Method of operation of a directed infrared countermeasure system for protecting a platform against infrared-guided missiles, wherein said directed infrared countermeasure system comprises a plurality of directed infrared countermeasure subsystems (21,22) operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles; wherein the directed infrared countermeasure subsystems comprise a first directed infrared countermeasure subsystem and a second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, that are installed on the platform so that: • said first directed infrared countermeasure subsystem is operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles in a first coverage region; • said second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem is operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles in a second coverage region; and • both said first and second directed infrared countermeasure subsystems (21,22) are operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles in an overlap region, which includes a first handover sub-region adjacent to the first coverage region and a second handover sub-region adjacent to the second coverage region; said directed infrared countermeasure system further comprising a managing unit, that is: • coupled to a missile warning system installed on the platform to receive threat-related data indicating a threat scenario; and • configured to coordinate activation and operation of the directed infrared countermeasure subsystems (21,22) on the basis of the received threat-related data; the method comprising: • if a first missile is in the first coverage region, carrying out a first tracking and jamming operation including tracking and jamming said first missile by the first directed infrared countermeasure subsystem; • if the first missile moves from the first coverage region to the overlap region, carrying out a first overlap operation including - keeping carrying out the first tracking and jamming operation, and - starting tracking said first missile also by the second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem; and, • if the first missile in the overlap region enters the second handover sub-region, carrying out a first handover operation including - keeping tracking said first missile by the second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, - starting jamming said first missile by said second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, and - stopping carrying out the first tracking and jamming operation. • said first directed infrared countermeasure subsystem is operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles in a first coverage region; • said second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem is operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles in a second coverage region; and • both said first and second directed infrared countermeasure subsystems (21,22) are operable to track and jam infrared-guided missiles in an overlap region, which includes a first handover sub-region adjacent to the first coverage region and a second handover sub-region adjacent to the second coverage region; • coupled to a missile warning system installed on the platform to receive threat-related data indicating a threat scenario; and • configured to coordinate activation and operation of the directed infrared countermeasure subsystems (21,22) on the basis of the received threat-related data; • if a first missile is in the first coverage region, carrying out a first tracking and jamming operation including tracking and jamming said first missile by the first directed infrared countermeasure subsystem; • if the first missile moves from the first coverage region to the overlap region, carrying out a first overlap operation including - keeping carrying out the first tracking and jamming operation, and - starting tracking said first missile also by the second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem; and, - keeping carrying out the first tracking and jamming operation, and - starting tracking said first missile also by the second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem; and, • if the first missile in the overlap region enters the second handover sub-region, carrying out a first handover operation including - keeping tracking said first missile by the second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, - starting jamming said first missile by said second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, and - stopping carrying out the first tracking and jamming operation. - keeping tracking said first missile by the second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, - starting jamming said first missile by said second directed infrared countermeasure subsystem, and - stopping carrying out the first tracking and jamming operation.