The L370-5 “President-S” Countermeasures Suite

The issue of aviation security in the presence of MANPADS (man-portable air-defense systems) is very serious. Missiles equipped with infrared guidance systems present a huge threat to low flying helicopters. Statistics show that nearly 90% of all aircraft losses in modern armed conflicts were caused by MANPADS. Countermeasure systems of the previous generations have proven to be ineffective. The problem clearly requires a completely new solution, and such a solution exists. The President-S was designed by developers in Russia to offer unparalleled protection against MANPADS missiles.

Comprehensive protection is provided by:

– Optical-electronic interference stations that protect the helicopter by forming a directed interference at the infrared seeker.

– UV detector for detecting and transmitting the location of air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles as soon as they are launched

– Equipment for the detection of laser irradiation and locating the coordinates of its location

-Control unit, which provides integrated control and information processing and controls all elements of the system simultaneously.

– Multi-panel display and a system that distinguishes false targets.

-A flare-dispensing system

The optical-electronic system President-S was developed on the basis of heavy analysis of various protection systems of the previous generations. The President-S is unique due to the fact that it implements several sub-systems of detection and countermeasures into one, giving it the ability to effectively counter heat-seeking missiles. As soon as a missile is launched at the helicopter, the UV finder immediately relays the missile’s coordinates to the control system, which simultaenously sets off the flare dispensers and activates the optical-electronic interference stations. It also alerts the helicopter’s crew of the attack via system-generated voice messages and digital information on the multi-panel displays. The coordinated work of all sub-systems results in the homing missile losing “sight” of the real target.

The effectiveness of the President-S has been proven through a full cycle of tests, including a full-scale experiment which involved the use of the latest MANDPADS. During the first stage of the experiment, the helicopter was replaced with a layout of the various components of the Mi-8 helicopter. All missiles that were fired at the layout were countered from at least 100 meters away. During the second phase of the experiment, a real Mi-8 helicopter was used, with its engine running. The President-S proved its high efficiency once again, as shown in the footage. The President-S has been tested on the Mi-8 and Ka-50 helicopters, and is currently being implemented on the Ka-52 and Ka-252 helicopters. The system is universal, and can be mounted on all Russian and foreign helicopters without  loss of performance.