Raytheon and the U.S. Air Force have validated performance of an upgraded navigation system for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer (MALD-J) in six flight tests from B-52 and F-16 aircraft at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
The system upgrade, designated as GAINS II (GPS Aided Inertial Navigation System), includes an enhanced multi-element GPS controlled antenna assembly.
This new technology improves MALD-J navigation performance in a GPS jamming environment. Improvements and efficiencies within the design helped to reduce GAINS II unit costs.
“Improving performance while reducing costs is a win for Raytheon and our customer,” said Brian Burton, director of MALD Programs for Raytheon.
(MALD® Operational Scenario & Capabilities, courtesy of Raytheon and YouTube.)
The MALD-J is the jammer variant of the basic decoy, and the first ever stand-in jammer to enter production.
The unmanned MALD-J navigates and operates much closer than conventional EW to the victim radar when jamming the electronics, allowing aviators and aircraft to stay out of harm’s way.
And, it is able to loiter in the target area for an extended time period – plenty of time to complete the mission.
MALD-J can operate alone or in pairs, but is designed to work with and leverage other electronic warfare platforms.
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, California, supported design work for GAINS II, while Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona, supplied systems engineering, integration and testing. Raytheon is now producing and delivering MALD-J systems with the upgraded navigation.
MALD and MALD-J
MALD® is a state-of-the-art, low-cost expendable flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable.
It weighs fewer than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles. MALD-J adds radar-jamming capability to the basic MALD platform.
- MALD confuses enemy air defenses by duplicating friendly aircraft flight profiles and radar signatures
- MALD-J maintains all capabilities of MALD and adds jamming capabilities
- Raytheon began delivery of MALD-Js in the fall of 2012
Raytheon, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions.
With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries.
