An El Al 737. Credit: AF1621/Wikimedia Commons.

An El Al plane has been outfitted with the anti-missile C-MUSIC system for the first time, Israel National News has reported. The plane, a Boeing 737, conducted test flights with the new system in place.

The MUSIC DIRCM system is to be placed on all EL Al, Arkia and Israir planes that travel through high-risk areas susceptible to shoulder-fired missile threats.

According to the website Defense-Update.com: “The system comprises a fiber-laser based DIRCM housed in a sealed turret for maximized reliability. A missile warning system provides the initial detection of incoming threats. When a threatening missile is detected, the warning is passed to the DIRCM that then directs a thermal tracker to acquire and track the threat. A powerful laser beam is then fired accurately at the missile causing it to be deflected away from the aircraft.”

Initially El Al had delayed installation of the new system due to a financial dispute with the government and the maker of the MUSIC DIRCM , Elbit Systems.

Watch a video about the system below.