The Sylena decoy launching system is presently in use by the French Navy and has garnered interest from several export customers. The latest customer is the Hellenic Navy aboard the FDI. In the Middle East, Sylena customers include the Egyptian Gowind-class corvettes, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Avante 2200 corvettes and the Royal Omani Navy’s Al Ofouq-class OPVs. But the main customer in the region is by far the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) indicates that the Iranian Navy has upgraded Chinese-designed anti-ship missiles with K-band seekers. Naval News assumes it is the Noor or Qader, both based off the C-802 anti-ship missile. Sylena appears to be a suitable solution for navies in the Middle East given the effective corner reflector technology it can deploy by the Sylena system, particularly against K-Band seekers.
Naval News sought further insights into the system and spoke with Victor Pinson, Deputy Regional Manager of Lacroix.
Naval News: Can you tell us about the evolution of the system?
V.Pinson: Following the Second World War, a variety of missiles and seekers began to emerge, both in operation and on the market. This prompted the development of the first generation of countermeasures for the Navy at that time, known as CHAFF. These countermeasures involved deploying decoys to create a mask and provide a response to the seeker, thereby enhancing the protection of vessels.
With the advent of the new generation of seekers on the market, one of their primary objectives became the capability to detect, identify, and reject CHAFF, allowing them to continue their course toward the vessel.
Naval News: Did you get a request to develop such a system?
V.Pinson: In the 1990s, the French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) approached Lacroix with the task of developing a novel countermeasure. This new countermeasure aimed to effectively deceive the emerging generation of seekers or error seekers. Thus, the development of Sylina and Seaclad, which we will delve into further, was initiated.
Over more than 10 years, Lacroix collaborated with the French DGA. Initially, the DGA set the specifications for what they were seeking, and Lacroix subsequently began developing a solution to meet these specifications. This collaborative effort continued through the qualification phase, resulting in the creation of the corner reflector and the new IR decoy after a decade of collaboration.
Naval News: What is the novelty of the Sylena system? How does it contribute to the defence capabilities of the warships?
V.Pinson: To effectively counter the new generation of seekers, which encompass error-avoiding seekers in the K-band, it’s crucial to note that CHAFF, due to its size, cannot extend up to the K-band. This limitation was one of the driving factors behind the development of seekers operating in the K-band – allowing them to reject CHAFF.
Consequently, our corner reflector is meticulously crafted with a specific shape and material to ensure its efficiency across a broad spectrum, including up to 40 G-guards and encompassing the K-band. This adaptation is essential to address the challenges posed by the new generation of seekers.
Due to the emergence of new threats, it has become crucial to have K-band detection capabilities. This capability allows for accurate identification, enabling the implementation of the appropriate response. In this context, we firmly believe that the coronary reflector serves as an effective and reliable solution.
There is credible information suggesting that Iranian seekers currently in use are modifications of Chinese-made missiles with K-Band seekers. While specific details and exact numbers may not be readily available, it is known that these Iranian seekers are evolved versions operating in the K-band. This information can be verified through various sources.
Naval News: Did you have any tests of this product against K-band seekers?
V.Pinson: We qualified the product in collaboration with the French DGA, and they conducted extensive tests simulating the new generation of seekers. The DGA led these efforts, so while we may not possess all the testing details, we do hold certificates confirming that the countermeasure was tested against K-band seekers and demonstrated effectiveness. This specific requirement was part of the DGA’s approach, prompting our development of this countermeasure.
Naval News: How many countries did you export this system?
V.Pinson: These ammunitions have been utilized by the French Navy for the past decade and are readily available on the market. We have actively promoted these products. Currently, in the Middle East region, they are in use by the Salina system and deployed in the navies of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar.
Sylena in Qatar
As previously reported by Naval News, the entire fleet of surface combatants in the Qatari Navy is being fitted with Sylena. The Qatari fleet is equipped with all variants, from the LW to the Mk2:
- The Barzan-class fast attack craft is equipped with Sylena LW on retrofit;
- Sylena MK1 has been selected for the Al Zubarah-class corvettes and Musherib-class OPVs;
- Sylena MK2 will be fitted on the air defense LPD to be delivered by the end of the year.
Story by Tayfun Ozberk with additional reporting by Xavier Vavasseur
