South Korea for the first time ever and sixth country in the world successfully developed Directional InfraRed CounterMeasures (DIRCM). The Korean precision optical lens supplier 3L-Systems developed Sapphire Dome technology to apply in DIRCM, garnering attention from the high-tech defense industry. 3L-Systems announced that they have supplied their independently developed Sapphire Dome for the DIRCM project, organized by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration together with Hanwha Systems participating as the prototype manufacturing company. The high-hardness infrared Sapphire Dome from 3L-Systems plays a crucial role in enhancing the performance of the DIRCM by expanding the field of view for missile guidance systems.
DIRCM is a device designed to counter the threat posed by Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems (MANPADS) attacking allied aircraft. When a missile threat is detected on an aircraft, DIRCM, equipped on the aircraft, plays a crucial role in significantly improving the survivability of allied aircraft by emitting high-power infrared lasers (deceptive light source) to disrupt the missiles. Considered essential survival equipment for aircraft, DIRCM has traditionally incorporated foreign equipment. However, through successful domestication, utilizing purely domestic technology from local collaborators, including 3L-Systems, it has not only achieved import substitution but also secured growth momentum for the defense industry.
CEO of 3L-Systems, a leading Korean precision optical lens supplier, expressed the company’s commitment: “Adhering to the principles of ‘HIGH QUALITY, FAST DELIVERY & SERVICE, COMPETITIVE PRICE,’ we will realize customer satisfaction through quality assurance and technological innovation. We aim to strengthen our competitiveness globally by expanding into overseas markets and establishing collaborative partners in countries such as Japan, China, and Singapore. Our goal is for 3L-Systems’ optical products to be utilized worldwide, and we will enhance our competitiveness with technological talents for that day.”
3L-Systems, established in 2005 through the transfer of technology from the American optical component company ‘Rainbow Research Optics,’ has been a key player in producing precision optical components used in various industries such as electronics, telecommunications, and optics in South Korea. Amidst the intensification of advanced defense technology competition, 3L-Systems has acquired defense material manufacturing licenses and actively participated in the development of military and defense optical components and modules, aiming for continuous progress. The company has exported military and defense optics, being registered as a primary supplier for numerous domestic defense companies, contributing to the development, production, and delivery of components like infrared Sapphire Dome and wheeled anti-aircraft optical components.
