By Staff Correspondent
The HENSOLDT MUSS with the lowest advertised SWaP of any Active Protection System (all up weight of 170 KG) is truly ‘Platform Ready’ for fitting to the range of wheeled and tracked Armoured Fighting Vehicles in service today.
The passive system sensors can automatically detect more than eight threats simultaneously and reacts accordingly either discounting the threat as a false alarm or dispensing effective countermeasures in the forms of IR jamming or visual/thermal obscuration or both when selected to do so. MUSS is multi-threat capable of providing protection against a wide range of Anti–Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) and shields and warns, both visual and audibly against laser initiated threats from Laser Range Finders (LRF) and Laser Target Designators (LTD). The MUSS can be designed into the platforms layered protection as with the SPz PUMA Infantry Fighting Vehicle and fully integrated into the platforms BMIS or it can be fitted as an applique system with a separate operator controller as demonstrated successfully when fitted to the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank during the UK MEDUSA Project.
Primarily a defense against the ATGM, the MUSS Missile Warner will defect incoming missile threats by the irradiant plume on launch or from the rocket motor during its flight. Once detected, the MUSS Jammer decoys the missile. This is done at a great distance from the platform and as a consequence there is no collateral damage in the local vicinity. The IR Jammer is an infinite/repeatable countermeasure. If a laser initiated threat is detected by the Laser Warner then directionally deployed obscuration smoke will instantaneously hide the AFV in both thermal and visual view from missile operators and gunners while at the same time providing a decoy heat source on the ground. The fixed high angle of the grenade launchers and operating distance of the grenades provides a safe operating area around the platform for dismounts. The overall system safety of MUSS is aligning with STANAG 4754.
As a potent and technically mature in-service system the MUSS is already starting to evolve to meet our customer’s requirement for an enhanced MUSS APS capability to meet emerging challenges. MUSS has a well-defined Technology Road Map including an advanced Laser Warner, further reduction of SWaP and an increased threat library, which looks to fill those challenges. MUSS sensor inputs will be used to provide more Situational Awareness not only to the host platform but also deliver this as part of wider platform interoperability potentially autonomously. On the platform itself it is envisaged that through wider integration with next generation systems such the HENSOLDT SETAS [See, Through, Armour, System] there is possibility of a Situational Awareness specific layer in the platforms protection.
SETAS: “New Generation Situational Awareness System, is suitable for all kinds of vehicles, wheeled and tracked, as an upgrade solution or for newly built vehicles. The system offers human target recognition up to 300m by extreme
high-resolution daylight sensors and a detection capability of similar range using uncooled IR cameras.
SETAS provides continuous 360° automatic observation up to 8 independent crew members. With up to 78° of vertical FOV the cameras pods are installed around the vehicle to avoid blind spots and generate optimized situation awareness (as close as 3m from the vehicle’s edge). A fully integrated HMI allows display of the images on HMD, AR-goggle or mobile display – defined on customer’s requirement.
Additional sensors like missile and laser warner such as MUSS, but also acoustic shot detectors can be implemented into the SETAS configuration. The open system’s architecture complies with NGVA and allows easily video integration of different Optronic sensors (e.g. EOTS and driver sights) within the existing Battle Management System (BMS) on unique operator display. Video feed can then be share on the common platform to other vehicles in the combat group.
Several integration on different vehicles and field tests, i.e. in UK, Finland, Switzerland, showed outstanding performance and a kind of “game-changer” capability for the crew.
HENSOLDT is a leading company in the European defence industry with global reach. Based in Taufkirchen near Munich, the company develops complete sensor solutions for defence and security applications. As a technology leader, HENSOLDT drives the development of defence electronics and optronics and is continuously expanding its portfolio based on innovative approaches to data management, robotics and cyber security. With more than 6,400 employees, HENSOLDT achieved a turnover of 1.5 billion euros in 2021. HENSOLDT is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
