Chinooks protected from IR missile threat

UP! ^ | 4/16/2010 | UPI

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

The effectiveness of a countermeasure system for the U.S. Army Chinook helicopter to defeat guided missiles was proven in battle, BAE Systems said.

BAE said its Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures system has proved its worth in defeating infrared-guided missiles on the battlefield.

ATIRCM uses lasers to protect the Chinook from missile attacks. A common missile warning system tells the system to emit a high-energy laser beam to defeat the infrared system on the incoming missile.

Jim Crouch, general manager for protection solutions at BAE Systems, said ATIRCM is the best countermeasure system available for combat helicopters .

"ATIRCM was put to the test in a complex situation where Chinook aircraft were engaged by multiple infrared, man-portable air-defense missiles," he said. He didn't indicate in what combat theater the ATIRCM countered the threat.

He added his company was dispatching the system to all Chinook fleets as soon as possible so all deployed helicopters are protected against infrared-guided missile threats

[ak267]

Wished they had this a few years ago. My parents were friends with a female captian (name escapes me) who died in Iraq when her medical Chinook was shot down with a stinger.

[ASA Vet]

Her chopper was taken down by an RPG (Soviet) not a Stinger (US.) An RPG is not IR guided, just aimed manually by the shooter.