After waiting for a long time, finally on June 15, 2022, two Airbus AS565 MBe Panther anti-submarine helicopters have been officially handed over by PT Dirgantara Indonesia to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, where later the two helicopters will be operated by the Airborne Squadron 400 Puspenerbal TNI AL.
Read also: After a long wait, PT DI Officially Hands Over Two AS565 MBe Panther AKS Units and One CN-235-220 MPA Full Mission Unit.
However, not as expected by most netizens, on the two anti-submarine helicopters, externally there is no visible anti-submarine device, be it a dipping sonar or diping sonar L3 Ocean System DS-100 Helicopter Long-Range Active Sonar (HELRAS). There is also no light torpedo that would ideally be exhibited.
However, upon closer inspection, the AS565 MBe AKS is not empty. The video below shows the compartment behind the pilot's seat and the co-pilot has been equipped with a HELRAS sonar control console, along with sonar inside and a reel of hook cables that are not visible even though they are visible.
To make it easier to distinguish between AS65 MBe Panther AKS Full Mission and non-AKS, it can actually be known by the layman's eye. Namely on the fuselage of the helicopter there is a sonar device tip that is shaped like a disc. Well, this device on the previous Panther Puspenerbal helicopter didn't exist. Although it is possible that the standard Panther variant can be upgraded to the full AKS variant with a number of modifications.
The AS565 MBe Panther of the Indonesian Navy will be equipped with the L-3 Ocean Systems DS-100 Helicopter Long-Range Active Sonar (HELRAS) dipping sonar. So far, HELRAS technology has been widely used in AKS platforms in NATO countries. This sonar can operate optimally in shallow and deep sea areas.
HELRAS uses the Doppler system's low-frequency high-resolution and long-wave range to detect the presence of submarines from a distance. Especially with the DS-100 device, it is ideally designed for redetection, target localization, and torpedo strikes in deep and shallow waters.
How to operate the HELRAS DS-100 by being lowered from the helicopter to the surface of the water. The HELRAS DS-100 consists of seven projector elements and eight hydraulic arms that can extend up to 2.6 meters in use. The DS-100 is capable of operating at a depth of 500 meters and has a Figure Of Merit (FOM) to achieve detection zone convergence.
The DS-100 runs at a low frequency of 1.38 Khz using proprietary transducers, reducing echo contamination of the received signal, and interoperability with onboard sonars and sonobuoys in bistatic or multistatic work.
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