South Korea develops DIRCM system

Concept of operation of DIRCM system locally developed in South Korea by ADD and Hanwha Systems. The agency announced the successful completion of flight tests of the DIRCM system on 12 January. (ADD)

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced on 12 January that it had successfully tested a locally developed directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system for military aircraft self-protection.

The agency said that the DIRCM system, which is meant to protect aircraft from incoming portable infrared guided missiles (also known as manportable air-defence systems - MANPADS), was flight tested on a military helicopter during an initial operational test and evaluation phase carried out in co-operation with Hanwha System in 2020–21.

The ADD noted that the tests confirmed that the system's response time to deflect close range attack from MANPADS has been drastically shortened. A DIRCM system, cued by a missile warning receiver (MWR) which detects the incoming threat, enables the aircraft to avoid missiles by emitting a laser beam that ‘blinds' missiles that rely on heat to track targets.

The agency expects to apply the DIRCM system to different aircraft types, including large aircraft, once the system is enhanced with a higher-power laser output, to improve aircraft survivability