The German procurement agency (BAAINBw) has awarded Airbus a contract to retrofit 23 Luftwaffe A400M aircraft with directed infrared counter measures (DIRCM) systems.
These systems will be delivered by Elbit Systems to Airbus and are intended to shield the military transport aircraft from heat-seeking ground-to-air missile threats.
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Incorporating fibre laser technology, DIRCM systems are equipped with a rapid frame rate thermal imaging camera and a compact, agile mirror turret. Designed with open architecture, they can be effortlessly incorporated onto various aircraft types.
Elbit Systems’ DIRCM offerings have been adopted by multiple defence entities, including the Italian Air Force for defence of the C27J and C130J aircraft as well as the AW101 helicopters, and the Brazilian Air Force for its KC-390 fleet.
In addition to equipping the aircraft with DIRCM, the contract encompasses a range of services such as training, service bulletins, and tools provision.
Airbus will undertake the installation process at its facilities in Manching, Germany, and in Getafe and Seville, Spain.
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By GlobalDataThe installations are to be conducted during scheduled maintenance periods.
The 23 aircraft in line for DIRCM system integration are primarily used for tactical operations that include medical evacuation missions in conflict zones.
Meanwhile, the A400M’s logistical variant is typically assigned for conventional tasks like long-range transportation of troops and heavy equipment.
Currently, Airbus is conducting trials of the DIRCM system on a German Air Force A400M in Seville.
The certification process is expected to conclude by the summer of 2025, with the completion of installations across all designated A400Ms projected by 2032.
Airbus Defence and Space A400M programme head Gerd Weber said: “Transporting troops, equipment and humanitarian supplies; refuelling other aircraft and helicopters in the air; serving as a flying hospital for the treatment of wounded personnel – the Airbus A400M is the face and workhorse of the German Air Force.
“The new DIRCM system will provide A400M crews with even greater protection during their missions around the world and expand the already broad range of applications for this exceptional aircraft.”
In February 2025, BAAINBw and Diehl Defence finalised an agreement for the advancement and mass production of the IRIS-T Block II air-to-air missile system.
