- A Look at the Directional Infrared Countermeasures System
Russian military aviation has applied a number of revolutionary new technologies on its Su-57 next generation air superiority fighter, from new thrust vectoring systems and hypersonic weapons to unique active phased array antenna (APAA) guided K-77 air to air missiles and both cheek and mounted and rear facing radars.
While the Su-35 ‘4++ generation’ air superiority fighter which entered service in early 2014 was already considered among the most capable in the world, the Su-57 remains far ahead in terms of its capabilities.
One new technology which has received relatively little attention however, which could represent a game changer for the aircraft’s survivability in short range engagements, is the Directional Infrared Countermeasures System (DIRCM).
Like other high end fifth generation aircraft such as the American F-22 Raptor, the Su-57’s airframe integrates several missile launch detector apertures to provide warning as to potential enemy missile attacks.
Unlike the Raptor however, the fighter also deploys turrets which are capable of firing lasers to blind incoming missiles.
This is an invaluable asset in both air to air engagements and for penetration of enemy air defences, and provides an excellent complement to the fighter’s high performance supermanoeuvrable airframe which is already extremely difficult to target.
DIRCM turrets are mounted both dorsally behind the fighter’s cockpit and ventrally under the cockpit.
While such systems have previously been mounted on larger military aircraft such as U.S. C-17 transports, their miniaturisation and deployment on an airframe as small as that of a fighter aircraft is wholly unprecedented.
Russia’s armed forces have previously deployed DIRCM on larger helicopters, though these have been far from compact relative to that seen on the Su-57.
Such systems are considered particularly effective against infra red guided missiles such as the American AIM-9 air to air missile or 9K32 Strela-2 surface to air missile system.
Russia’s experience against infra red guided surface to air munitions such as MANPADS (man portable air defence systems), which have taken a toll on its aircraft in the past including in Jihadist hands in Syria, provides a strong incentive to equip its leading combat jet with adequate countermeasures against such attacks with a DIRCM system.
While useful against MANPAD attacks, as the Su-57 was designed primarily for high end air to air engagements the need for defence against such low level attacks from the ground, which are highly limited in their altitudes, remains secondary.
The fact that the Su-57 deploys DIRCM turrets on both the top and the bottom of its airframe indicates that its intent is to intercept attacks from both the air and the ground - which is highly consistent with the philosophy which appears to drive its overall design.
The Su-57 design is based heavily on the concept that high manoeuvrability, limited stealth capabilities and modern electronic warfare countermeasures will allow it to evade long range missile attacks and engage in visual range or near visual range fights.
The ability to blind enemy infra red guided missiles is thus particularly valuable, as such missiles are relied on almost exclusively for short range air to air engagements where the applicability of radar guided missiles remains limited.
Examples of short range air to air missiles using such guidance systems, all of which are thus left vulnerable to neutralisation by DIRCM, include the American AIM-9X, British AIM-132, Israeli Python-5 and Soviet R-73 - the last which is deployed by several of Russia’s potential adversaries in Eastern Europe such as Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.
The ability to neutralise infra red guided air to air missiles would provide the Su-57 with an overwhelming advantage in short range air to air engagements - a capability no rival fighter has yet to take to prototype stage.
Source: Military Watch
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