LEDS – Truly Smart Armour to Protect Active Ground Vehicles
In modern warfare, armoured vehicles, self-propelled artillery, air defence systems and infantry combat vehicles remain both indispensable and vulnerable. These platforms play a critical role in shaping operational outcomes, yet they face increasingly sophisticated anti-tank weapons capable of penetrating more than 1,200 millimetres of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA).
For decades, armed forces across the globe have relied on thicker plating, spaced armour arrays and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). While effective, these measures are increasingly being challenged by modern threats that are faster and capable of attacking from multiple directions, including from above.
Saab’s Land Electronic Defence Systems (LEDS) is designed to detect and respond in real time to laser target designators, laser beam-riding missiles and laser rangefinders used by anti-tank weapons. It offers armed forces, such as India’s, with an advanced capability to operate and survive on modern battlefields saturated with laser-based threats.
The latest variant, LEDS-50 MK2, comprises an Active Defence Controller (ADC) and several laser warning sensors. Its four LWS-310 azimuth sensors detect, identify and classify hostile laser illumination, providing critical battlefield platforms with full 360-degree azimuth coverage against a wide range of anti-armour threats. The addition of the LWS-500 sensor enables the detection of top-attack laser sources, delivering true hemispherical coverage.
“The increasing range of potential laser threats and signals in today’s uncertain world keeps armed forces in a constant state of vigilance,” says Alex Jacob, Business Development Director, Saab India. “More threats must be detected and analysed within seconds. Without automating these processes and equipping troops with modern systems, you’re already at a disadvantage.”
Early warning is only the first step in enhancing battlefield survivability. Once an incoming threat is detected, the LEDS-50 MK2 can either initiate countermeasures automatically or provide instantaneous inputs to a battlefield management system (BMS), allowing operators to choose between manual and fully automated responses. These responses may include the deployment of multispectral smoke screens, infrared jammers and other decoys designed to disrupt incoming guidance systems. The system can also cue remotely controlled weapon stations and integrate with additional effectors.
Another key advantage of the LEDS-50 MK2 is its easy integration. The system can interface with any battlefield management system, sensor suites and onboard smoke control units, whether Saab-supplied or third-party. It can automatically deploy smoke grenades or other effectors, significantly enhancing platform survivability.
In today’s battlespace, speed is critical. Faster processors and smarter sensors can provide armoured vehicles with greater protection than simply adding more armour.
“Threats continue to evolve, and armed forces cannot afford to wait for them to emerge. LEDS-50 MK2 is a vital capability available today that can make the difference between whether your troops survive a hostile encounter or not,” says Alex.