Elbit Systems to Equip Canada’s Airbus MRTT A330 Aircraft with Advanced DIRCM Self Protection Suites

Elbit Systems Ltd. has clinched a contract from Airbus Defense and Space to supply Direct Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) and Infrared (IR) Missile Warning Systems for the installation on the MRTT A330 refueling aircraft destined for Canada.

The contract spans a five-year period.

Elbit Systems DIRCM laser protection systems have accumulated hundreds of thousands of flight hours on dozens of platforms and provide advanced defensive technology solutions for aircraft operating in modern battlefields.

Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) are specialized anti-missile systems designed to protect aircraft, particularly from threats like MANPADS and similar simple systems. Unlike traditional countermeasures such as flares or hot block systems that emit random flashes of infrared (IR) light in semi- or omnidirectional patterns, DIRCM systems precisely target the incoming missile.

By directing their IR output directly at the missile using tracking information and a trainable emitter, DIRCM systems overcome the limitations of traditional methods. This focused approach allows a compact device to overwhelm the missile seeker by concentrating all of its output on the threat.