SAS 2018: Lacroix Ready to Provide its Decoy Launcher for LCS and FFG(X).

First time exhibitor Lacroix Defense is showcasing the SYLENA MK2 decoy launching system and its related munitions. The Etienne Lacroix Group,  founded in France in 1848, is a reknown countermeasures and pyrotechnics manufacturer. Following export successes in the Middle East and in Asia, the French company is now exploring new opportunities in North America.

SYLENA MK2 decoy launching system on Lacroix's booth at Sea Air Space 2018

On display at this inaugural event for Lacroix is the cutting-edge, compact SYLENA MK2 decoy launching system, which ensures superior self-protection of surface vessels.

Lighter and more compact than Lacroix’s competitors’ traditional technologies, SYLENA MK2 is particularly suitable for modernizing existing vessels and for equipping new platforms.

Due to its ease of integration, light and compact size, Lacroix's range of decoy launchers have been selected by many Navies worldwide to ensure their protection against existing and emerging complex threats. Lacroix believe this technology is perfectly suited to equip the future FFG(X) ships and that it would be a highly cost-effective solution to retrofit both LCS classes.

Lacroix's SYLENA MK2 decoy launching system ensures superior self-protection of surface vessels.

Sylena provides full effectiveness against existing and emerging threats.
Anti-missile countermeasures:
- Radio frequency (RF): SEALEM Corner reflector decoys
- Imaging infra red (IIR): SEALIR Morphologic ship-like decoys
- Electro optic: SEAMOSC Screening/Masking effects
- Laser beam backscattering effects

Anti-torpedo countermeasures:
- SEALAT Electro-acoustic decoys/jammers
- SEALAT Anti-wake homing decoys

Unlike many Decoy Launching Systems which deploy chaff, regarded as outdated with respect to modern electric warfare due to chaff discrimination systems, SYLENA utilizes corner reflector (CNR) technology.

Lacroix fixed launchers are fully compatible with corner reflectors (CNR) and their RF decoys are based solely on this technology: Lacroix does not mix CNR with chaff, in order to preserve the credibility of the decoy. Lacroix decoying solution allows permanent monitoring of the missile and does not interfere with signal propagation, even after the deployment of the decoys, to enable the ship to use its jamming and hard kill capabilities.