Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) are a serious threat in Ukraine and elsewhere.
The following footage was reportedly filmed near Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, and shows an Ukrainian Ilyushin Il-76 releasing flares during the initial climb after take off from the local airfield.
Flares are infrared countermeasures made of a hot-burning metal-based composition that's used to counter heat-seeking missiles. Flares generate temperatures equal to or hotter than engine exhaust which attract the missile’s seeker head.
Airlifters and helicopters have poor speed and low maneuverability, and the latter are even more exposed because they normally operate at lower altitudes. Both types of aircraft are vulnerable to MANPADS, as many videos coming from Syria have demonstrated.
Few details are available about the type of MANPADS used in Ukraine — but they pose a serious threat to Ukrainian aircraft.
Most probably, the weapons involved in the downing of two Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopters by “unknown persons by means of man-portable air defense system (PZRK)” overnight into May 2 were Igla-model rocket launchers: either a 9K310 Igla-1 (SA-16 “Gimlet”), or the newer 9K38 Igla (SA-18 “Grouse”). The Ukrainian and Russian militaries are known to use both of them. Others were reportedly stolen from Ukrainian units in March and may have ended up in separatists' hands.
Ukrainian Mi-24 Hinds have been fitted with “Andros KT-01AVE” Counter MANPADS suites with “L166V1A Lipa” jammers.
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