IDEX 2023: Saab reveals new self-protection system

Saab's LWS-700 self-protection system, displayed at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Olivia Savage)

Saab has revealed a new self-protection system called the Laser Warning Sensor-700 (LWS-700) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.

Speaking to Janes , Gavin Copeland, business development and marketing for naval electronic warfare at Saab Grintek Defence, said that the LWS-700 is a “laser warning sensor for the automated detection, classification, and identification of laser-based weapons”.

The sensor has been developed over the past 3.5 years and is capable of classifying and identifying laser threats such as target designators or laser rangefinders, he said.

With a 1° bearing and elevation accuracy, the sensor is able to support countermeasures, specifically the deployment of hard-kill counter fires, he added.

This is a much-improved version of the LWS-310 – which forms part of the Land Electronic Defence Systems-50 (LEDS-50) MK2 – and offers a bearing accuracy of 7.5°.

The system weighs approximately 3.5 kg and is intended primarily for land and naval platforms.

A North American original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has already acquired several units, he noted.