Article Posted on : - Jul 14, 2011

The Surion utility helicopter.

ELANCOURT, FRANCE (BNS): EADS Cassidian has bagged a multi-million euro contract to protect Korean Army’s Surion utility helicopters from missile attacks.

Under the deal awarded by the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Cassidian will deliver a first batch of 24 AN/AAR-60 Missile Launch Detection Systems (MILDS) to the Korean Army by 2013.

The entire order is for 100 MILDS sensors, the European company said.

The MILDS is a passive imaging sensor, detecting the UV radiation signature of approaching missiles. The extremely high resolution combined with rapid processing enables very reliable threat identification and virtually eliminates false alarms. Four to five sensors provide optimised coverage and rapid reaction.

The new sensor, designed to protect helicopters and wide-body aircraft from missile attacks, has been installed on a large number of rotary wing and wide body aircraft, including Tiger, NH90, CH-53, CH-47, MI-17 and C-130.

A specific fighter version – MILDS F – is in service with the Royal Danish Airforce and Royal Norwegian Airforce F-16 fighters.

Korean Army’s Surion helicopter has been jointly developed by KAI and Eurocopter. The Army is planning to procure around 250 such helicopters.