German government donated airborne missile protection systems for helicopters to the Ukrainian military as part of its military aid.

Those systems regard Hensoldt-developed AMPS airborne missile protection systems.

The German government website states that Ukraine has received five such systems, including one in an aid package at the end of April, 2024.

Ukrainian military helicopters are to be equipped with these systems.

The fact that the German defense company Hensoldt had been awarded a contract to supply 16 AMPS airborne missile protection systems for Ukrainian helicopters became known in June 2023.

The company issued a press release regarding the deal on its official website. However, it didn’t specify the exact value of the order. Instead, the company emphasized that it was in the “double-digit millions.”

The integration of this system is very relevant due to the threat on the battlefield from Russian man-portable air defense systems and air defense systems with infrared homing missiles.

AMPS

AMPS is a Hensoldt-developed airborne missile protection system for helicopters and planes. Its modular design allows for easy adaptation to specific operational requirements and different task profiles.

The AMPS sensor solution includes the Missile Launch Detection Sensor (MILDS), an Advanced Control and Display Unit (ACDU), and the Active Acknowledgement System (MACS), which determines the range and speed of detected missiles and eliminates false alarms.

The manufacturer states that the existing Counter Measure Dispensing Systems (CMDS) on the helicopters can continue operating with the current AMPS configuration.

To reliably detect threats, AMPS can be configured with missile, laser, and radar warning systems to provide the best possible protection through rapid detection.