAE to the long list of air forces and security services aircraft that are protected by the Israeli developed systems.
The contract with the UAE was expected as Iran in recent months delivered shoulder launched missiles to some of its proxies, mainly the Houthi rebels in Yemen. These missiles of the Misagh family can be deadly to aircraft while taking off and landing. Under the contract, Elbit Systems Emirates will deliver a multi-turret configuration of the J-MUSIC Self-Protection System together with the Company’s Infra-Red-based Passive Airborne Warning System, providing high levels of protection and redundancy. The company’s DIRCM systems have accumulated more than 350,000 operational flight hours to date, and are installed onboard more than 25 types of aircraft. The company is witnessing a growing demand for this type of self-protection capabilities in light of the rising threat that aircraft face from shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles.
Elbit Systems views the UAE as an important market and believes that this contract award further highlights the technological advantage and maturity of the solutions offered by the company in this field.
J- MUSIC is a version of the Israeli company MUSIC counter measures family. The J-Music is designed for the protection of large aircraft. This system uses the same DIRCM as is in the C-MUSIC. According to Elbit, the system can be easily integrated on any type of aircraft, in a single or dual turret configuration.
In 2011, the Israeli government decided to equip aircraft operated by Israeli airlines with a version of the MUSIC. This after in 2002 terrorists tried to down an Israeli passenger aircraft in Kenya. The two SA-7 shoulder launched missiles missed.
The system is installed in a pod under the fore section of the aircraft fuselage. The system is also used by the Italian Air Force to protect the C27J, C130J and AW101 helicopter platforms and by the Brazilian Air Force to protect the KC-390 aircraft. The MUSIC technology is based on a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) for the missile’s tracking and laser jamming to blind the missile’s infrared seeker.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
