 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Directional Infrared Counter Measures" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) are a class ofanti-missile systems produced to protectaircraft frominfrared homing missiles, primarilyMANPADS and similar simple systems.
Earlierinfrared countermeasures likeflares or hot block systems that produce random flashes of IR light are semi- or omnidirectional. This results in the missile seeker receiving relatively little IR energy due to theinverse square law. DIRCM systems instead aim their IR output directly at the missile using some source of tracking information and a trainable emitter. This allows a relatively small device to overwhelm the missile seeker by focusing all of its output on it.
Examples are produced by many aerospace companies, such asAselsan,Leonardo S.p.A.,Elbit Systems,Northrop Grumman,ITT Corporation, andBAE Systems. A Russian example is the 101KS-O.
The systems use an effective method of jamminginfrared missile seekers through the sensor aperture and can be placed in either active or standby mode. In the standby mode, theaircrew must select the active mode to begin jamminginfrared (IR) threats. The pulsing flashes of IR energy confuse the missile guidance system, preventing the tracking of the target aircraft.
The AN/AAQ-24 system is a directional infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) system. It consists of a missile warning system (AN/AAR-54), an integration unit, a processor, and laser turrets (Small Laser Transmitter Assembly, SLTA). Early versions of this system used anarc lamp to generate the jammersignal. The newer versions of this system manufactured byNorthrop Grumman use diode-basedlaser pumping systems known by the name GUARDIAN. These systems are intended for potential fitting to commercial carriers pending the completion of multiple tests on the viability of such options.
The AN/AAQ-24 system is installed in theNorthrop Grumman Guardian system marketed for commercial aircraft.[1] The system will be installed by 2025[2] onC-17 Globemaster III,MC-130,CV-22 Osprey, and theCH-53E Super Stallion. In 2010, the USDefense Security Cooperation Agency announced toCongress a possible sale to Canada of eight AN/AAQ-24(V) DIRCMs including equipment and services for a total value of up to US$72 million.[3] Other material and services would include publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government (USG) and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services.[3]
Large Aircraft Infrared Counter-Measure system (LAIRCM) was aUS Military requirement for protecting its large aircraft from infrared-guided missiles.[4] The AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis system was produced to serve this requirement.
LAIRCM-Lite is a C-17 program that uses a combination of laser jamming DIRCM and flares due to the limited availability of LAIRCM components.
The 101KS-O is a DIRCM system mounted on theSukhoi Su-57 fighter jet. It has sensors that are placed in turrets, which are mounted on two points: the dorsal spine and the forward fuselage under the cockpit. It usesmodulated laser-based countermeasures to confuse or destroy incoming missiles' tracking mechanisms.[5] The 101KS-O is the first DIRCM that is deployed on any fighter aircraft.[6]
| ActiveCountermeasures (Jamming) | |
|---|---|
| PassiveRadar Warning Receivers | |
| Missile Warning Systems | |
| Flare andChaff Systems | |
| Directional IRCM | |
| Dedicated ECM /ESM aircraft | |
