Ukraine adds electronic eyes to helicopters to hunt Russian UAVs

Recently, the Ukrainian Army began using Teledyne "magic eyes" to track Russian drones at night.

As Russia continues to launch swarms of Shahed long-range, one-way attack drones across Ukraine, the country’s armed forces are turning to innovative new tactics to defend their airspace, especially at night and in poor weather conditions. Photo: @Global Defense Corp.

On the other hand, the challenge of intercepting hundreds of drones in the skies over Ukraine has been exacerbated by a lack of air defense missiles, forcing commanders to rely on quick and practical alternatives. Photo: @ All Andorra.

While Soviet-era helicopters such as the Mi-8 and Mi-24 have been deployed in daylight attacks in favorable weather conditions, their effectiveness is severely limited at night or in low visibility conditions. Photo: @Global Defense Corp.

As a result, Ukrainian officials have recently said that the use of helicopters equipped with advanced multi-sensor systems has emerged as one of the most effective solutions to counter these persistent airborne threats. Photo: @ Wikimedia Commons.

To address the problem, Ukrainian forces are now using Airbus H125 and H225 helicopters (originally purchased for the State Border Guard Service and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine). Photo: @ Wikimedia Commons.

The Airbus H125 and H225 helicopters are equipped with the Teledyne FLIR UltraFORCE 350 multi-sensor system, which allows crews to detect and track hostile drones even in the dark. Photo: @ The Statesman.

During combat operations, a pair of helicopters are typically deployed: a lightweight Airbus H125 identifies and tracks the target with its gyro-stabilized optics, then guides a massive Soviet-era Mi-8 to attack, and destroy the Shahed drone with its integrated weapons. Photo: @Global Defense Corp.

However, the H125 helicopter is currently unarmed, meaning that all direct combat operations are handled by the accompanying Mi-8 helicopter. Photo: @ Wikimedia Commons.

“The Teledyne FLIR UltraFORCE 350 multi-sensor system is our eyes—it allows us to see everything in the dark or in bad weather, and it helps us work safely against Russian drones,” a Ukrainian pilot explained. Photo: @ The Statesman.

The reliance on this tactic underscores the important role that airborne surveillance systems play in Ukraine’s new defense strategy. The success of this tactic depends on many factors, including crew training and timely detection of enemy air targets. These missions remain extremely dangerous for helicopter crews, as the Shahed drones can carry warheads weighing up to 90 kg, and require precise tracking of maneuvers, and keeping their distance from the piloted aircraft. Photo: @ Wikimedia Commons.

“The Teledyne FLIR UltraFORCE 350 Multi-Sensor System defense solutions are proving to be a perfect fit for counter-drone aerial applications, as recently seen in Ukraine,” a FLIR spokesperson told Defence Blog. “The accuracy of our airborne thermal imaging systems means they are versatile enough to support a wide range of target detection, tracking and identification missions in all conditions,” the FLIR spokesperson added. Photo: @ The Statesman.

Looking ahead, Ukrainian defense planners are also considering further modernizing some of their helicopters, and even light aircraft, by installing similar sensors. The goal is to bolster their ability to counter Russian drones, which are expected to increase in number, with forecasts suggesting Ukraine could face up to 1,000 drone attacks per day in the coming offensive. Photo: @ All Andorra.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/ukraine-gan-them-mat-than-cho-truc-thang-de-san-uav-nga-post2149042250.html