Indra is developing a next-generation naval point-defense system for the Spanish Navy equipped with laser-guided interceptors to engage maneuvering targets with greater precision.
Under the 51-million-euro ($58-million) SILAEM (Shipborne Launcher System) Special Modernization Program, the Spanish company will develop two versions of the system: a stand-alone configuration and another integrated with the SCOMBA combat system, Spain’s indigenous naval combat management system.
The capability will provide a vessel’s last layer of defense against threats including hostile craft, aerial and surface drones, anti-ship missiles, and attacks from coastal areas.
A key feature will be its open architecture, ensuring interoperability with systems and sensors from other manufacturers. This will allow NATO and allied navies to integrate the capability into their vessels and expand it with additional sensors and technologies over time.
Laser-Guided Interceptors
The system will comprise an X-band fire-control radar for target acquisition and tracking, a turret, laser-guided missiles, and an advanced command-and-control system that acts as the core of the solution.
Compared with conventional point-defense systems using radar- or infrared-guided interceptors, laser-guided weapons can provide high terminal accuracy, reduced vulnerability to electronic interference, and lower production costs.
“The development of this capability responds to the need for modern vessels to have multi-layered defence that enables them to respond to saturation attacks by progressively neutralising targets at different ranges and selecting the most suitable sensor and weapon at any given time,” Indra stated in a press release.
