Leonardo’s Miysis DIRCM will shield the Luftwaffe’s fleet of six KC-130J and C-130J-30 plane operated by the Franco-German Binational Air Transport C-130J Squadron (BATS).
Leonardo has been competitively chosen by Lockheed Martin to equip the German Air Pressure’s C-130J fleet with the Miysis DIRCM (Directional InfraRed Counter Measures). Germany operates a fleet of three KC-130J and three C-130J-30 plane as a part of the Franco-German Binational Air Transport C-130J Squadron (BATS).
Within the press launch, Leonardo mentions that the combination of Miysis on the C-130 might be performed by Lockheed Martin, the producer of the plane. The opposite candidate techniques within the competitors weren’t revealed by both of the 2 corporations.
“The Franco-German Squadron is tasked with logistical and tactical transport missions, flying low and sluggish in austere environments the place Man Transportable Air Defence Techniques (MANPADS) are a prolific and credible menace,” defined Leonardo within the press launch. “Miysis DIRCM will now supply the German C-130J plane throughout the joint fleet unparalleled safety in opposition to these infrared missile threats, in tactical conditions the place dropping an plane and the individuals on board isn’t an possibility.”
What’s Miysis?
Miysis is a low-power-draw, low-weight DIRCM designed to supply high-power, all-aspect safety in opposition to fashionable and legacy threats. Miysis incorporates a twin-head laser pointer/tracker system as a single head DIRCM doesn’t present the mandatory stage of spherical safety to defeat extra superior threats. The truth is, the airframe would masks some angles and create shadow zones the place the DIRCM wouldn’t be capable of “see” the menace, placing the plane in danger. The corporate says {that a} three-head system can also be out there for protection on massive platforms with high-value missions.
The event of Miysis capitalised closely on key IR sensor, laser and sightline management applied sciences made out there from Leonardo’s inner superior know-how investments, mixed with the newest open-architecture system ideas and MOTS/COTS (Navy Off-The-Shelf/Business Off-The-Shelf) {hardware}. The open structure design readily helps the combination of Miysis on any plane, both as a stand-alone DIRCM resolution or as a part of a broader Defensive Aids Suite (DAS), in addition to permitting a fast integration with the accompanying Missile Warning System.
Leonardo believes that the Miysis DIRCM System is at present the smallest and lightest excessive Vitality-on-Goal, multi-turret, full DIRCM system out there to the world market as we speak, with a complete system weight of lower than 40 kg (excluding the MWS). It has a peak energy draw of lower than 1300W, and usually attracts lower than 600W throughout jamming with each heads, giving it the bottom plane energy necessities of any comparable system.
The functioning mechanism might be defined as follows: when a missile is launched, the MWS sensors detect the IR-signature of its rocket motor. The management unit then cues the DIRCM to the detected IR-track, shortly inspecting it to find out if it presents a menace to the plane. If the monitor is acknowledged as a right away hazard, the DIRCM begins the jamming motion directing its laser power on the missile’s seeker, disturbing its steering as wanted to guard the plane.
The baseline Miysis DIRCM System includes two built-in Laser Pointer/Trackers, a Single ruggedised COTS Management Electronics Unit and a Cockpit Interface Unit, and might be both put in straight within the airframe or in an exterior pod. The system as described is then built-in with a separate DIRCM-capable MWS, which is chosen by the shoppers in accordance with their necessities. Miysis has already been examined with six totally different MWS techniques, whose fast integration has been considerably simplified due to open structure interfaces.
You’ll be able to learn extra about Leonardo’s Miysis DIRCM on this detailed report we printed right here at The Aviationist.
The German C-130Js
The German Air Pressure determined to accumulate the Hercules to carry out airlift, air drop and air refueling missions and shut the potential hole that may have been generated by the retirement of the equally sized C-160 Transall, which was retired in 2021 after 53 years of service. The truth is, even when the A400M Atlas can present all of the capabilities wanted by the Luftwaffe, its massive dimension represents a restrict when working from brief or unprepared runways and when flying in help of the particular forces, which is likely one of the capabilities talked about when the C-130 procurement was introduced.
The U.S. Protection Safety Cooperation Company (DSCA) permitted a International Navy Sale (FMS) to Germany in 2018 for 3 C-130J-30s (“stretched” variant of the usual C-130) and three KC-130Js (tanker variant). The plane have been delivered along with numerous gear together with Hyperlink 16 MIDS (Multifunctional Info Distribution System) datalink, ALE-47 countermeasures dispensers, AAR-47 Missile Warning Techniques, ALR-56 Radar Warning Receivers, IFF and Wescam MX-20 Electro-Optical/InfraRed (EO/IR) imaging techniques.
The Luftwaffe C-130Js are a part of a French-German joint squadron based mostly in Évreux (France), the Binational Air Transport C-130J Squadron (BATS), which was formally established in September 2021. This binational air transport squadron options unrestricted alternate of plane, air crews, and maintainers, in addition to technical and logistical help based mostly on a standard pool of spare elements and a standard service help contract. The six German plane joined by 4 French ones, for a complete of 5 KC-130Js and 5 C-130J-30s.
The binational squadron has been within the works for some years, with a primary settlement in 2017. Each nations needed to treatment to the potential hole generated by the retirement of their C-160 Transalls, and the joint unit supplied an event to reduce the logistical and financial burden for such a small fleet of plane.
“With the C-130J, the Armed Forces are receiving a extremely efficient plane sort appreciated by many air forces,” mentioned the venture supervisor at BAAINBw, Ricardo S., after the ultimate supply. “Deployment of the plane will turn into much more efficient in cooperation with our French associate.”
The German C-130s have been delivered between 2022 and 2024, marking the profitable completion of the procurement throughout the schedule set by the Bundeswehr. The supply on the first Luftwaffe C-130 additionally marked the Preliminary Operational Functionality, whereas the Ultimate Operational Functionality was reached with the supply of the final plane.
