The Spanish Air and Space Force has taken delivery of its first Airbus A400M Atlas equipped with Indra’s InShield directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system.
Airbus carried out the necessary structural modifications to integrate the system and formally handed over the upgraded aircraft at its final assembly line in San Pablo, Seville.
According to Janes, the aircraft will now undergo an operational assessment phase to determine whether the InShield DIRCM will be rolled out across the remaining fleet. Spain has ordered 27 A400Ms, of which 14 are currently operational.
Miguel García Moreno, Indra’s Director of Air Dominance, highlighted the Spanish defense ministry’s backing in developing InShield, describing it as a step toward reinforcing national sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
InShield DIRCM
InShield is designed for high-precision, rapid-response protection, using end-to-end processing to counter multiple incoming infrared-guided missiles simultaneously. The system calculates missile trajectories and directs a laser beam to disrupt their guidance.
Its modular architecture allows integration on various platforms, including the A400M, CH-47, and NH-90. Spain’s General Subdirectorate for Planning, Technology and Innovation (PLATIN), together with the Air and Space Force’s Electronic Warfare Operational Support Squadron, supported testing and technical validation under a formal R&D framework. The system has also undergone live-fire trials in diverse operational conditions.
