AB412EP SAR Helicopters Equipped with HELRAD!
METEKSAN DEFENCE will deliver HELRAD naval surveillance radars for 14 AB412EP helicopters in the inventory of the Turkish Coast Guard Command.
Facing challenges in maintaining the foreign-origin 360-degree naval surveillance radar currently installed on AB412EP Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters, the Coast Guard Command requested an indigenously produced helicopter radar. This requirement was fulfilled by HELRAD (Maritime Search and Weather Radar-MSWR), developed by METEKSAN DEFENCE using MILSAR technology and expertise.
It is stated that HELRAD shares the same mechanical mounting features as the existing radar but is significantly lighter due to its advanced technology. Furthermore, since it consists of a single Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) housed within the radome, it requires no additional cockpit integration for its installation. HELRAD will be mounted on top of the AB412EP SAR helicopter's cockpit, just like the current radar. However, depending on the helicopter type and operational needs, it can also be mounted beneath the cockpit. In addition to its surface search capabilities, HELRAD includes a weather radar function and is also expected to be used on T625 GÖKBEY helicopters.
To meet diverse operational requirements, it also offers several usage modes:
Small Target Mode: Detecting small targets at sea
Short Range Mode: Detailed surveillance over short distances
Long Range Mode: Comprehensive surveillance over wider areas
Weather Detection Mode: Monitoring weather conditions and precipitation
METEKSAN DEFENCE introduced HELRAD (Maritime Search and Weather Radar-MSWR), designed for maritime reconnaissance and surveillance on rotary-wing platforms, for the first time during the SAHA EXPO 2024 exhibition with a scaled model. HELRAD is a next-generation helicopter radar developed with advanced radar technology and unique features. It is designed to enhance maritime security. The radar matches detections on the surface with information from AIS (Automatic Identification System) to classify them as contacts and automatically tracks up to 200 contacts, including their course and speed information. With this capability, HELRAD will strengthen the operational capability of the Coast Guard Command in monitoring surface elements related to maritime security, combating smuggling, and monitoring irregular migration.
METEKSAN DEFENCE will deliver HELRAD under the AB-412EP Helicopter Modernization and Integration Project, for which a contract was signed in May 2023 between ASELSAN and the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB). The total project cost is announced as USD 51,764,332.48 and TRY 81,665,400.86. ASELSAN is the main contractor for the project, while METEKSAN DEFENCE is the radar supplier. Integration activities within the project are also ASELSAN's responsibility.
Under the project, AB-412EP SAR helicopters are being equipped with advanced Avionic and Navigation Systems to maximize the current and future operational capabilities of the Coast Guard Command. These include the ASELFLIR R400D Electro-Optical System, KDU-45 Keyboard Display Unit, SMFD-810 Display, and Internal Communication System developed by ASELSAN, as well as the HELRAD Naval Surveillance Radar developed domestically by METEKSAN DEFENCE. The delivery of the first modernized AB-412EP helicopter is expected to take place in the second half of 2025.
MARTI Project and Procurement of AB-412EP SAR Helicopters
The Turkish Coast Guard Command (TCGC) initiated a project in 1996 to procure five Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters equipped with specialized equipment. These helicopters were intended to support operations in Turkish territorial waters (and international waters when necessary), ensuring safety of life and property, conducting search and rescue missions, evacuating injured individuals, monitoring marine pollution, preventing illegal fishing, safeguarding underwater cultural treasures from destruction or theft, combating smuggling, and preventing terrorist activities via maritime routes.
Under the MARTI Project, overseen by the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), evaluations concluded with the selection of the AB-412EP helicopter in 1998. A contract worth US$47.2 million (excluding US$5 million for GFE equipment) was signed with the manufacturer AgustaWestland (now Leonardo Helicopters) in March 1998. An option for an additional four helicopters included in the initial contract was converted to a firm order with a second contract signed in September 1999. The first two helicopters were delivered in June 2002, and the ninth helicopter was handed over to the Coast Guard Command on December 3, 2004. In the first phase of the project, the five helicopters were transported to Türkiye by ship at the manufacturer's request. In contrast, the four helicopters of the second phase were flown to Türkiye by Turkish pilots. The first two phases of the MARTI Project, financed entirely through commercial credit, amounted to a total payment of US$97.2 million (excluding the $5 million for GFE equipment). The third phase of the MARTI Project, covering the procurement of five additional AB-412EP helicopters with a financial scope of US$63 million, was signed with AgustaWestland on December 13, 2004. Separately, following the crash of an AB-412EP helicopter (tail number TCSG-503) near the Beşadalar region of Antalya on July 30, 2005, the Turkish Coast Guard Command placed an order for an additional AB-412EP helicopter. This order was finalized with AgustaWestland under a contract signed on May 31, 2006
