Global 7500 Gets Missile Defense Certification

Ondas Inc. announced Tuesday that its BIRD Aerosystems subsidiary has completed installation and received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for a missile defense system aboard a Bombardier Global 7500. According to the company’s announcement, the approval confirms that the installation meets applicable European airworthiness requirements.

The Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) is designed to protect aircraft against shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles and other infrared-guided threats. The system uses sensors to detect approaching missiles, confirms and tracks potential threats, and employs directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) to interfere with missile guidance systems. BIRD’s SPREOS technology combines radar-based threat verification with laser countermeasures.

Certification and Aircraft Integration

The certification allows the Global 7500 to incorporate the missile protection equipment into its approved aircraft configuration. Ondas did not identify the aircraft’s operator or disclose installation costs. The company said the system is intended for military, government and civilian aircraft operating in environments where infrared-guided missiles pose a threat.

“Protecting high-value aircraft and government aviation assets against increasingly sophisticated missile threats is a critical and growing defense requirement,” said Eric Brock, chairman and CEO of Ondas.

Civilian Aircraft Protection

Ondas acquired Israel-based BIRD Aerosystems in March. At the time, the company said BIRD’s protection systems were installed on more than 700 aircraft across over 40 aircraft types. Missile defense technology has also previously been tested on commercial aircraft. In 2007, Northrop Grumman began operational testing of its laser-based Guardian system aboard a FedEx MD-10 under a Department of Homeland Security program examining protection against shoulder-fired missiles.