The Spanish Air and Space Force has received its first A400M military transport aircraft fitted with Indra’s InShield directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system.
Airbus conducted the structural modifications to integrate the system and handed over the modified aircraft to Spain during an official ceremony at its final assembly line in San Pablo, Seville.
Following delivery, the air and space force will conduct an operational evaluation of the InShield DIRCM that will inform its decision about whether to integrate the system into the rest of its fleet, according to Janes.
Madrid ordered 27 A400Ms from Airbus, with 14 currently in active service.
Indra’s Director of Air Dominance, Miguel García Moreno, noted the Spanish defense ministry’s support in the development of InShield, which will help strengthen the country’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
InShield DIRCM
InShield features high precision and rapid reaction times, with end-to-end processing to counter multiple simultaneous missile threats, calculating the trajectory of infrared-guided missiles and directing a laser beam to deflect them.
With a modular design, it can be installed on a wide range of aircraft, including the A400M, CH-47, and NH-90.
Spain’s General Subdirectorate for Planning, Technology and Innovation (PLATIN) and the Air and Space Force’s Electronic Warfare Operational Support Squadron helped test and technically evaluate InShield under a formal R&D program.
The system also completed tests and live-fire trials, validating its effectiveness in different environments.
