Workshare on system available for A400M operators in return for financial backing

EADS Defence Electronics is scouting for additional investment to fund its development of a directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system in a bid to fill an estimated €50 million ($64.5 million) shortfall in the project's finances, eyeing customers for the Airbus Military A400M transport.

EADS Deutschland signed a partnership agreement with Diehl's BGT subsidiary to split the German workshare of the Thales Optronique-led flying laser self-defence system against heat-seeking missiles, or Flash, and is now proposing widening the development beyond France and Germany. EADS programme manager for DIRCM and infrared sensors Bernhard Molocher says the company needs a decision on the Step 2 requirements for each country ordering the A400M and says those air forces selecting the Flash DIRCM would be invited to share the development of the system.

Other nations yet to decide on Step 2 anti-missile protection suites – a decision initially scheduled for last December – are being invited to join the programme and subcontracts could be awarded to EADS Casa in Spain and to companies in Turkey and possibly South Africa. "We now play the workshare game – it depends on what each government decides to pay as well as the industrial capability," says Molocher.

EADS says the German budget has already approved the equipment for Germany's A400Ms, but France has yet to approve its investment. However, EADS insiders say an informal agreement to equip Dassault's Rafale with a podded version of Flash has been agreed and that funding for both efforts will be approved by mid-year. The UK already has around 150 Northrop Grumman/BAE Systems Nemesis ground-based DIRCMs in operation and is likely to select a compatible system for its A400Ms.

BGT, EADS and Thales have so far funded the Flash development work using research budgets and some European Union funding to develop a civil version to protect airliners against shoulder-launched missiles. EADS says the US Department for Homeland Security's allocation of $45 million to US companies to develop civilian DIRCM systems has distorted competition. "They have all of their development costs amortised, which is a cost we simply cannot bear alone," he says. Flash has now completed flight trials and the partners need a further €100 million to bring the product to market, paid either by national governments or other investors.

JUSTIN WASTNAGE/ULM

Source: Flight International