USN to launch MALD-N production

[Zulfiqar]

The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is to launch production of the Raytheon Miniature Air Launched Decoy - Navy (MALD-N), with a notification for an impending sole-source award posted on 10 March.

The notification on the beta.sam.gov website states that NAVAIR is to issue a cost plus incentive-fee contract to Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) for the commencement of low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the naval derivative of the US Air Force's (USAF's) ADM-160C MALD-Jammer (MALD-J) system.

No potential contract value, timeline, or MALD-N numbers were disclosed, although Jane's has previously reported that the first LRIP contracts for 250 MALD-N systems is expected to be placed in fiscal year (FY) 2021 and 2022.

In its baseline form, the MALD system is designed to mimic the radar and flight signature of a manned fighter or bomber, thereby confusing enemy air-defence systems. The MALD-J provides for an additional electronic warfare capability to actively jam enemy air defences, and is the basis for the US Navy's (USN's) MALD-N derivative.

As previously related to Jane's by RMS officials, the MALD-J has an operational range of about 900 km after launch, with its flight characteristics able to be pre-programmed to better represent a particular manned type. Its single Hamilton Sundstrand TJ-150 turbojet engine powers it to a surge speed of Mach 0.9 or an endurance speed of about Mach 0.6.

The MALD can be launched from any aircraft that can carry the Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which would enable the MALD-N to be carried by the USN's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) platforms.

https://www.janes.com/article/94823/usn-to-launch-mald-n-production

Something that should be looked into for similar type of system for thunders or a land based launch platform via collaboration with turkey and China especially the jammer version.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

@JamD Basically a small ALCM or target decoy with a jamming pod?

 

[Bilal.]

@JamD Basically a small ALCM or target decoy with a jamming pod?

Also mimics the signature of a variety of aircrafts, confusing the enemy. And the newer ones will also have swarming capabilities.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

Also mimics the signature of a variety of aircrafts, confusing the enemy. And the newer ones will also have swarming capabilities.

I think the real benefit of this concept is that it separates the jamming/EW from the high-cost platform. So, right now we have JF-17s equipped with EW jamming pods. But if for any reason that JF-17 must exit the combat area, then the EW capability gets compromised. With these drones, you deploy them and they are all over the area -- if one gets shot down, a bunch are still around and causing issues. And at the end, you can prime them into ALCMs.

 

[Bilal.]

I think the real benefit of this concept is that it separates the jamming/EW from the high-cost platform. So, right now we have JF-17s equipped with EW jamming pods. But if for any reason that JF-17 must exit the combat area, then the EW capability gets compromised. With these drones, you deploy them and they are all over the area -- if one gets shot down, a bunch are still around and causing issues. And at the end, you can prime them into ALCMs.

Exactly right, that’s why I have been professing the use of drone tech for a variety of SEAD/DEAD role. Plus the cost effectiveness makes is tough to
counter. How many high tech AD system will the opposing side deploy and how many cheap(er) drone would they shoot down with expensive missiles.

 

[JamD]

@JamD Basically a small ALCM or target decoy with a jamming pod?

Yes. But I don't think our ALCMs are efficient enough for us to be designing things like these. But this should definitely be (probably is) part of future plans of the PAF. For systems like these to be effective on the battlefield they need to:
1. be CHEAP so they are produced in enough numbers to make a difference (as opposed to lets say a strategic weapon like Ra'ad of which maybe 20 types might exist).
2. have small size so that they don't need specialist aircraft to carry them
3. have long endurance so you don't need to launch one every 10 minutes to maintain EW environment.

The linchpin here is turbofan technology, which seems to be something we're not too great at (unfortunately).

 

[Mentee]

@MastanKhan
Could Ra'ad or taqbir series be modified to accommodate such ew system?

 

[Bilal.]

Yes. But I don't think our ALCMs are efficient enough for us to be designing things like these. But this should definitely be (probably is) part of future plans of the PAF. For systems like these to be effective on the battlefield they need to:
1. be CHEAP so they are produced in enough numbers to make a difference (as opposed to lets say a strategic weapon like Ra'ad of which maybe 20 types might exist).
2. have small size so that they don't need specialist aircraft to carry them
3. have long endurance so you don't need to launch one every 10 minutes to maintain EW environment.

The linchpin here is turbofan technology, which seems to be something we're not too great at (unfortunately).

If only jamming and anti-radiation is the target capability and not spoofing(including flight profile) then even propeller based UAVs can be used as a platform with ample endurance.

 

[JamD]

If only jamming and anti-radiation is the target capability and not spoofing(including flight profile) then even propeller based UAVs can be used as a platform with ample endurance.

Yes excellent point. That will definitely be one of the missions of the MALE being designed under Azm.

