The US Air Force (USAF) has completed the first test of the miniature air-launched decoy jammer (MALD-J) in a simulated operational environment, validating the jammer’s capability to protect manned aircraft.
MALD-J, the stand-in jammer variant of the MALD family, protects aircrew and airborne systems by reducing or eliminating the need for manned stand-in jamming aircraft.
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During the test, multiple MALD-Js in free flight and multiple captive-carry MALD-Js conducted electronic attack missions showed the ability to operate in a dynamic environment with a manned aircraft strike package.
Raytheon Missile Systems Air Warfare Systems product line vice-president Harry Schulte said the test marked the greatest number of multiple Raytheon MALD vehicles airborne at once and demonstrated MALD-J’s ability to protect manned aircraft.
“Completion of this test also removes the last major hurdle toward MALD-J completing a functional configuration audit,” he added.
