Israeli companies are leading the way in developing countermeasures equipment to protect airliners from terrorist missile attacks
Israeli industry has for many years developed sophisticated countermeasures equipment for use by military operators, with its systems protecting fighters, attack and utility helicopters and transport aircraft. However, Israel is now leading the way in equipping its airliners with a self-protection capability. This requirement emerged in the wake of a failed terrorist attempt to shoot down an Arkia-operated Boeing 757 departing Mombasa in Kenya in November 2002 using shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles.
'Dark flares'
Israel Aircraft Industries' Elta Systems subsidiary will this month begin work to install its Flight Guard countermeasures system on an El Al aircraft, with a later decision expected to extend this work to the airline's all-Boeing fleet of 30 aircraft, which comprises 737, 747, 757, 767 and 777 models. The modifications are expected to cost around $1 million per airframe, and will equip the aircraft with a missile approach warning system and "dark flares" to defeat incoming heat-seeking missiles. Israel Military Industries is teamed with Elta in developing and marketing the design.
Long term, Elta is working on an infrared (IR)-based countermeasures system for aircraft that will develop a detector currently in use aboard naval vessels. However, the company believes it will be another three to eight years before such technology matures, giving its Flight Guard design a short-term advantage over a second Israeli team now pursuing airliner protection deals.
Elisra - in which Elta has a 30% shareholding - has joined Elbit Systems and Rafael to develop a directed infrared countermeasures system. Already selected for future integration with commercial aircraft, the Lorica design will use an eye-safe laser, have a low cost of use and a low false alarm rate, says Elisra's senior vice-president Menahem Oren.
Lorica is a further development of Elisra's passive approach warning system, which equips the Israeli air force'sBell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter fleetand is being integrated with theservice's new and modified BoeingAH-64D Apache Longbows. The design is in use on around 410 helicopters of 14types, with operators including Australia, Canada, Germany and Romania, and is also being promoted to the UK. A version of the system is also in service with the Israeli air force's Lockheed Martin F-16I multirole fighters.
Jamming
Rafael is a leading supplier of electronic warfare and countermeasures systems, including the X-Guard towed decoy promoted for large aircraft such as the Airbus Military A400M and Lockheed MartinC-130J. It is also developing the Top Scan radar warning receiver to provide accurate geo-location information on battlefield threats, potentially for targeting purposes.
The Skyshield support jamming system, also in development, is designed to protect a formation of up to 20 aircraft without the need to field a dedicated jamming aircraft type. System elements have already been tested sat Israel's national electronic warfare range - run by Rafael - using an air force McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. Once operational, Skyshield will provide 360¼ coverage in the 1-18GHz range.
Other safety systems developed in Israel include an airbag crash protection system for large helicopters and modular armour for use in helicopters and transport aircraft. Privately owned Plasan Sasa has fittedits modular armour system to Israel's Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks and floor and side armour for Boeing CH-47 Chinook transports for the Netherlands and the UK (Flight International, 6-12 July).
CRAIG HOYLE / ASHDOD, HAIFA, RAMAT HASHARON & TEL AVIV
Source: Flight International
