At the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in Fairford, England, from July 14 to 16, Leonardo presented the new generation of the Praetorian self-protection system for the Eurofighter, which is known as the Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS) in Phase 4 Enhancement (P4E) in the fighter planes are to be installed.
The EuroDASS consortium with Leonardo, the ELT Group, Indra and Hensoldt has further developed Praetorian according to user requirements and integrated it into a Piper Navajo test aircraft. In the consortium Leonardo is responsible for the integration of the components and the final acceptance. Hensoldt leads the development of the digital receiver and Indra has taken over the extension of the frequency band. The ELT Group contributes improvements to electronic countermeasures and WTP coolers.
According to Leonardo, the latest advancement increases the aircraft's survivability and lays the foundation for the defense system's integration with the Eurofighter Typhoon's high-performance E-Scan radars. This includes all versions of the E-Scan radar, ie both those already in service and those currently being developed by Eurofighter partner countries.
The existing DASS, named after the elite Roman bodyguard unit Praetorian, protects the Eurofighter from threats such as infrared (IR/heat) and radar-guided missiles, Leonardo continued. The sensors and jammers integrated into the system provide the pilot with situational awareness and equip the aircraft with a digital cloaking capability achieved through advanced electronic decoy techniques.
Zu den neuen Fähigkeiten, die sich bereits in einem fortgeschrittenen Entwicklungsstadium befinden, gehöre ein digitaler Empfänger, der es ermögliche, moderne und komplexe Ziele und deren Funktionsweise besser zu erkennen und die entsprechenden Gegenmaßnahmen zu ergreifen, schreibt Leonardo. Die Aufrüstung umfasse auch eine Erweiterung des Frequenzbands, die es dem Eurofighter ermögliche, in dem zunehmend komplexen, überlasteten und umkämpften elektromagnetischen Kampfraum der Zukunft zu operieren.
Improved signal processing algorithms and processor capacities lead to significant advances in processing speed, capabilities and storage space, Leonardo describes. This allows the Praetorian system to be optimally integrated with the Eurofighters' E-Scan radar options, including the new ECRS currently under development. The latest radar options have a powerful electronic attack capability and complement the onboard jamming of the Praetorian system for high overall impact.
According to the information, the first flight tests of the DASS Praetorian on board the Piper Navajo will take place immediately after the RIAT. The suite will then be scaffolded into a Eurofighter test aircraft for in-flight testing beginning in early 2024.
With Praetorian eVolution, the EuroDASS consortium has already proposed a roadmap for the future further development of the self-protection system. The aim is to maintain the high level of protection of the Eurofighters over the coming decades. New capabilities include cross-platform electronic warfare, high-precision targeting, and advanced combat ID.
Editors / gwh
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