ASELSAN develops domestic missile approach warning system for helicopters

By Azernews

By News Center

Turkish defense company ASELSAN has developed a domestic missile approach warning system (MAWS) for helicopters, Yeni Shafak daily reports.

As part of its efforts to localize military technologies in the Turkish Armed Forces' (TAF) inventory, ASELSAN developed the 'UV (ultraviolet) Missile Warning System (UV-FIS), a 100 percent domestic electro-optical system that generates warning information to protect helicopter platforms from infrared (IR) guided missile threats.

ASELSAN accomplished the first manufacturing of UV-FIS, which defends helicopter platforms against IR-guided missile threats, with technology transfer from overseas.

Since 2007, engineering improvement, production, testing, maintenance, and repair operations have been carried out within the scope of localization project of military technologies in the TAF inventory. The technology, which is widely used by the TAF, was also employed for Chilean military helicopters.

Although substantial parts of the system's sensors and tools were manufactured locally, key components such as photo-detectors and optical filters could only be procured from overseas earlier.

Since 2017, ASELSAN internal resources have been employed, and localization work for important components has begun. The nationalization of optical filters was completed in November 2020. Later, in February 2022, the factory certification of the sensor unit, including the national photo-detector team, was completed, and in June 2022, the platform qualification was accomplished with helicopter flight tests in Ankara-Temelli.

The first fully nationalized missile warning systems with 100 percent domestic optics and photo-detector kits for delivery to the TAF were completed in July 2022.

According to reports, the nationalization of the missile warning system that defends helicopters from infrared-guided missiles resulted in the acquisition of expertise and infrastructure in the disciplines of UV filter coating, Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) detector design, and UV missile warning system design.

As a result, attempts to build new systems with a wholly national and unique structure and strong competitive strength in the worldwide market were launched.

Founded by the Turkish Army Foundation in 1975, ASELSAN is a Turkish defense corporation headquartered in Ankara, Turkiye. The company is mainly involved in the research, development, and manufacture of advanced military products for air, land, and maritime forces. ASELSAN has been ranked by Defense News magazine as the 48th largest defense company in terms of revenues.