BAE Systems' Hidas Protects!

This rather spectacular picture shows the BAE Systems Hidas helicopter self-protection system under test from a British Army WAH-64. Details of what appears to be most fully integrated defensive aids systems of its kind were given to Armada by BAE Systems on the occasion of the Idex exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The Hidas comprises a comprehensive suite of sensors mounted around the aircraft and that includes four missile warning sensors (to detect the ultraviolet plume of a missile each within a field of view of +/-60 degrees), four laser warning receivers (also +/-60 degrees) and four radar warning receivers (with a detection angle of 1 to 120 degrees at frequencies of between 0 to 5 and 18 GHz and 32 to 40 GHz). The data from the UV and laser warning receivers are fed into the radar warning receiver unit and from there correlated and injected via the 1553 databus into the front panel display of the helicopter on which the pilot can visualise the full picture of the situation and even manoeuvre advice. While the Hidas system can automatically trigger the adequate countermeasure systems, it can still be overridden by the crew. The system exploits the ultraviolet spectrum to avoid being triggered off by parasitic infrared signals and also detects missile launches. Range is obtained from triangulation between the sensors, which also determines whether the threat is incoming rather than outgoing. The Hidas was certified on the Apache in December 2000; it will enter service in the British Army this year and is being offered to Australia.