Taufkirchen, 11 July 2017 – The new sensor house HENSOLDT has delivered the 200th equipment set for the MUltifunctional Self-protection System MUSS, which is to be integrated into the German Army’s new “Puma” infantry fighting vehicle. Thus, deliveries currently amount to 1,000 components, comprising 800 sensor heads and 200 central units. HENSOLDT is under contract to deliver in total approx. 350 MUSS equipment sets to primes Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall.
“Protection systems like MUSS are opening up enhanced possibilities for protecting armoured vehicles from attacks, as is already the case for aircraft or helicopters,” said Thomas Müller, CEO HENSOLDT. “Compared to hard-kill solutions, we are able to increase the protection level considerably without risking collateral damage around the vehicle”.
MUSS drastically reduces the likelihood of a hit by antitank guided missiles or laser-guided ammunition and is the only operational soft-kill active protection system for ground vehicles worldwide. It achieves a level of protection which is not possible for the same total weight with passive armour while avoiding collateral damage.
Each MUSS system consists of four warning sensors, a central unit, an infrared jammer head, jammer electronics and a novel alignable smoke grenade launcher. The warning sensors detect approaching missiles and laser beams aimed at the vehicle. The central unit activates an infrared jammer, which interferes with missiles’ guidance systems, and/or initiates the use of pyrotechnic countermeasures.
An active protection system like MUSS defeats threats before they strike a vehicle, by sensing them and providing a ‘soft’ response based on jamming or obscuration of the guidance mechanism with no risk of collateral damages. Moreover, MUSS is a discrete solution, which has no significant influence on the vehicle radiation as it features only passive sensors and an infrared Jammer with short activation time, not detectable either in visible or in thermal image spectrum.
Expert for decades in self-protection sensors and systems, HENSOLDT delivers major components for the electronic self-defence systems of the Eurofighter, the A400M transport aircraft and of the Tiger and NH90 helicopters. The company furthermore contributes to the Puma’s sensor system via the weapon optronics sensors, the periscope and the driver’s sights, which enable the crew to fulfil their missions even under conditions of poor visibility.
About HENSOLDT
HENSOLDT is an independent and globally leading supplier of premium sensors for security and surveillance missions. The company is a global player in such areas as missile warning systems and submarine periscopes. Moreover, HENSOLDT is very active in the market for radar systems, optronics and electronic protection systems. The company comprises the security and defence electronics activities of the Airbus Group, which were spun off from the group in 2017 and have now entered the market as a new sensor house under the brand name of HENSOLDT. HENSOLDT employs approximately 4,000 employees, generating annual revenues of about €1 billion.
Press contacts
Lothar Belz
+49 (0)731.392.3681
lothar.belz@hensoldt.net
