The Threat
In November 2002 an Israeli Boeing 767 was attacked by two simultaneously fired Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS) missiles in Mombassa, Kenya. The aircraft was not hit and could safely continue its flight. The incident was however a wake up call for the public and lawmakers to the existing MANPADS threat to the airline industry, one year after the 9/11. In total 35 attacks on civil aircraft have been recorded in the last 12 years, mostly on the African Continent. There are an estimated 100 000 MANPADS are on the black market today.

The Players
Saab Avitronics a business unit within Saab AB is one of the world’s leading suppliers of airborne electronic warfare systems, has been developing self protection systems for military aircraft since the ‘70s ( more information on www.saabgroup.com). Chemring Countermeasures of the UK is a world-leading supplier of countermeasure decoys (flares and chaff). Naturelink Aviation of South Africa is a charter company active around the globe in air charters and contracting to the Humanitarian Aid industry, operating in and out of hostile war zones like Iraq, Afghanistan.

The Solution
Successful flight demonstrations were held in South Africa of the building blocks of CAMPS. Saab Avitronics supplied the basic system consisting of ultra-violet based Missile Approach Warning (MAW-300) system and an electromechanical dispenser (BOA), designed specifically for civilian use as well as the military type pyrotechnical dispensers and payload. Chemring Countermeasures supplied their latest pyrophoric CAD (Consumable Area Decoy), a material that produces sufficient energy in the invisible IR spectrum when exposed to oxygen, again specifically packaged with the safety requirements of civil and commercial aviation in mind. Naturelink Aviation supplied an Embraer 120 aircraft, modified to be fitted with Saab Avitronics protection system. The successful flight demonstration proved beyond doubt that civil aviation and special mission operators like VIP, humanitarian aid, tankers and head of state, now has a solution for the protection of commercial aircraft, special mission aircraft and other aircraft operating in MANPADS threatened skies.