RFI Issued For Electronic Warfare Systems Of Indian Mi-17 V5 Helicopters

The Indian MoD has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to procure electronic warfare (EW) suite for all Mi-17 V5 helicopters.

According to the RFI floated today, the EW suite meant for Mi-17 V5 will comprise of Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) and Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) and a limited number of Laser Warning Receiver (LWR) and Directed Infrared Counter Measure (DIRCM) for some Mi-17 helicopters.

India has 148 Mi-17 V5 helicopters ordered in 2012. Earlier this month it approved purchase of additional 48 Mi-17 V5 helicopters for US $1.1billion of which 16 will be used for VVIP transport.

The Integrated EW suite is intended to provide capability of intercepting, identifying, prioritizing and displaying airborne and ground based threat from radars and missiles to the pilot and effectively provide self-protection to the helicopter against radar controlled weapon and IR seeking missiles by employing different counter measures (Chaffs, flares, directed infra-red, etc.).

Integrated EW Suite would comprise RWR, MAWS and cued CMDS.

The Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) is intended to provide the capability of detecting, identifying warning and prioritizing air to air and ground to air threat missiles to the pilot. It should be passive and be able to cue Counter Measure Dispensing System and allow integrated functioning with DIRCM, if required. Display has to be compatible/ integrated with RWR display on MFD/DU., the RFI said.

A programmable Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) is intended to effectively provide self-protection to the helicopter against radar controlled weapon and IR seeking missiles.

CMDS designed and developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is recommended to be integrated on to the platform however, vendor may suggest an alternate. The CMDS should be state-of-the-art and capable of dispensing chaff / IR flare expendables in automatic / semi-automatic / manual modes, the RFI said.

Programmable Laser Warning Receiver (LWR) provides capability to the pilot to detect direct incidence of laser range finders, designators and command guidance pulse trains and identify them as such.

The RFI states that the Directed Infrared Counter Measure System (DIRCM) should be capable of countering threats in all bands of IR and UV guided missile and laser threats in the band of 0.01 – 30 microns.

Last date to submit responses is 15 December 2015. The RFI is open only to Indian vendors.