Abstract
Growing Concern on International Security Drives Market Growth
European airborne countermeasures (CM) suppliers are keen to leverage on the
market opportunities arising out of the growing demand to equip military
aircraft with the ability to recognise and defeat ground-to-air and air-to-air
attacks. The need to incorporate such features is gaining importance across the
world, with the proliferation of advanced security threats such as the modified
QW-1 and the increasing trend of low-altitude operations. Airborne platforms are
especially vulnerable during take-off and landing, when their current defences -
primarily flares - lack the airspace to disperse and decoy threats. In urban
environments, where enemies can hide more easily, flares have limited use due to
risk of fire and civilian casualties. Hence, air forces worldwide are demanding
more reliability, availability, flexibility, upgradeability and maintainability
in the development and deployment of future airborne CM that will enable them to
respond rapidly and efficiently.
This Frost & Sullivan research analyses the world markets for airborne CM
systems with a clear focus on identifying opportunities for European CM
suppliers. The main airborne self-protection systems and decoys covered in this
research include: infrared CM (IRCM), warning and detection systems, jamming
systems, IR and radio frequency (RF) decoys, integrated systems and commercial
aircraft CMs.
Aircraft Modernisation Programmes Provide Multiple Market Opportunities
Many governments and suppliers are trying to assess the common and
co-operative design requirements and recognise the critical differences between
multiple aircraft platforms in an effort to identify suitable components,
subsystems, assembly and interface designs. This is not only expected to enable
them to develop CM systems that are capable of meeting performance requirements
but also help them in minimising design costs, weight and power needs. In
addition, suppliers are looking at software modularity for reuse and
multi-system applicability. Therefore, most of the market opportunities in the
next few years will be linked to the new aircraft modernisation programmes,
which will be requiring advanced self-protection systems.
"In fact, the proliferation of recognised or modified security threats
has increased the research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) and
procurement funding," says the analyst. "This, in turn, has resulted
in the development of advanced infrared guided surface-to-air missiles (SAM),
which have improved attack capability and immunity to some flares." Large
aircraft IRCM (LAIRCM), directed IRCM (DIRCM) systems and tactical advanced
DIRCM (TADIRCM) are some of the other significant technological advancements
that are currently driving the market. The development of advanced lightweight
CM systems for unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) -- that can provide tactical
deterrence at significant savings over other platforms -- is also gaining
momentum.
Export Market under the Grip of Intense Competition
Airborne CM systems are likely to represent around 50 per cent of the total
electronic warfare (EW) expenditure in the coming years. Participants in the
United Kingdom (UK), Israel and the United States (US) markets continue to focus
on developing integrated systems with an emphasis on IR technology while the
rest-of-the-world is likely to remain predominantly a 'systems upgrade' market
for the next few years.
"Several European CM suppliers are eyeing the potential long-term
opportunities from the southeast Asian markets - especially from Japan, South
Korea and Taiwan," says the analyst. "However, they have to confront
stiff challenges in the form of relatively inexpensive U.S. and Israeli
products, politics presiding over procurement decisions and the perception that
'made in the U.S.' is better," he adds. Apart from these, competition for
exports could intensify early next decade, as some governments in this region
are investing seriously to develop a semi-indigenous EW industry - influenced
mainly by American, French and Israeli technology - with the aim of
strengthening their defence capability and independence.
View Cart
