Armed helicopters have become an indispensable and important combat equipment in modern warfare. It plays a very important role in ground attack, anti armor operations, and close air support. However, with the increasing role of armed helicopters, they have also become a key target for ground air defense firepower. For armed helicopters, their approach to dealing with ground air defense missile attacks is similar to that of fighter jets, mainly relying on active radar detection and passive radar warning, as well as ultra-low altitude penetration to respond.

Firstly, modern armed helicopters are equipped with advanced active radar detection systems, infrared detection, and electro-optical detection systems, which can effectively detect and detect enemy air defense radar and missile positions. Meanwhile, as armed helicopters are also equipped with data links, they can receive data obtained from their own command and radar systems during combat, effectively transmitting the location information of enemy air defense missile positions that have been discovered to the armed helicopters. At that time, armed helicopters can use their powerful ground firepower to launch attacks on these anti-aircraft missile positions. Or covertly evade enemy anti-aircraft missiles to continue the mission.

Modern armed helicopters are equipped with advanced active radar detection systems

Secondly, compared to large anti-aircraft missiles, field mobile anti-aircraft missiles and portable anti-aircraft missiles pose a greater threat to armed helicopters. These anti-aircraft missiles are not fixed in position and have short preparation time and fast launch speed, often posing a great threat to armed helicopters. For this reason, armed helicopters will adopt passive radar warning systems, as well as infrared interference and bait launch systems. When the enemy's anti-aircraft missile detects and locks onto the armed helicopter, the passive radar warning system can detect the detection signal of the anti-aircraft missile, determine its location and distance, and give the pilot an alert. Pilots evade air defense missile attacks by maneuvering to escape or activating jamming systems to launch infrared decoys.

The threat of portable air defense missiles to armed helicopters is increasing

In addition, armed helicopters can also respond to air defense missile attacks through ultra-low altitude breakthrough flights. Due to the limitation of firing range for anti-aircraft missiles, their minimum firing height is usually within the range of 10 meters or tens of meters. And armed helicopters, due to their ability to hover vertically, can lower their flight altitude to a few meters. Therefore, armed helicopters often use low altitude penetration to launch surprise attacks on ground targets, and at this time, air defense missiles are difficult to attack armed helicopters due to the issue of firing range, so they rely more on anti-aircraft guns for air defense.

The flight altitude of armed helicopters can be reduced to a few meters, which can effectively avoid the firing range of anti-aircraft missiles

Overall, armed helicopters are quite similar to fighter jets in combating anti-aircraft missiles. Mainly relying on active radar detection, passive radar warning, and ultra-low altitude penetration to avoid air defense missile attacks.

Source: Military of Strong Countries