That being said its better to be closer to what you're jamming (burnthrough) so you do need something more attritable than a MALE. So a dedicated low cost platform could be developed. Of course its speed will not let it spoof a jet.

PAC would need to carefully think about what we want to achieve and how best to achieve it given the resources at hand.

@MastanKhan
Could Ra'ad or taqbir series be modify to accommodate such ew system?

Ra'ad yes. But I doubt we can afford to lob so many EW Ra'ads at the enemy. They are expensive and complicated platforms requiring specialist aircraft to launch them.

REK. No. That's a glider which has range but has awful endurance. It cannot loiter or fly like a jet to look like a jet.

 

[Bilal.]

Yes excellent point. That will definitely be one of the missions of the MALE being designed under Azm.

Well to be honest, what I had in mind was cheap tactical UAV platform based system. Capable of carrying jamming and/or anti-radiation(kamikaze) payload with basic some level of mission planning capability based on waypoint, loitering, etc. allowing us to saturate adversary AD.

 

[Mentee]

Yes excellent point. That will definitely be one of the missions of the MALE being designed under Azm.

That being said its better to be closer to what you're jamming (burnthrough) so you do need something more attritable than a MALE. So a dedicated low cost platform could be developed. Of course its speed will not let it spoof a jet.

PAC would need to carefully think about what we want to achieve and how best to achieve it given the resources at hand.


Ra'ad yes. But I doubt we can afford to lob so many EW Ra'ads at the enemy. They are expensive and complicated platforms requiring specialist aircraft to launch them.

REK. No. That's a glider which has range but has awful endurance. It cannot loiter or fly like a jet to look like a jet.

Babur Salvo from ground and sea?

 

[JamD]

Babur Salvo from ground and sea?

If anything babur is even more expensive than a Ra'ad.

Well to be honest, what I had in mind was cheap tactical UAV platform based system. Capable of carrying jamming and/or anti-radiation(kamikaze) payload with basic some level of mission planning capability based on waypoint, loitering, etc. allowing us to saturate adversary AD.

The problem with EW is that you need a lot of electrical power (and size and heat exchangers), which is something very small drones cannot provide. This is one of the reasons the US has decided to put EW equipment on basically a small aircraft that has a turbofan that can provide lots of power. Imagine trying to fly a fighter fire control radar on a drone to get an idea of the payload (power, weight, size) requirements. I only have surface level knowledge on electronic warfare. @Signalian is the person to ask about these things in detail.

 

[Bilal.]

The problem with EW is that you need a lot of electrical power (and size and heat exchangers), which is something very small drones cannot provide. This is one of the reasons the US has decided to put EW equipment on basically a small aircraft that has a turbofan that can provide lots of power. Imagine trying to fly a fighter fire control radar on a drone to get an idea of the payload (power, weight, size) requirements. I only have surface level knowledge on electronic warfare. @Signalian is the person to ask about these things in detail.

I saw a presentation on the matter. And on the same subject it was argued that such systems, due to their cheapness and expendability can achieve similar result by fly much closer to the target of jamming and through cooperative jamming my multiple units again flying closer to the target than expensive high-power EW platforms.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

@JamD @Bilal. @Mentee

I think the basis for an attritable UAV for decoys, EW, loitering munitions, etc could be target based drones. In this regard, we have at least 2 domestic programs -- one at PAC/AvRID and another at ID (they're working on a next-gen design). I suspect the MALD was borne from similar lines, and it isn't far from the tree in terms of added tech or complexity as an aircraft. The bottleneck is energy efficiency and weight.

So, I think our problem is whether the EW equipment available to us is light and efficient enough to fit in a small design. This might be an area where the US has an inherent edge (electronics R&D), and MALD likely isn't as crude (as I assumed) as fitting an EW/SPJ into an ALCM (which is technically doable for us, but not cost-effective).

In short, this might not be an airframe or engine issue alone, but more so on the electronics side.

 

[Bilal.]

@JamD @Bilal. @Mentee

I think the basis for an attritable UAV for decoys, EW, loitering munitions, etc could be target based drones. In this regard, we have at least 2 domestic programs -- one at PAC/AvRID and another at ID (they're working on a next-gen design). I suspect the MALD was borne from similar lines, and it isn't far from the tree in terms of added tech or complexity as an aircraft. The bottleneck is energy efficiency and weight.

So, I think our problem is whether the EW equipment available to us is light and efficient enough to fit in a small design. This might be an area where the US has an inherent edge (electronics R&D), and MALD likely isn't as crude (as I assumed) as fitting an EW/SPJ into an ALCM (which is technically doable for us, but not cost-effective).

In short, this might not be an airframe or engine issue alone, but more so on the electronics side.

Absolutely. No argument there at all. A bit off topic, can you please share the ID target drone pic/details.