Elix-IR®: Why high performance Threat Warning systems are crucial to platform survivability

Defence
Air

Type Insight
Published 13 June 2023
Last updated 02 Dec 2025

As some in the military may say, to be on time is to be late. In a similar way, with the continuously growing speed and variety of potential threats hurtling towards military air platforms (e.g., missiles, Rocket-Propelled Grenades, small arms etc.), to simply know a threat is on its way is to have already been hit.

Now, more than ever before, platform survivability starts with the earliest possible warning. It starts with knowing when the threat is being fired, and from where, what the threat is and how best to counter it.

For Thales, maximising platform survivability against such a wide range of threats starts with its latest generation threat warning (missiles and hostile fire) system: Elix-IR. Leveraging the latest advances in Infra-Red (IR) detection technology, Elix-IR detects the IR signature generated by the launcher and the flight of the incoming projectile, to provide the crew with timely and accurate detection, classification, tracking of threats and their fire post geolocation.

The IR based technology in Elix-IR provides greater detail in the scene being observed, greater fidelity when detecting IR signatures in clutter, and greater accuracy when identifying and confirming the presence of threats to a platform, maximisng probability of declaration while minimising false alarms.

Hot and Clear

Until recently, missile warning systems relied on Ultra Violet (UV) technology to detect and track an incoming missile threat. The premise was that missile motors provided a sufficient UV signature to be detected at useful ranges, which, along with the near zero background clutter, required modest amounts of the limited processing available to declare the threat.  

There are three key issues when relying on UV for threat detection. Firstly, if the missile launch is not detected the signature from the launch may not be either, thus reducing the chances of the platform crew knowing that they are being engaged and/or by what, and therefore, are unable to counter the threat. Secondly, UV missile warners can miss the missile motor’s UV signature in flight. Thirdly, such systems are generally unable to detect gunfire unless the incoming rounds are mixed with tracer rounds, or the system/platform has an additional acoustic or other ballistic detection sensor. 

Observing a different range of the electromagnetic spectrum to UV, Thales has utlised Medium Wave IR to counter advances in missile technology, specifically to take advantage of the better atmospheric transmission allowing longer range detection and increased reaction times.

As such, relying on IR technology in combination with Thales’ advanced algorithms, Elix-IR is not only capable of providing the accurate geolocation of a threat launch, but it can also identify and reliably track multiple missiles and hostile fire projectiles at their maximum effective ranges. Whilst missiles are considered the deadliest threat to air platforms, the proliferation of small to heavy calibre guns in the asymmetric war fighting scenarios has led to them having a significant effect on platform survivability and mission success. Although much can be done to add armour to protect against small calibre weapons, the medium and heavy calibre weapons require a method of alerting the crew to take action.

Armed forces are deployed across a wide variety of operating environments to serve multiple missions. It is therefore not uncommon for these missions to take place with low visibility, impacting both land and air forces – whether rotorcraft are stirring sand and debris as they lift or approach or whether meteorological conditions are unfavorable.

Elix-IR has an added benefit, it can provide recognisable imagery to the crew to enhance their overall situational awareness (SA), including invaluable support in Degraded Visual Environments (DVE). The imagery can be made available in-cockpit via Head-Down and Head-Up devices or distributed further within the platform to Rear Crew, such as a door-gunner, to assist in the direction of counter-fire onto the threat fire post. 

Fusing IR information with data from other sensors – such as EO/IR turrets and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) – can contribute to a more complete 360-degree picture of the scene around the platform, allowing armed forces to see and understand the situation surrounding them.

In addition, Thales foresees the potential Elix-IR has in enhancing platform survivability by training the system’s algorithms to detect and track drones, in collision, and offboarding vital fire post information to ground troops.

From launch to countermeasures

Detecting and tracking is but one part of the full chain ensuring platform survivability. Once an airborne platform knows it has been engaged, it needs to trigger the appropriate countermeasure response.

Thales’ Elix-IR has been designed to facilitate integration with the whole suite of systems, from detection to countermeasures. It can function with any type of DAS controller to enable the selection of appropriate countermeasures, which can then be dispensed through Thales’ Vicon XF/XF PLUS Intelligent Countermeasures Dispensing System (CMDS), also designed with NATO standard interfaces to be system agnostic.

Elix-IR is the most capable Threat Warning System in the world, combining unmatched rapid detection and tracking capability with minimal false alarms. It has been demonstrated to detect, classify and track multiple threats to maximise platform survivability. Elix-IR is unparalleled in its ability to provide threat detection without reliance on threat libraries.

Jim Heathfield - Product Line Manager

Vicon XF was designed as an intelligent dispenser system capable of communicating directly with the expendables in the dispenser to be able to deploy the most accurate cocktail of expendables and appropriate sequence to effectively counter the threat. Vicon XF PLUS integrates established NATO STANAG 4781 open standard Smart Stores Communications Interface (SSCI) with associated Smart Store functionality to enable in-air-defined techniques. Vicon XF/XF PLUS is a state-of-the-art dispenser that has been designed to provide significant room for growth and adaptability to future countermeasure technology.