The German Air Force’s VIP Airbus A350’s are set to be upgraded with Israeli laser air defense systems that will protect the aircraft from MANPADS threats. The German Air Force now operates three modified Airbus A350s that are used to transport top-ranking German officials. The air force took delivery of the last of three new A350s to replace its two aging A340s. While these aircraft may not be as heavily modified as Air Force One’s two Boeing 747-400s (designated VC-25), they are still modified from their original civilian form. The A350s are the largest Airbus aircraft in production today following the end of the A380.
Lasers are already operational in a number of systems (including with the US Army). Next generation aircraft (like the sixth-generation Tempest/GCAP fighter jet) are planned to be equipped with lasers as part of their layered defense systems (as are naval ships). Lasers require a lot of power to operate.
Elbit’s J-MUSIC DIRCM to protect German A350s
Elbit Systems Deutschland has announced it has been awarded a contract for its (Directed Infrared Countermeasures) DIRCM Self-Protection System to protect the German government’s Airbus A350. The contract is expected to be carried out over a period of five years and will be the first time Elbit’s DIRCM system has been installed on an A350 airliner. This is part of “the largest modernization programme in the history of the Special Air Mission Wing.”
The J-MUSIC DIRCM system is designed to protect aircraft from advanced surface-to-air missiles (J-MUSIC is the name of the particular DIRCM system). The move to add the self-protection system to the aircraft is in response to increasing global instability and regional conflicts. There is increasing use of MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) by non-state actors that pose a threat to aircraft.
“Elbit Systems’ J-MUSIC™ DIRCM system is specifically designed to protect aircraft from advanced surface-to-air missiles. The system integrates advanced laser technology with state-of-the-art imaging technology. It is deployed on various military and commercial platforms worldwide, providing proven, high-quality protection and solidifying its position as the preferred solution for protecting these platforms.” – Elbit Systems
J-MUSIC is optimized to protect jet aircraft from MANADS and is designed for “distributed installation on a variety of aircraft types, in a single or multi-turret configuration.” According to Elbit Systems, J-MUSIC has a record of protecting various aircraft types from heat-seeking ground-to-air IR (infrared) missiles.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
Elbit Systems J-MUSIC DIRCM Role: Protection against MANPADS threats Missiles countered: Heat-seeking ground-to-air IR missiles Type: Laser protection Countries using J-MUSIC: Israel, UAE, Germany, NATO, the Netherlands, others Number of types of aircraft fitted: At least 25 types Automation: Fully automatic and autonomous – no crew involvement needed during engagement
Elbit claims, “Built on years of proven experience in the military environment, J-MUSIC facilitates effective, reliable and affordable protection under all operational conditions. J-MUSIC integrates advanced fiber laser technology together with a high frame-rate thermal camera and a small, dynamic high-speed sealed-mirror turret to deliver the highest levels of DIRCM defense against a wide range of IR missile threats.”
Photo: Lufthansa Technik
J-MUSIC is light-weight and compact making it easy to install on a broad range of aircraft types. It has an open architecture and can be integrated with various Missile Warning Systems (MWS).
Used on a wide range of aircraft
The system can be used to protect not only transport aircraft, but also tankers, special mission platforms, and private VIP jets. In 2020, Elbit claimed it had been installed on more than 25 types of aircraft. Notably, Elbit markets the system has applications for the civil as well as the military market.
Example aircraft with Elbit’s J-MUSIC DCIMS
Boeing B747, B737, B757, B767, B777
Airbus A320, A330, A340, A350, A400
Lockheed Martin C130J
Alenia C27J
Leonardo CSAR AW101
EMBRAER KC-390
Gulfstream 650
Related What Are The Implications Of Laser Weapons On Future Aerial Combat? The development of laser weapons is changing how modern combat aircraft are designed for the battlefield.
Elbit’s J-MUSIC DCIMS on other aircraft
This isn’t the first time the German Air Force has equipped the J-MUSIC with its aircraft. In 2019, Elbit was awarded a $73 million contract to install the J-MUSIC system on the German Air Force’s Airbus A400M transport aircraft. Each aircraft was the have three turrets – one under the fuselage and one on either side of the aft fuselage. The deal was to initially equip four A400Ms (it is unclear if an agreement has been reached to install it on more A400Ms). Germany operates a total of 53 Airbus A400Ms.
In 2022, FlightGlobal reported that Elbit had won a contract to supply the system on the United Arab Emirates fleet of Airbus A330 multirole tanker transports (MRTTs). At the time, the UAE had three A330 MRTTs in service with another two on order. The deal was reported to have been worth $53 million and would also be completed over a five-year period. The deal was signed after the 2020 Abraham Accords when the UAE normalized relations with Israel.
