Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT will equip Ukrainian military helicopters with detection and self-protection sensor technology to help the Soviet-era aircraft survive Russian missiles.
Sixteen Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) are being outfitted on the helicopters under a contract valued at tens of millions of dollars.
“With the delivery of AMPS, we are ensuring an increase in the defense capability of the Ukrainian helicopters,” HENSOLDT Optronics managing director Tanya Altmann said.
“By integrating onto this platform for the first time, we are protecting crews from a wide range of threats, especially surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.”
Missile Protection System
The AMPS comprises a missile launch detection sensor, an advanced control and display unit, and an active acknowledgment system.
The system establishes a detected missile’s range and speed and eliminates false alarms.
The system’s modular design allows it to be combined with various warning sensors and countermeasures such as missile, laser, and radar warning systems.
Ukraine has a fleet of Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters up to 45 years old.
According to Ukrainian helicopter pilots, the platforms lack armor and are particularly vulnerable against Russian air-to-air missiles, which can strike from a distance of 140 kilometers (87 miles).
