KOBLENZ, 9 JUNE – Airbus has signed a contract with the German procurement agency, Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), to equip 23 Luftwaffe A400M tactical transport aircraft with a new Directed Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) system.
The system will enhance the protection of these aircraft against infrared-guided missile threats, particularly during high-risk missions in conflict zones or crisis areas.
- Germany contracts Airbus to equip 23 A400M aircraft with DIRCM systems
- Elbit Systems provides the infrared defence solution with automated laser response
- Installation to be conducted in Germany and Spain between 2025 and 2032
- Tactical variants will support high-risk and emergency evacuation missions
- DIRCM seen as part of Bundeswehr’s shift to survivability and active protection
According to Airbus, the installation will be phased over a period of seven years, beginning after the system’s certification is completed in summer 2025. The 23 aircraft selected for the upgrade belong to the Luftwaffe’s tactical A400M variant, which is used for crisis response, medical evacuation, and NATO joint missions.
“DIRCM will offer added protection to A400M crews during global missions and enhance the already impressive capabilities of this aircraft,” said Gerd Weber, Head of the A400M Programme at Airbus Defence and Space.
The DIRCM system, developed by Israel’s Elbit Systems, works by detecting incoming infrared-guided missiles and automatically emitting a high-powered laser to confuse the missile’s guidance system.
Airbus will carry out the integration work during scheduled maintenance periods at three main facilities: Manching in southern Germany, as well as Getafe and Seville in Spain.
The company is currently conducting intensive testing of the DIRCM system on one of the German Air Force’s A400M aircraft at its Seville facility. These trials will form the basis for official certification expected later this year.
Of the 53 A400Ms planned for Germany’s inventory, the 23 selected for this upgrade are those used in tactical roles. The remaining logistics-configured aircraft will continue performing long-range transport missions involving troops, helicopters, heavy vehicles and engineering equipment
This step is part of a wider modernisation initiative by the Bundeswehr, which aims to enhance high-mobility operational capability and integrate active protection measures. The shift comes amid a more complex security environment in Europe, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The addition of DIRCM also reflects the growing focus on ensuring platform survivability in near-peer conflict scenarios and in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments, where logistics assets can become vulnerable to short-range missile threats.
By adopting DIRCM technology, Germany joins a group of nations investing in next-generation infrared defence systems, aiming to protect both crews and strategic airlift platforms during operations in contested and high-threat zones. – airtimes.my