J-MUSIC benefits according to Elbit:
Fast, accurate threat detection and jamming
Handling multiple threat scenarios
High performance, comprehensive protection
Effective in all operational conditions
Upgradable for future threats
High reliability leading to low life cycle cost
Photo: Bluebearwing | Shutterstock
In July 2022, the Netherlands selected the J-MUSIC for a Gulfstream G650 operated by the Netherlands Ministry of Defense. The deal also included Elbit’s Infra-Red-based Passive Airborne Warning System (IR-PAWS). The system has also been used on the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) fleet of A330 MRTT tankers (a fleet of nine tankers pooled by six participating NATO members). It seems many more countries have ordered the J-MUSIC system, however, it is unclear which countries these are.
Related Top 5 Modern Innovations In US Military Aviation Technology The United States’s military innovation is rapidly innovating to develop new systems and to counter emerging threats.
German Air Force operates three VIP A350s
The German Air Force currently has around 27,725 personnel and operates a fleet of 380 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The German Air Force’s fighter jet fleet is made up of 141 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets (with more on order) and 85 aging Panavia Tornado variable-sweep wing fighters. It is also ordering 35 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.
Photo: BAE Systems
While the United States’ Air Force One may be the most famous VIP transport aircraft, other nations have modified VIP aircraft to carry heads of state and other leading government figures. The German Air Force operates three modified Airbus A350 aircraft to carry Germany’s highest-ranking government officials.
The Airbus A350 aircraft is operated by the German Air Force’s Special Mission Air Wing (which is responsible for Germany’s high-ranking government flights). The German Air Force website only lists two A350s in service. However, this appears to not have been updated as Lufthansa Technik reported in June 2024 that it had delivered the final one of three A350s to the German Air Force. Lufthansa Technik says it delivered all of them to the German Armed Forces on time and budget.
Other aircraft of the German Special Air Mission Wing
Other aircraft operated by the German Special Air Mission Wing, include two Airbus A340s, two A319CJs, one Airbus A319 OHOffener Himmel Open Skies, one Airbus A321, two Airbus A321LRs, three Bombardier Global 5000s, three Global 6000s, and three Cougar AS-532 helicopters. In addition to being used for VIP transport, these aircraft constitute a significant proportion of the Bundeswehr’s (German military’s) air transport capacity. It is unclear if the two A340s are still in service as the three A350s are the intended replacements.
Photo: Toshiro Aoki ( www.jp-spotters.com ) | Wikimedia Commons.
The German Special Air Mission Wing is stationed at three locations. The majority is located at Cologne Wahn with others stationed at Schönefeld at the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport for handling government flight operations. The helicopters are located at Berlin Tegel “Otto Lilienthal” Airport. Tegel has been closed to civilian air traffic since 2020 – although rotary wing military operations will continue until 2029.
Related How Adaptive Engine Technology Will Power Sixth-Generation Fighters The USAF is greatly interested in developing adaptive engines for both the F-35 and sixty-generation aircraft. Read the benefits of these new engines.
Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems is one of the largest Israeli defense contractors noted for offering a range of technologically advanced products. It was founded in 1966 and is the primary contractor for land-based equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles to the Israeli military. Elbit was an early leader in military drone development. In September 2024, Elbit reported around $1.7 billion in revenues and an order backlog of around $22.1 billion.
Photo: Elbit
Elibit supplies around 85% of the drones used by the Israeli Air Force (its drones include the Hermes series). The Elbit Hermes 900 is a successor to the earlier Hermes 450. It is a medium-size, multi-payload long-endurance UAV designed for tactical missions that resembles the United States’ Predator series of drones.
Elbit produces various technologies for command, control, communications, advanced UAV aircraft, electro-optics, electronic warfare, signal intelligence (SIGINT), radio and communication systems, and more. One of its subsidiaries has a high-tech semiconductor manufacturing facility where it “performs electronic integration and assembly of thermal imaging detectors and laser diodes. We also manufacture and repair test equipment.”
Photo: Yasuo Osakabe | 374th Airlift Wing | US Air Force
While most of Elbit’s production and operations are in Israel, it also has a large presence in the US where it has thousands of employees. It also has operational facilities in Europe, Brazil, and Australia. Elbit’s DNA can also be found in US fighter jets (e.g., Elbit has been awarded a contract to improve the USAF F-16 Block 40/42 Heads Up Display ).