Transport Helicopters: The Achilles Heel Of Maneuver Warfare by Major Joel P. Kane USMC

Author:Major Joel P. Kane USMC [USMC, Major Joel P. Kane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, Iraq War (2003-2011), Persian Gulf War (1991), United States, Aviation
ISBN: 9781782897743
Google: Eh5vCwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2014-08-15T05:01:51+00:00

Aircraft Survivability Equipment

Electronic warfare equipment is designed to make an aircraft more survivable in a high threat environment. This equipment provides the operator with threat information (warning) and countermeasures expendables. The warnings, deployment of counter-measures, and evasive maneuvering by the crew are critical to the survival of the aircraft (and crew). It must be noted, however, that in a high threat environment, the best tactics are to deny enemy acquisition (of the friendly aircraft) by executing terrain flightprofiles, deception, and getting support from a dedicated ECM platform (like an EA-6B). EW equipment alone will not protect transport rotorcraft.{50}

The race to maintain technical superiority over the threat has produced a plethora of survivability equipment. The following design features can be engineered or retrofitted into an aircraft to enhance its chance of survival against a specific threat. This list is intended to inform the reader of the types of survivability enhancements that are available from the defense industry today.

(a). Radar Detectors - Systems which detect the emission of RF (radio frequency) energy normally associated with radar equipment. Systems will normally provide the crew with a warning that the aircraft has flown into an area being covered by a threat radar.

(b). Infrared (IR) Missile Warning Systems (MWS) - MWS's are designed to protect an aircraft from surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. MWS's are usually passive systems which will detect the IR signature of an inbound missile (fired at the aircraft). The MWS is intended to operate in a dense battlefield environment where multiple friendly aircraft are operating in close proximity to one another. The missile warning system may be tied to an automatic counter-measures dispensing system as reaction time is usually beyond the aircrew's capabilities.

(c). Automatic Countermeasures (ACM) - ACM systems are designed to automatically dispense onboard chaff or flares in response to a detected threat. These systems must be engineered into existing onboard system hardware and software architectures. The benefit of an ACM system is the reduced response time for deployment of countermeasures. Often, human response time is too slow to counter the threat. A big negative associated with automatic countermeasures is the potential for false alarms which inadvertently fire defensive countermeasures. This can give away an aircraft's position and degrade friendly night vision devices and radar. Additionally, when automatic countermeasures systems are installed on an aircraft, system software must be upgraded whenever there is a change to threat or friendly EW systems. This causes an almost impossible systems engineering/logistics burden on the acquisition community. Thus, false alarms and inadvertent firings are minimized by operating the countermeasure suite in the manual mode (which of course defeats the purpose of having an automatic countermeasures system).

(d). Laser Warning Devices - Laser technology is expanding rapidly. Many countries now employ lasers on the battlefield for targeting and range-finding. Unfortunately, their effect on humans and equipment is often immediate and permanent. A laser warning device alerts the crew that their aircraft is receiving laser energy. The crew must then take evasive action.

(e). IR Suppressers- The engines produce most of an aircraft's IR signature.

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