Bird Aerosystems has completed installation of its Airborne Missile Protection and Verification System (AMPS-MV) on UN Air Operations Mil Mi-17 helicopters deployed in Africa. Bird’s technology protects fleets, armored vehicles, and other ground assets of various governments and related agencies, such as the United Nations (UN), U.S. government, and NATO forces. In recent years, Bird accomplished successful installations on other UN Air Operations aircraft flying in regions that include Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
The AMPS-MV is deployed in areas of conflict, providing protection for military and civilian aircraft against the growing threat of ground-to-air missiles (man-portable air-defense systems). Bird’s technology detects, verifies, and foils surface-to-air missiles with decoys such as chaff and flares as well as directional infrared countermeasures that jam the missile’s infrared seeker.
Bird’s AMPS-MV includes the company's patented Missile Approach Confirmation Sensor, which confirms suspected incoming missiles detected by electro-optical passive sensors, ensuring that the system will declare and react upon only real threats.
Ronen Factor, Bird co-CEO and founder, emphasized the importance of providing the highest level of protection given current global hostilities. “As the recent conflict in Ukraine showed us, the importance of these systems for the protection of soldiers’ lives is undoubted,” he said.