Germany's A400M military transports are being equipped with anti-missile defense systems that combine products from Diehl Defense and Elba Systems of Israel.

Diehl said the agreement with Elbit, signed at the International Aviation and Space Exhibition in Germany, is for inclusion of three of Elbit's J-MUSIC, or multi-spectral infrared counter-measures, into Diehl's multi-turret directed infrared counter-measure system, or DIRCM.

The combined systems will provide 360-degree radio frequency and infrared warning, together with chaff/flare dispensers.

Diehl said it will deliver the combined capabilities next year.

The A400M Atlas transport can carry 81,000 pounds of payload -- troops and/or cargo. It has a cruise speed of 485 mph and a range of 2,450 nautical miles while carrying maximum payload.

Nine countries have so far ordered the four-engine tactical airlifter from Airbus: Germany, France, Spain, Britain, Turkey, Belgium, Luxembourg, South Africa and Malaysia.

Details of the contract between Diehl and Elbit, which developed J-MUSIC to protect against man portable infrared missiles, were not disclosed.