Conceived as a low-cost, easy-to-integrate shipborne soft-kill system, the Sylena DLS comprises a number of fixed angle mortar launchers above deck; a central processing unit and display; a heading indicator panel on the bridge; and an emergency control box in the operations room. Lacroix also produces two different types of seduction countermeasure for use with Sylena: the SEALEM radio frequency decoy which dispenses multiple corner reflector (CNR) payloads; and the SEALIR infrared (IR) decoy, which deploys a single-burst IR morphologic payload.
Three different Sylena variants are currently offered to market: Sylena LW uses twin lightweight launchers, firing 62 mm SEALEM 08-01 CNR and SEALIR 08-01 IR decoys, and is aimed at providing ASMD protection for patrol boats and offshore patrol vessels; Sylena Mk 1 features a larger capacity launcher, firing 80 mm SEALEM 08-02 CNR and SEALIR 08-02 IR rounds, and designed to provide ASMD protection of corvettes, frigates and destroyers; Sylena Mk 2 builds on Mk 1 but adds provision for CANTO 130 mm acoustic countermeasures for anti-torpedo defence alongside the SEALEM and SEALIR rounds.
Lacroix secured its first order for Sylena in 2012 when the Sylena LW was selected to equip four Al Seeb-class offshore patrol ships built by ST Engineering for the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) under Project Al Ofouq. Deliveries began in 2014.
The company has gone on to win further orders, and has now clocked up sales of Sylena DLS systems (LW, Mk 1 and Mk 2) to eight international navies and almost 40 ships, including offshore patrol vessels, fast attack craft, corvettes, frigates and a landing platform dock. Alongside the RNO, other identified customers include Egypt, Malaysia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Sylena Mk 1 will also equip new Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention – Hellenic Navy (FDI HN) multi-role frigates being delivered to the Hellenic Navy by Naval Group. Each FDI HN ship is to be fitted with four fixed launchers.
France is yet to fund a decoy launcher fit for its Amiral Ronarc’h-class FDI frigates. Lacroix is pushing the merits of Sylena to the Direction générale de l’armement and Marine Nationale, arguing that the ship fitting scheme already finalised for the Hellenic Navy frigates would enable a low-risk, non-developmental installation for the French FDIs.
