Selex announces Skyward-G and BriteCloud milestones for Gripen E

[Zarvan]

The Selex ES Skyward-G IRST unit can be seen ahead of the cockpit of the Gripen NG demonstrator. Source: Saab
Selex ES has announced a contract and a test milestone related to two of the systems it is to provide for the Gripen E combat aircraft.

In the first of these, announced on 14 April, the company has been contracted by Saab to supply 60 of its Skyward-G infrared search-and-track (IRST) systems for the Gripen E combat aircraft being manufactured for the Swedish Air Force.

The contract follows flight tests of the long-range electro-optic sensor aboard the Gripen NG demonstrator aircraft in 2014.

The Skyward-G IRST will be the Gripen E's primary passive sensor, enabling it to detect and track airborne and ground targets without alerting them to the aircraft's presence through the use of its active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The system is positioned just ahead of the windshield, offset from the centreline, with the associated avionics boxes located just aft of the radar.

Separately, Selex ES announced on 15 April that its BriteCloud radar frequency decoy has recently been successfully deployed from a Gripen fighter during flight trials. Three flights and three releases of the BriteCloud were conducted in Sweden, demonstrating the safe and effective release of the expendable active decoy (EAD) from a standard Gripen countermeasures dispenser.

BriteCloud uses flare cartridges to jam ground-based radars and radar-guided missiles and is compatible with a variety of aircraft types.

Selex ES will provide 30% of the Gripen E's electronics, with other systems besides the Skyward-G IRST and BriteCloud EAD comprising the ES Raven ES-05 AESA radar, and Mode 5 identification friend-or-foe system.

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Selex announces Skyward-G and BriteCloud milestones for Gripen E - IHS Jane's 360

 

[Donatello]

Looking at the IRST on the nose, maybe JF-17 can get one?

 

[Baloch Pakistani]

Looking at the IRST on the nose, maybe JF-17 can get one?

is that IRST compareable with SPECTRA of rafale and EODAS of f35 or even the chinese copy on j31?

 

[Drebin]

PAF also has excellent relationship with Selex. Why haven't they sought electronics and Avionics suite from them? Why France only?

 

[Donatello]

is that IRST compareable with SPECTRA of rafale and EODAS of f35 or even the chinese copy on j31?

Something similar. SPECTRA is a whole bunch of sensors fused together, not just IRST. So it depends how you create yours. The idea with the EODAS of a F-35 is that a pilot has a passive, 360 view, not just in the front using IRST, but all around it.

 

[Indus Falcon]

Can't wait to see IRST On JF17.

 

[Baloch Pakistani]

Can't wait to see IRST On JF17.

Does JF-17 has chinese IRST at the moment? JF-17 Block 2 is believed to incorporate an IRST.

 

[SpArK]

55-mm diameter version of BriteCloud which is compatible with the standard chaff and flare dispenser size operated by Gripen fighter jets and other aircraft. In future flights SAAB and Selex ES plan to test the actual performance of the BriteCloud 55-mm variant against representative threats.

BriteCloud is a self-contained digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) jammer that is designed to protect fighter jets from complex threats such as RF-guided missiles and fire-control radars. After manual or automatic ejection from a standard chaff and flare dispenser, BriteCloud detects RF emissions and cross-references them against its pre-programmed threat library. Upon finding a match, the decoy applies advanced algorithms and emits a deception signal to defeat the threat radar and incoming missile so that the aircraft is able to carry on safely and concentrate on its mission.

 

[sancho]

Something similar. SPECTRA is a whole bunch of sensors fused together, not just IRST. So it depends how you create yours. The idea with the EODAS of a F-35 is that a pilot has a passive, 360 view, not just in the front using IRST, but all around it.

SPECTRA has nothing to do with IRST, since it's the name of the EW suit not of the EO system of the Rafale that includes the IRST, which is called FSO (IRST and seperate TV channel).
Same goes for EODAS, which also is the name of the EW suit of the F35 and that contains IR sensors, but not a proper IRST. Infact the F35 doesn't have one, but uses different sensors to compromise it to similar capabilities, be it the sensors of EODAS or of EOTS, which basically is an integrated sniper targeting pod that has "some" IRST capabilities.
The IR or UV sensors of modern MAWS can give the pilot a wide Field of View and the capability to detect heat signatures, but not with the same search and track capability as a proper IRST.

Does JF-17 has chinese IRST at the moment? JF-17 Block 2 is believed to incorporate an IRST.

