Indra leads the development of the new generation of fully digital self-protection systems for aircraft and helicopters
Indra is making progress in the development of a new generation of self-protection systems for military aircraft and helicopters with a new standard, fully digital, which reduces the detection time of missile attacks and allows for a faster reaction to neutralise them.
The company has already completed the design phases and the production of the first units so that it can begin the platform installation process, preparing to deliver the first systems this year, prior to the start of flight testing.
This is an ambitious technological leap forward that puts Indra ahead of the rest of the industry in the development of systems of this type, at a time when many companies have limited their developments to intermediate solutions that combine analogue and digital technologies.
However, the capabilities offered by the fully digital suite are far superior, as they allow the entire radar spectrum to be scanned simultaneously, enabling any threat to be detected more quickly and gaining decisive time to neutralise it.
Self-protection systems are essential today for any fighter jet, military transport aircraft or helicopter to operate in a conflict zone, whether in confrontations with a technologically advanced adversary or in asymmetric scenarios against, for example, MANPADS threats — low-cost, easy-to-use missile launchers that can be operated by a single person.
Indra's self-protection system consists of a suite or set of systems that includes the ALR-400 Full Digital alerting system for detecting radar-guided missiles or defence radars; the InWarner for detecting laser-guided missiles; and Indra's laser-guided countermeasure system or DIRCM, known as InShield, which protects the aircraft against ground-to-air attacks with MANPADS and heat-seeking air-to-air missiles. This fully modular suite has been designed to adapt to the specific needs of each army.
The solution also integrates the most common consumable countermeasure systems, such as CFD (Chaff and Flare Dispenser) dispensers for flares, used to confuse heat-seeking missiles, and chaff, which releases small reflective fibres capable of disorienting radio-frequency guided missiles.
Indra has equipped fighter jets such as the F18, military transport aircraft such as the A400M and C295, and helicopters such as the NH90 and Tiger with its warning and self-protection systems. It is also one of the key companies in the development of the Eurofighter's self-protection system.
With the evolution of these systems, Indra is enabling all these platforms to continue operating at the highest level in the coming decades, when new and increasingly complex threats will emerge. The company also leads or participates in several key European R&D projects working on cutting-edge technologies for aircraft, such as multifunction systems that combine radar, communications and electronic warfare in a single device (CROWN and SCEPTER), electronic attack capabilities (REACT and REACT II) and self-protection systems for aircraft and helicopters, which will incorporate the use of AI (CARMENTA and CARMENTA FP).
