Israel’s airborne laser that can protect airplanes from heat-seeking ground-to-air missiles is increasingly equipping sensitive planes worldwide. On February 10, Elbit Systems in Israel said its Direct Infra-Red Counter Measure (DIRCM) system would be sold to an unnamed Asia-Pacific country to equip Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

“I believe that the recent string of contract awards, by a range of customers, to provide our mature DIRCM systems is a strong testament to the leading position we hold in this area,”  said Elad Aharonson, Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Elbit Systems ISTAR Division.

Recent reports indicate that the system will be on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Boeing 767 that is being assembled by Israel Aerospace Industries. According to Israeli media, the system uses thermal detection technology to counter heat-seeking missiles and get them to miss their target. “Four of the systems’ cameras are housed in a glass turret that is positioned at the lower back part of the aircraft providing 360-degree coverage and a real-time detection capability,” notes Ynet. It was designed after a 2002 incident in which terrorists tried to shoot down an Israeli plane.

During a 2002 incident, Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists fired SA-7 surface-to-air missiles at a Boeing 757 Arkia charter flight. Since 2002 man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) have increased in their complexity and technology. They are better at avoiding counter-measures. Their seekers are more accurate and less inclined to miss the target. They are also low cost and a severe threat, according to recent studies. DIRCM methods of defeating them are therefore in high demand.

Elbit notes that its system uses open architecture design to be integrated into different aircraft. It says its system has been selected not only by the Israeli government but also the Italian Air Force and Brazilian Air Force. It has several types under the MUSIC brand for transport aircraft, large aircraft, and smaller fixed-wing aircraft and even helicopters. In 2020 the system will be on NATO’s Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet of A330s. It was also recently spotted on French President Emmanuel Macron’s plane.

Seth J. Frantzman is a Jerusalem-based journalist who holds a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the executive director of the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis and a writing fellow at the Middle East Forum. He is the author of After ISIS: America, Iran and the Struggle for the Middle East (forthcoming Gefen Publishing). Follow him on Twitter at @sfrantzman.