HENSOLDT and Helsing Move Strategic Partnership Forward With CA-1 Europa Self-Protection System

In front of the CA-1 Europa (from left): Stephanie Lingemann (Vice President Air at Helsing), Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius and Oliver Dörre (CEO at HENSOLDT). The first three CAIRAS systems will be integrated into the autonomous combat aircraft. Photo: HENSOLDT AG

(IN BRIEF) HENSOLDT is supplying its CAIRAS missile warning system for the first time, with the first three systems to be integrated into Helsing’s CA-1 Europa, an AI-powered autonomous combat aircraft. The order is the first concrete self-protection and passive optronic reconnaissance project under the strategic partnership signed by HENSOLDT and Helsing in February 2026. HENSOLDT is providing sensor technologies for the CA-1 Europa across radar, optronics, self-protection and electromagnetic warfare. CAIRAS will be embedded in the AMPS-MR Airborne Missile Protection System, alongside the Kalætron radar warning system and a decoy dispenser system. The system uses dual-colour infrared technology and up to seven sensors to provide passive missile detection, incoming fire localisation and 360-degree coverage without revealing the aircraft’s position through active emissions.

(PRESS RELEASE) OBERKOCHEN, 27-Jul-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — HENSOLDT is supplying its CAIRAS missile warning system for the first time, with the first three systems to be integrated into Helsing’s CA-1 Europa, an AI-powered autonomous combat aircraft.

CAIRAS, which stands for Compact Infrared Reconnaissance and Alert System, is a passive infrared warning system designed to strengthen the self-defence capabilities of aircraft by detecting missile threats without emitting detectable signals.

The order marks the first concrete project in the field of self-protection and passive optronic reconnaissance since HENSOLDT and Helsing entered into a strategic partnership in February 2026.

Under that partnership, HENSOLDT is providing sensor technology for the CA-1 Europa in areas including radar, optronics, self-protection and electromagnetic warfare.

Christina Canitz, Head of the Optronics Division at HENSOLDT, said the integration of CAIRAS into an unmanned aircraft represents an important shift in airborne self-protection.

She said self-protection was long associated primarily with manned platforms, but is now becoming a core requirement for autonomous systems that must survive and make decisions independently.

Canitz added that, by integrating CAIRAS as part of the AMPS suite, HENSOLDT is developing protection capabilities for the new generation of aircraft from the outset rather than adding them later.

For the CA-1 Europa, CAIRAS is integrated within the AMPS-MR Airborne Missile Protection System self-protection suite.

The suite combines the CAIRAS missile warning system with the Kalætron radar warning system and includes a dispenser system for deploying decoys.

HENSOLDT said this represents the first deployment of AMPS on an unmanned aerial vehicle.

The milestone shows how the CA-1 Europa is being equipped with self-protection and reconnaissance capabilities across multiple operational ranges.

CAIRAS uses dual-colour infrared technology to detect incoming missiles early and passively.

Because the system does not emit signals of its own, it can contribute to aircraft survivability without revealing the platform’s position through active emissions.

The system consists of a central processing unit and up to seven latest-generation infrared sensors.

These sensors are designed to provide a high probability of detection while reducing the false alarm rate.

CAIRAS can detect and localise incoming fire and provide complete spherical 360-degree coverage around the aircraft.

Within the CA-1 Europa programme, CAIRAS also contributes to situational awareness by processing infrared image data into a real-time panoramic view.

For an unmanned platform such as the CA-1 Europa, the passive operating mode is especially important.

Without a pilot on board to manually assess a threat, the aircraft depends on reliable, machine-analysable sensor data with a low false alarm rate to support autonomous responses.

Data collected by CAIRAS can be fed into MDOcore, HENSOLDT’s software suite for data fusion.

This allows the system to contribute to the CA-1 Europa’s ability to operate in contested environments while supporting both threat detection and broader situational awareness.

HENSOLDT said the integration of CAIRAS into the CA-1 Europa demonstrates the growing importance of passive optronic systems, autonomous decision support and networked self-protection for future combat aircraft.

Media Contact:

Alexander F. Ogger
Communications Manager
Multi-Domain Solutions, Optronics
Contact
alexander.ogger@hensoldt.net
+49 7364 9557 984

SOURCE: HENSOLDT