Airbus Defence and Space has awarded Elbit Systems a $260 million contract to supply a self-protection system for Germany’s A400M military transport aircraft. The Israeli firm will provide its J-MUSIC Directed Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) suite over a span of six years.
The agreement follows a prior deal where the German defense procurement agency instructed Airbus to integrate the Elbit DIRCM system into 23 Luftwaffe A400Ms. These aircraft are primarily used for tactical missions, including medical evacuations. The installations will coincide with scheduled maintenance.
Certification of the DIRCM system is expected later this summer, with full integration on all aircraft targeted for completion by 2032. The system will enhance survivability for the A400M in high-risk operational environments.
Elbit’s J-MUSIC DIRCM offers autonomous missile protection, utilizing advanced imaging and laser technologies to defeat infrared-guided threats, especially those fired from shoulder-launched MANPADS. Its compact, modular design makes it ideal for tactical aircraft operations.
