Hostile-Fire Detector for Helos
Caught this one on a Google Alert today. Written by Nathan Hodge who writes for one of the UK defence mags.
Does this sound a feasible solution to a recognised problem?
Hostile-Fire Detector for Helos
U.S. military aircraft already boast sophisticated systems to counter the threat from surface-to-air missiles. Problem is, missile warning systems and electronic countermeasures don't do much good when you're being targeted with dumb bullets.
BAE Systems, which designs and integrates electronic warfare equipment for military aircraft, is now promoting a new self-protection system for helicopters that can detect the point of origin of hostile fire from the ground -- and give helicopter crews a better chance of taking evasive action.
While the U.S. military doesn't have a formal requirement yet to buy this kind of system, the company announced this week that it had just concluded a series live-fire tests to see if the helicopter-mounted system could actually measure acoustic data and accurately detect threats.
Using acoustic sensors to detect small-arms fire is not new; the BBN Technologies Boomerang shooter-detection system has seen extensive service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boomerang -- which is typically mounted on military vehicles -- uses a compact array of microphones to detect the supersonic "crack" of incoming small arms fire. It quickly reports the relative position of the hostile shooter, and gives auditory and visual signals to indicate direction for returning fire.
Doing the same thing on a fast-moving aircraft poses a somewhat greater challenge. According to BAE Systems, the system would work by combining acoustic data, noise reduction, and information from existing helicopter sensors to give the crew multiple indications of hostile fire. But despite reports to the contrary, the system is not yet slated to deployed on operational aircraft going to Afghanistan or Iraq.