BIRD Aerosystems has completed the installation and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification of its Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) on a Bombardier Global 7500.
The certification was announced on October 13, 2026, by Florida-based Ondas, which acquired the Israeli aircraft protection specialist in March 2026. The suite incorporates directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM), a laser-based system that jams the seekers of heat-seeking missiles.
According to Ondas, the approval confirms that the integration of the suite on the Global 7500 meets applicable European airworthiness requirements, allowing the protection system to form part of the aircraft’s certified configuration. The operator of the aircraft was not disclosed.
How the Global 7500’s missile protection system works
AMPS is designed to counter man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) and other infrared-guided missiles. The company says it combines missile warning, threat confirmation, tracking and DIRCM, reducing false alarms to “virtually zero”.
“Protecting high-value aircraft and government aviation assets against increasingly sophisticated missile threats is a critical and growing defense requirement,” said Eric Brock, chairman and CEO of Ondas.
Similar threats have driven governments to equip dedicated VIP aircraft with DIRCM, including Germany’s Airbus A350 government transports. However, cost, weight and maintenance requirements have kept such systems largely off commercial airliners.
When Ondas acquired BIRD in March 2026, it said the Israeli company’s protection systems were already installed on more than 700 aircraft across over 40 types, with operators including the US Army, NATO forces and United Nations aviation fleets.
BIRD is not the first to protect the Global 7500
The Global 7500 has attracted interest from missile-protection suppliers for several years. In June 2021, Leonardo announced a contract to equip a Global 7500 operated by an unnamed Middle Eastern government with its Miysis DIRCM system.
Switzerland also ordered a Global 7500 with a missile self-protection system for its government fleet in August 2023. The aircraft was delivered in December 2024, with the installation by Sabena technics of equipment designed to counter MANPADS scheduled for 2025. The supplier of the protection system was not publicly identified.
In February 2023, BIRD announced its own contract to install AMPS and its SPREOS DIRCM system, housed in the AeroShield pod, on a Global 7500 and a Gulfstream G700 belonging to an undisclosed European customer.
A contemporary report by Business Air News described the customer as a private charter operator, although BIRD did not publicly identify the company. The project included plans to obtain a supplemental type certificate (STC) for each aircraft.
BIRD was targeting completion of both certifications before the end of 2026. However, Ondas’ announcement provides no update on the G700.