Special missile detector helicopter makes its debut at Bangalore's aero show

Bangalore, Feb 15 (ANI): An upgraded version of a helicopter which can detect missiles from a distance through its sensors, made its debut at the Seventh Aero-India show near Bangalore.

The Cheetah EW Suite Upgrade is a special helicopter designed to detect radiations coming from missiles and take counter action against them.

Equipped with a set of ultraviolet cameras, especially designed to capture the radiation coming from missiles, the helicopter evaluates whether the missile is approaching the platform or not. If it is coming towards the platform, then it generates a trigger, which automatically dispenses a counter measure device and warns the pilot of the impending threat.

The pilot can also programme the sensors provided in the helicopter against the known threats in the area.

"Basically one can program the sensors against the known threats in the area. The device, which is the ultraviolet sensor, can sense the missile and in real time, can generate a trigger so the counter measure activity which is there, it attracts the missile towards that direction, and the helicopter can just go off. The probability of survival of the aircraft in the context of missile attack is very high with systems of this kind," said Captain Roneesh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alpha Technologies.

The helicopter has five sensors, which work in tandem to completely cover the area.

Though the helicopter is assembled by a German company, the sensors have been developed by Alpha Technologies in India.

The cost of one sensor is around 2.5 million rupees and the entire Cheetah helicopter costs 150 million rupees. (ANI)