HENSOLDT supplies its CAIRAS missile warning system for the CA-1 Europa for the first time

Christina Canitz, Head of the Optronics Division at HENSOLDT, said: “The integration of CAIRAS into an unmanned system marks a turning point: self-protection was long a matter for manned platforms. Now it is becoming a fundamental requirement for autonomous systems that must survive and make decisions independently. With CAIRAS as part of the AMPS suite, we are demonstrating that HENSOLDT is thinking ahead for this new generation of aircraft from the outset, rather than retrofitting them with protection.”

For the CA-1 Europa, CAIRAS is embedded within the AMPS-MR (Airborne Missile Protection System) self-protection suite. It combines the CAIRAS (“M”) missile warning system with the Kalætron (“R”) radar warning system and includes a dispenser system for deploying decoys. This marks the first deployment of AMPS on an unmanned aerial vehicle. A further milestone demonstrating that HENSOLDT is equipping the CA-1 Europa with comprehensive self-protection and reconnaissance capabilities across multiple operational ranges.

CAIRAS uses dual-colour infrared technology to detect incoming missiles at an early stage and passively. That is, without emitting any detectable signals of its own. The system consists of a central processing unit and up to seven latest-generation infrared sensors, which enable a high probability of detection whilst reducing the false alarm rate. Its capabilities include the detection and localisation of incoming fire, as well as complete, spherical 360-degree coverage. Furthermore, within this programme, CAIRAS contributes to the situational awareness functions of the CA-1 Europa, amongst other things by processing the acquired infrared image data into a real-time panoramic view.

For the CA-1 Europa, as an unmanned system, CAIRAS’s passive mode of operation is of particular importance: as there is no pilot on board to manually assess the threat situation, the platform relies on sensor data that can be machine-analysed, is reliable and has a low false alarm rate in order to be able to react autonomously. The data collected can be fed into the MDOcore software suite provided by HENSOLDT for data fusion. In this way, CAIRAS contributes to the survivability of the CA-1 Europa in contested operational environments without revealing its own position through active emissions.