Armor protection kits installed on Chinook helicopters as part of survivability enhancements, necessitated by recent combat activities, use composite armor kits developed and produced in Israel by Plasan Sasa. The project, considered one of the most complex ballistic armor solutions ever achieved, was tailored to different versions of the Chinook, deployed by coalition forces in Iraq. Plasan designed the kits with lightweight, detachable elements that can be adapted to various NATO air forces operating Chinook, as well as UH-60, Bell-212, Puma, Super Puma and Mi-17 helicopters. The system is comprised of small, partly overlapping puzzle-shaped pieces that maintain high levels of protection over an entire area while enabling rapid access to aircraft systems.
