Saab - Land Electronic Defence System

The Land Electronic Defence System (LEDS) from Saab combines active signature management, softkill and hardkill mechanisms to provide full-spectrum active protection to land vehicles. Full hemispherical coverage is provided to detect incoming threats and alert the crew.

When installed in full configuration, the system will offer main battle-tank comparable protection to light and medium-combat vehicles against engagement by weapons like the RPG-7, anti-tank guns, missiles and artillery shells.

LEDS COMPONENTS

The LEDS consists of a sensor suite, a central active-defence controller, a High Speed Directed Launcher (HSDL) system, and countermeasure options including fast multi-spectral smoke, active signature-management devices and hardkill ammunition.

AMMUNITION TRACKING AND DESTRUCTION

The LEDS is designed to attack the entire engagement-cycle of the attacker, starting by interfering with the acquisition and tracking capability of the threat to physical off-board destruction of the attacking ammunition.

COMBAT-VEHICLE SYSTEM INTEGRATION

The LEDS makes provision for various interfaces that allow for comprehensive integration with on-board combat vehicle systems. The system also incorporates a mission data support facility.

HEMISPHERICAL COVERAGE SENSOR SUITE

The LEDS' sensor suite provides hemispherical coverage, with sensor options including laser warning, an active-threat acquisition and tracking system, and a hardkill confirmation and control system.

The HSDL provides hemispherical countermeasure-deployment, in the appropriate sequence, onto the detected threat direction. Dispensing can be controlled manually or fully automatically.

The hardkill event has extremely low collateral-damage effect and it is possible to integrate the destruction event with dismounted troop tactics.

LEDS PROTECTIVE CAPABILITIES

The LEDS offers the following unique protective capabilities:

• Modular scalability within five baselines, ranging from only laser warning to full-spectrum protection
• Active signature management in the visual, IR and radar with effective signature change in <1s
• Automated multi-spectral (visual – 15μ) screening without any fire hazard – can be used as counter-ambush technique in urban areas
• Combines soft and hardkill in one solution
• Low mass and volume footprint
• Defeats urban asymmetric threats at very short ranges
• Very low collateral-effect during defensive cycle
• Basic hardkill capability defeats RPG type weapons, ATGMs and gun-fired CE threats
• Petrol-bomb protection
• Less-than-lethal and crowd-control capabilities