Self-protection for Shadow

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted Leonardo (Stand S5-100) and Thales (S6‑100), under a single-source procurement, to deliver an integrated defensive aids system (DAS) for the Royal Air Force's fleet of eight Shadow R1 intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft.

Designed to provide the aircraft with protection against the latest-generation infrared guided threats, the order marks the first sale for Leonardo's Modular Airborne Platform Protection System (MAPPS).

Based around a Leonardo DAS controller, the MAPPS suite specified for the Shadow R1 also includes the Thales Elix-IR threat warner, the Thales Vicon XF countermeasures dispensing system, and a dualhead Leonardo Miysis directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM).

The contract, initially covering the supply of five equipment sets and three aircraft embodiments, will be delivered by an MoD/Leonardo/Thales team under a Leonardo prime systems integration contract.

Equipment integration will be performed by Raytheon UK, with an initial operating capability targeted for early 2021.

A special-mission adaptation of the King Air 350CER lighttwin, the Shadow R1 is operated from RAF Waddington by No 14 Squadron. The ISTAR role, which potentially requires it to operate in hostile airspace, necessitates the provision of a robust DAS capability to counter the threat posed by IR-guided man-portable air defence systems.

The contract marks the first sale of the Elix-IR threat warning system and the first UK sale of the Miysis DIRCM.

Selection of the Elix-IR/Miysis DIRCM combination follows successful trials during SALT III in Sweden last year, where the integrated Elix-IR/Miysis system, using a jamming waveform developed by the MoD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, proved its ability to defeat infrared missiles in live fire exercises.