Raytheon has delivered the first eight Miniature Air Launched Decoy Jammer initial operational test and evaluation units to the U.S. Air Force. During IOT and E, the Air Force will conduct numerous flight tests on the MALD-J to evaluate the system in operationally realistic and demanding scenarios.
MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles (about 575 statute miles).
MALD protects aircrews and their aircraft by duplicating the combat flight profiles and signatures of U.S. and allied aircraft. The MALD-J adds radar-jamming capability to the basic MALD platform.
“Because MALD-J offers the warfighter stand-in jamming capability, the need for aviators to fly to conduct dangerous jamming missions will be greatly reduced once the system reaches initial operational capability in late 2012,” said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems’ vice president of Air Warfare Systems.
“The MALD family is versatile, flexible and modular, and can carry almost any payload the warfighter can imagine, including indigenously produced jammers and electronic packages.”