Block 2 is already in production and doesn't have IRST, which might come with block 3 later, just as AESA and an upgraded engine.

 

[Baloch Pakistani]

SPECTRA has nothing to do with IRST, since it's the name of the EW suit not of the EO system of the Rafale that includes the IRST, which is called FSO (IRST and seperate TV channel).
Same goes for EODAS, which also is the name of the EW suit of the F35 and that contains IR sensors, but not a proper IRST. Infact the F35 doesn't have one, but uses different sensors to compromise it to similar capabilities, be it the sensors of EODAS or of EOTS, which basically is an integrated sniper targeting pod that has "some" IRST capabilities.
The IR or UV sensors of modern MAWS can give the pilot a wide Field of View and the capability to detect heat signatures, but not with the same search and track capability as a proper IRST.



Block 2 is already in production and doesn't have IRST, which might come with block 3 later, just as AESA and an upgraded engine.

That means a plane with IRST can be superior to f35's EODAS bcz it doesnt have IRST?

 

[sancho]

That means a plane with IRST can be superior to f35's EODAS bcz it doesnt have IRST?

It means, that a proper IRST offers advantages in this specific field, over the EOTS system of the F35 with some IRST modes.
The EW suit EODAS is a different matter and would be compared to other EW suits like SPECTRA of the Rafale, DASS of the EF or the coming Himalaya EW suit of the Pak Fa and all of them include similar sensors and capabilities (advanced digital RWRs, IR or UV MAWS with 360° or even spherical view, LWR...). The performance might differ, but the aims are similar.

 

[Quasar]

It means, that a proper IRST offers advantages in this specific field, over the EOTS system of the F35 with some IRST modes.
The EW suit EODAS is a different matter and would be compared to other EW suits like SPECTRA of the Rafale, DASS of the EF or the coming Himalaya EW suit of the Pak Fa and all of them include similar sensors and capabilities (advanced digital RWRs, IR or UV MAWS with 360° or even spherical view, LWR...). The performance might differ, but the aims are similar.

what F 35 has;

1- EOTS that is a Electro-Optical Targeting System which combines forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and infrared search and track (IRST)

2- AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) for the F-35 is THE 360 degree IRST

so the question is what are the specific fileds that a proper IRST offers as an advantage over a combination of 1 and 2 ?

 

[Indus Falcon]

Slightly off topic, but one thing the F35 has got going for itself, is the APG-81 radar, proven tech from an A Grade vendor!!

The EOTS and DAS doesn't hurt either

 

[sancho]

what F 35 has;

1- EOTS that is a Electro-Optical Targeting System which combines forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and infrared search and track (IRST)

2- AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) for the F-35 is THE 360 degree IRST

so the question is what are the specific fileds that a proper IRST offers as an advantage over a combination of 1 and 2 ?

Again, they don't combine with an IRST but they have "IRST modes". EOTS is a targeting pod which includes A2A "modes" to use it as a limited IRST. That's possible today with other targeting pods like the Damocles, but doesn't provide the performance of a proper IRST. Dassault today even tries to sell Rafale without IRST and claims they can compromise by using the Damocles pod and with MICA missiles providing "some IRST capability", which again is similar but with far less capability (afaik MICA IR seekers have a range of around 30Km, FSO-IRST more than 100Km).
Same goes for the MAWS of the DAS EW system, which is primarily a missile warner:

The DAS surrounds the aircraft with a protective sphere of situational awareness. It warns the pilot of incoming aircraft and missile threats as well as providing day/night vision, fire control capability and precision tracking of wingmen/friendly aircraft for tactical maneuvering.

Which also is nothing special for modern EW systems anymore, Rafale has the DDM NG IR MAWS integrated into SPECTRA, which provides with spherical field of view and IR imgages, the EF might get a similar system with the next upgrade and even the latest Su 35 and Mig 35 are developed with all around IR sensors for missile detection and images, but they all can't replace a proper IRST in performance and capability.

 

[Dillinger]

Slightly off topic, but one thing the F35 has got going for itself, is the APG-81 radar, proven tech from an A Grade vendor!!

The EOTS and DAS doesn't hurt either

Wait for the TaDIRCM slaved to the DAS, with high-speed hand-off between the DIRCM apertures housed in the airframe life will become VERY difficult for anyone engaging the 35 in WVR combat even with off-boresight missiles and helmet mounted cueing systems.