Digital Battlespace
SGA2012: Elbit pushes C-MUSIC for Singapore
Elbit is looking at the Singapore Air Force as a potential customer for its multi-spectral infrared countermeasure system (MUSIC) system as it confirms that a country 'in the East' will be the first customer for the commercial variant (C-MUSIC).
Mike Yanoov, director of business development and marketing for DIRCM systems at the company told Shephard at the Singapore Airshow on 16 February that the company has approached the air force, and said the country 'is a very technologically advanced state, and I hope they will be looking for this type of system'.
The first C-MUSIC has been delivered to the OEM for the platform, and will be used on a VIP helicopter.
This variant of the system was revealed during Paris Air Show in June last year, and Yanoov explained that a jet variant is know as the J-MUSIC.
The IDF has not yet signed a contract for the system, but Yanoov said it will 'probably' be used on tanker aircraft, as well as rotary platforms.
'In the near future it will be operational,' he explained. 'Most of the validation is behind us and we are very happy with the results, and our customer is very happy with the results. The IDF is very much involved.'
A contract for the first military programme was signed 'last year' and will be for the Brazilian Air Force for the KC-390, for which Elbit is working with Embraer, and it will be delivered 'a little after the Israeli programme is operational'.
During Paris last year the company also announced that the Italian Air Force had purchased the system, and Elbit is working with ELT on the system which is 'under development now'.
It is a laser-based protection system, and is based on a commercial aircraft need for missile protection. MUSIC fits onto the belly of an aircraft, and takes just one hour to roll on and off, a feature which commercial customers required.
It uses IR sensors to detect threats early on by tracking using a FLIR camera, and then uses a laser beam 'that does the job of diverting the missile off course', Yanoov explained.
'We are also working on a more advanced mini version for even smaller platforms,' he continued, which is in the 'very advanced stages of development'.
'Once the technology exists you can't ignore it,' Yanoov concluded. 'When it comes to protection you don't want to leave any cracks.'
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