Self Protection Suites and EW systems of Indian Military Aircrafts

Ankit Kumar

Ankit Kumar

Team StratFront
Nov 30, 2017
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Bangalore
We have known about the SAAB origin Self Protection Suite for Dhruv family, which will also be likely used upon the HAL LCH. That's is a fairly good system, taking care of laser guided as well as IR guided missiles. Having
1. Laser Warning Receiver
2. Radar Warning Receiver
3. Missile Approach Warning System
All this integrated with the flare/chaff dispensing system.

HAL LCH in addition to this should also have DIRCM on its tail. Will provide more effective defence. Could be used on bigger IMRH in future too.

The gap that remains is the Mi17 fleet and the Cheetah/Chetak Fleet or the upcoming LUH fleet.

So recently there was a news that we have entered into a MoU with a Belarusian based entity for helicopter based self protection suite.

So I searched a bit and found the following product.

Amulet' Airborne defense suite for helicopters

The airborne defense suite (ADS) 'Amulet' is intended to provide the protection of helicopters:
  • Against all types of Air-to-Air (AAM) and Surface-to-Air (SAM) guided missiles armed with active (semi-active) radar seekers.
  • Against all types of Air-to-Air (AAM) and Surface-to-Air (SAM) guided missiles armed with electro-optical and IR-seekers.
  • Against ground-based air defense systems, employing command-guided SAMs.
  • Against anti-tank guided missiles, RPG grenades.
  • Against anti-helicopter mines.
The ADS 'Amulet' also provides the protection of the helicopter against the so-called 'friendly fire' of the air intercept missile systems as well as ground-based air defense systems.

Main advantages and singularity:
  • Automatic (with no pilot/operator's input) jamming generation against all hostile illuminating RESs.
  • No restrictions on the number of simultaneously jammed on-board and ground-based RESs.
  • Total exclusion of the ADS carrier's (the helicopter fitted with the ADS AMULET) self-illumination.
  • The ADS operates with no restrictions on the combat tactics of the helicopter under protection.
  • Full electromagnetic compatibility with self radio-electronic equipment of the helicopter under protection.
Now I don't have any further info on this system. It might be meant for Mi17 fleet. But then again I will put up questions like is it something better than the already deployed SAAB origin system? What are the components of the system? Etc etc.
 
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Ankit Kumar said:
And I found this detailed video.
Click to expand...
Few days back one defense YT channel reports about DRDO plan for turning MKI in to a full fledged electronic attack aircraft like Growler.
Its good initiative, however I dont think IAF will spare anything from their inventory for a DRDO project. But DRDO can easily turn TEDBF in to an Electronic attack aircraft.


Its pity that DRDO didn't start such program before the Chinese fielded their EW attack Sukhois, and unfortunate thing is the production line in India is also closed (at least idle)
 
Ankit Kumar said:
We have known about the SAAB origin Self Protection Suite for Dhruv family, which will also be likely used upon the HAL LCH. That's is a fairly good system, taking care of laser guided as well as IR guided missiles. Having
1. Laser Warning Receiver
2. Radar Warning Receiver
3. Missile Approach Warning System
All this integrated with the flare/chaff dispensing system.

HAL LCH in addition to this should also have DIRCM on its tail. Will provide more effective defence. Could be used on bigger IMRH in future too.

The gap that remains is the Mi17 fleet and the Cheetah/Chetak Fleet or the upcoming LUH fleet.

So recently there was a news that we have entered into a MoU with a Belarusian based entity for helicopter based self protection suite.

So I searched a bit and found the following product.

Amulet' Airborne defense suite for helicopters

The airborne defense suite (ADS) 'Amulet' is intended to provide the protection of helicopters:
  • Against all types of Air-to-Air (AAM) and Surface-to-Air (SAM) guided missiles armed with active (semi-active) radar seekers.
  • Against all types of Air-to-Air (AAM) and Surface-to-Air (SAM) guided missiles armed with electro-optical and IR-seekers.
  • Against ground-based air defense systems, employing command-guided SAMs.
  • Against anti-tank guided missiles, RPG grenades.
  • Against anti-helicopter mines.
The ADS 'Amulet' also provides the protection of the helicopter against the so-called 'friendly fire' of the air intercept missile systems as well as ground-based air defense systems.

Main advantages and singularity:
  • Automatic (with no pilot/operator's input) jamming generation against all hostile illuminating RESs.
  • No restrictions on the number of simultaneously jammed on-board and ground-based RESs.
  • Total exclusion of the ADS carrier's (the helicopter fitted with the ADS AMULET) self-illumination.
  • The ADS operates with no restrictions on the combat tactics of the helicopter under protection.
  • Full electromagnetic compatibility with self radio-electronic equipment of the helicopter under protection.
Now I don't have any further info on this system. It might be meant for Mi17 fleet. But then again I will put up questions like is it something better than the already deployed SAAB origin system? What are the components of the system? Etc etc.
Click to expand...

The IAF issued an RFI for it long ago and no one replied. Then they went to BEL, and it appears BEL chose one either through direct negotiations or a tender. I bet a Belarussian company is more qualified to equip the Mi-17 than a Western company.

Amulet.png


Amulet2.png
 
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This is actually a very good example of why production ToT is required.

Had HAL produced the Mi-17, we would have had the ability to design our own EW suite for it. And the IAF wouldn't have fallen short of helicopters by now.
 
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randomradio said:
This is actually a very good example of why production ToT is required.

Had HAL produced the Mi-17, we would have had the ability to design our own EW suite for it. And the IAF wouldn't have fallen short of helicopters by now.
Click to expand...
Not true. South Africa and Israel both provide EW suite along with other upgrades, including rotors for the Mi8/17 family, without any ToT from the OEM. It's not essential.
 
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Belarus itself buys both the upgrades and new builds from Russian Helicopters.

They are even providing a pod based solution for fixed wing aircraft. They didn't had the ToT. They just took initiative.
 
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Ankit Kumar said:
Not true. South Africa and Israel both provide EW suite along with other upgrades, including rotors for the Mi8/17 family, without any ToT from the OEM. It's not essential.
Click to expand...

But you can see that they still lost to DI here.

Israel and SA tap markets that have lost access to Russia, like Eastern Europe. But the real good stuff for Russian systems are still made in Russia and other ex-USSR states. Like the Mig-21 LanceR upgrade is significantly inferior to the Bison upgrade.

Even the T-series tanks see the best upgrades using Russian tech, all others are half a generation behind.

The same has been repeated for the Mi-17. It's obvious BEL didn't pick a Western alternative. Otoh, production ToT would have allowed us to piece together the best equipment around, like we are doing with the MKI, BMP-2 and T-90, and of course the Mig-21 Bison and Mig-27UPG. Whereas for Mi-17, we can only go for a stock option as direct import with limited modernisation capabilities.
 
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