New defensive laser for RAF engages multiple missiles at once

Cutting-edge laser self-protection system sees 100% success in life-fire trials at Vidsel test range in Sweden, defeating multiple infrared heat-seeking missiles launched simultaneously. 

A pinpoint-accurate laser defence system developed in the UK could soon be fitted to a range of RAF aircraft following an impressive, 100% success rate in live-fire trials conducted in Sweden. The trials were witnessed by senior military officers from various NATO nations. 

Team Pellonia laser defence system, image courtesy Ministry of Defence.

The system rapidly detects and defeats threats such as missiles. It’s been designed to be fitted on a range of RAF aircraft including the intelligence-gathering Shadow R2 and A400M transporter. According to the government, the new system promises the RAF the latest generation best-in-class protection with full operational independence – which can also be offered to export customers. 

The new laser system has been developed by the Team Pellonia partnership – comprising Leonardo UK, Thales UK, and the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). The defensive response begins with Thales’s Elix-IR threat warning system detecting and identifying the launch of missiles, which it does quickly using algorithms to filter out background clutter to ensure that only valid threats are tracked, classified and declared.   

With a threat or threats duly classified, an alert is sent to the Miysis directed infrared countermeasure developed by Leonardo. This tracks the incoming missile(s), precisely directing a jamming laser in response. Threats are defeated extremely quickly. 

The government says that Dstl research programme and partnerships such as Team Pellonia help boost UK economic growth, supporting both local and national economies. Indeed, such initiatives support 700 jobs at Thales in Glasgow and 1,250 specialist roles at Leonardo in Edinburgh. 

John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, says: ‘Identifying, tracking and defeating threats from the air in seconds is crucial to having the edge over those who try to do us harm. We’re equipping our Armed Forces with the very latest technology to keep them safe and give them the advantage on operations. This high-tech laser is another excellent example of joint working between our Dstl experts and the UK’s defence industry.’ 

Mark Elson, Chief for Air Survivability at Dstl, adds: ‘The UK defensive aids system is the culmination of MOD’s detailed understanding of changing threats alongside years of sustained defence investment in science and technology nurtured within Dstl. This has been aligned with the development capabilities of our commercial partners through Team Pellonia.   

‘The design of the system has the agility to protect platforms now and into the future, providing long-term operational advantage to the UK and our allies. This is enabled through Spiral Development which provides capabilities such as the Dstl developed jamming waveform that defeats the guidance of the missile threat.’ 

Mark Stead, Senior Vice-President of Radar and Advanced Targeting at Leonardo, says: ‘The results of these latest trials speak for themselves, and are a testament to the skills and experience within Leonardo as a global leader in directed infrared countermeasures. Miysis DIRCM has again proven itself as a reliable, effective protection system and is flying operationally on many platforms today.   

‘My thanks go to the Miysis team who demonstrated superb leadership and technical prowess during the trials at Vidsel, working alongside our partners in Defence and Industry to prove our capabilities which help to protect our Armed Forces.’ 

Stephen McCann, Managing Director of Optronics & Missile Electronics UK at Thales, adds: ‘Once again, as previously witnessed during SALT 3 in 2018, Elix-IR has proved its world leading capabilities as the latest generation multi-function infrared threat warning system during what was a comprehensive and complicated multi-faceted trial.   

‘I am extremely proud of our entire team that supported both the UK, under Team Pellonia, and other NATO member teams in the preparation and execution of this event. UK MOD has adopted Elix-IR as its core reference capability threat warner of choice, based on its maturity and proven capability.’