British Military Aircraft Set to Be Equipped with Cutting-Edge Laser Defense System.

According to a statement published by the British Ministry of Defence on October 20, 2024, Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots are moving closer to being equipped with a groundbreaking laser self-protection system following 100% successful live-fire trials. The advanced system was tested at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden, where it successfully neutralized multiple infrared heat-seeking missile threats simultaneously, showcasing a significant advancement in airborne defense technology.
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The laser-based system is designed to be installed on a range of British RAF aircraft, including the intelligence-gathering Shadow R2. (Picture source: British MoD)

The laser-based weapon system is designed to be fitted on various British RAF (Royal Air Force) aircraft, including the intelligence-gathering Shadow R2 and the A400M transporter. This capability is critical in rapidly detecting and defeating missile threats, providing vital protection for aircraft and their crews. The technology is part of the Team Pellonia partnership's collaborative efforts, including Leonardo UK, Thales UK, and the Ministry of Defence's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

The system provides a rapid, accurate response to missile threats, ensuring it can simultaneously track and neutralize multiple threats. Miysis is highly effective against modern missiles, which are becoming more sophisticated in their tracking and targeting capabilities. It is designed for use on various types of military aircraft, including transport planes, helicopters, and even smaller intelligence-gathering aircraft.

The system’s performance is so advanced that it can defeat missile threats faster than the time it takes to read a single sentence. This UK-engineered solution provides best-in-class protection and full operational independence for the British Ministry of Defence, while also offering significant export potential for international customers.

Senior military officials from several NATO countries were present during the live tests, underscoring the interest in this cutting-edge defense system. With its ability to defeat infrared-guided missile threats with pinpoint accuracy, the technology could become a critical asset for the RAF and other air forces, enhancing the safety of pilots and aircraft in increasingly contested airspaces.

Thales’s Elix-IR threat warning system is at the heart of the system, which uses sophisticated algorithms to filter out background noise and quickly identify actual missile launches. This technology ensures that only valid threats are tracked and classified, minimizing false alarms. Once a missile is detected, Leonardo’s Miysis Directed Infrared Countermeasure takes over, tracking the missile and deploying a high-precision jamming laser to neutralize the threat.

Thales’s Elix-IR is an advanced threat warning system designed to detect and track infrared-guided missiles, also known as heat-seeking missiles, which pose a significant threat to military aircraft. The Elix-IR system is capable of quickly identifying the launch of a missile and distinguishing real threats from background noise or environmental clutter, ensuring that only legitimate threats are engaged.

Using sophisticated algorithms, Elix-IR filters out false alarms, allowing it to track, classify, and prioritize multiple missile threats simultaneously. The system provides early warning to the aircraft crew by detecting the heat signatures of missiles upon launch, giving the aircraft a crucial time advantage to deploy countermeasures.

Once a threat is detected, Elix-IR sends an alert to complementary defensive systems, such as Leonardo's Miysis DIRCM, which then deploys countermeasures like laser jamming to neutralize the missile before it reaches the aircraft. The Elix-IR system is highly sensitive, fast-acting, and designed to operate in complex and challenging environments, making it a vital component in modern aircraft defense systems.

It is particularly suited for protecting various military platforms, including fast jets, helicopters, and large transport aircraft, ensuring comprehensive protection against a wide range of infrared missile threats.

Leonardo’s Miysis is a Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system designed to protect aircraft from infrared-guided missile threats, commonly known as heat-seeking missiles. The Miysis DIRCM works by detecting an incoming missile and then using a high-precision, laser-based jamming system to disrupt the missile’s guidance system, effectively "blinding" it and causing it to veer off course, away from the aircraft.

The system provides a rapid, accurate response to missile threats, ensuring it can simultaneously track and neutralize multiple threats. Miysis is highly effective against modern missiles, which are becoming more sophisticated in their tracking and targeting capabilities. It is designed for use on various types of military aircraft, including transport planes, helicopters, and even smaller intelligence-gathering aircraft.

This development represents a major step forward in the UK's defense capabilities, with plans to integrate the system into a wider range of RAF aircraft. The success of these trials positions the UK as a leader in military aerospace technology, ensuring both national security and the potential for strengthening international defense partnerships through future exports.