Hensoldt’s MUSS Self Protection System: Germany’s sensor and radar developer Hensoldt is expanding the capabilities of its multifunctional self-protection system MUSS for armoured vehicles to detect and ward off new and emerging threats. MUSS is already in use on German Army’s Puma infantry fighting vehicles jointly produced by German defence giants Rheimetall and Kruss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).
“With the further development commissioned by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), the “MUSS 2.0” is to be optimised in size, weight and number of assemblies,” Hesoldt said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The German defence company said the capabilities in the area of missile, projectile and laser detection will also be doubled.
“In future, “MUSS 2.0” will also detect second-generation laser rangefinders,” it said.
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Hensoldt MUSS 2.0 self-protection system
According to the German defence company, in the second generation MUSS self-protection system, the sensor heads also detect laser beam riders, which are used to control guided missiles.
With the help of the new laser rider, not only the directional resolution but also the threat identification capability is increased, it said.
Hensoldt says due to the increased computing power of the central unit, additional missile and projectile threats can be detected as well, and new applications such as Hostile Fire Indication (HFI) can also be implemented.
The company has also expanded the interface of MUSS 2.0 to include the NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture (NGVA) in order to be able to port the MUSS 2.0 to other platforms in a short time.
MUSS 2.0 (Image courtesy Hesoldt)
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With the second generation MUSS self-protection system, the German radar and sensor developer intends to open up the market for medium armoured troop vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and battle tanks as a pure soft kill or so-called layered systems, both nationally and internationally.
Hensoldt has already delivered more than 350 assembly kits of first generation of MUSS protection system for the first batch of the PUMA infantry fighting vehicles over the past eight years.
“This makes MUSS the only active soft kill protection system for ground vehicles in operational use that has been delivered in series worldwide,” said the company.
Hensoldt said the use of MUSS drastically reduces the probability of being hit by an anti-tank guided missile or a laser-guided weapon.
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Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
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MUSS self-protection system
A MUSS system developed by Hensoldt has four warning sensors, a central unit, an Infra-Red jammer and a directional smoke launcher with control electronics.
The warning sensor detects approaching missiles and laser beams directed at the vehicle.
The central unit then triggers infrared measures to interfere with the missile control and pyrotechnical countermeasures.
