Raytheon’s MALD Decoys Gaining Versatility
Dec 01, 2011 14:35 EST
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Milestone C: MALD-J approved for production; Industrial team. (Nov 29/11)
The Bosnian “Nighthawk Down” incident in 1999 showed that even old air defense systems could still be dangerous, and that smart tactics and selective use could keep those systems alive against heavy opposition. The challenge is finding them and targeting them. Against truly advanced air defense systems like the Russian SA-20 family, however, the challenge is survival. Advanced stealth technologies, advanced anti-radar weapons, and successful electronic jamming are required.
Air-launched decoys help, too. They’re not a new concept by any means, and the same technologies used in cruise missiles allow construction of “stealth in reverse” decoys that can fly long distances along pre-planned flight patterns, carrying radar reflectors that can simulate the radar return of fighter or bomber aircraft. Enemy air defenses see them as incoming aircraft, and must decide to either shut down and hide, or activate and reveal their position. If American aircraft are flying behind a wave a decoys, either option can be dangerous. The US Navy has the ITALD, and the USAF’s ADM-160B/C Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD) program began as a DARPA effort in 1996, but made it all the way into production, and is branching out into new fields…
- MALD and Its Variants [updated]
- Industrial Team [NEW]
- Contracts and Key Events [updated]
- Additional Readings
MALD and Its Variants
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The ADM-160 MALD has changed over its program lifespan. One big change was required range, which forced the Air Force to move to a larger decoy. That led to a re-compete, which Raytheon won from original incumbent Northrop Grumman in 2003. Prices have increased accordingly, from $30,000 to $120,000 per decoy. Range for the 300 pound system has also increased, to 500 nm/ 575 miles, with the ability to loiter over targets.
MALD flight testing of the Raytheon design was completed in January 2008, and the system has now passed required tests. In March 2009, the USAF accepted delivery of the 1st MALD low-rate initial production unit.
With its range and loiter time, however, MALD lends itself to other uses as well. One obvious use is to install radar jamming equipment, instead of radar reflecting equipment. The resulting system can add realism to an incoming wave of MALD decoys while neutralizing specific threats, or fly ahead on a mission of its own. The “MALD-J” electronics will have to be powerful enough to be useful, however, while remaining small and light enough to fit into a 300 pound MALD decoy.
The USAF wants to explore those possibilities. Raytheon received a 2-year, $80 million US Air Force contract for MALD-J Phase II risk reduction in April 2008. The firm is in the process of developing, integrating and testing the new MALD-J variant, which has also attracted interest form the US Navy.
Raytheon conducted a free-flight test in December 2009 to ensure that MALD-J performs under conditions that resemble operational missions. A system Critical Design Review milestone was completed in February 2010, setting the stage for final system design and development. MALD-J received its milestone C go-ahead into low-rate production in November 2011.
A 3rd MALD type, MALD-V, would have an open payload space for insertion of modular surveillance gear, jammers, or other equipment. This may provide the go-forward architecture, and give the option of turning MALD into a UAV, or even a combination killer-UAV/decoy.
Industrial Team
More than 125 Raytheon employees design and build the MALD and MALD-J in Tucson, AZ; Goleta, CA; and El Segundo, CA. Key suppliers for MALD and MALD-J components include:
- AUSCO in Port Washington, NY
- Advanced Industries Inc. in Wichita, KS
- CEI in Sacramento, CA
- Celestica in Austin, TX
- Eagle Pitcher in Joplin, MO
- EDO in Bohemia, NY
- Enser in Pinellas Park, FL
- Engineered Fabrics Corp in Rockmart, GA
- GDOTS in Redmond, WA
- Hamilton-Sundstrand in Rockford, IL & San Diego, CA
- LaBarge in Joplin, MO
- Moog in East Aurora, NY
- Tecom in Westlake Village, CA
- Teledyne Microelectronics in Los Angeles, CA
- Daico, in Carson, CA
- Cobham in San Diego, CA
Boeing and Lockheed Martin don’t supply components, but will be responsible for making MALDs work with their respective aircraft.
Contracts and Key Events
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Nov 29/11: Raytheon announces that the USAF has approved the MALD-J jammer variant for Milestone C, clearing it to enter Low Rate Initial Production. They also exercised a $5 million contract option, to convert Lot 4 production of the baseline MALDs into MALD-Js.
Sept 6/11: Raytheon touts a successful test with multiple MALD-Js in both free-flight and carry modes, simulating an electronic attack. That’s the last major hurdle toward a Functional Configuration Audit, and once that’s official, the USAF could authorize Milestone C and begin production by the end of 2011.
June 29/11: Boeing touts the first MALD-J powered launch “earlier this month” from a B-52 flying over the Gulf of Mexico, at the Eglin Air Force Base, FL test range. Boeing designed the avionics software on board the B-52 that controls and launches Raytheon’s MALD-J. Boeing.
May 27/11: Raytheon Missile Co. in Tucson, AZ receives an $83 million firm-fixed-price contract modification MALD low rate initial production lot four (LRIP-4) production.
Work will be performed at Tucson, AZ. The contract is managed by the AAC/EBJM at Eglin Air Force Base, FLy (FA8682-10-C-0007, PO 0019).
May 27/11: A Flight International article discusses US Navy interest in the USAF’s jammer variant, and notes work on a MALD-V, with an empty payload compartment that could carry surveillance payloads as well.
May 25/11: Raytheon announces that they’ve launched two MALD “instrumented shapes” from the ramp of a C-130 Hercules, using the new Raytheon-funded MALD Cargo Air Launched System (MCALS).
Adding cargo aircraft as a platform would offer many more options for using MALDs, on both combat strike and cargo missions. MCALS’ steel, birdcage-like framework body sits on a standard cargo pallet, and can hold as many as 8 MALDs. At a pre-determined altitude, the ramp is opened and MCALS rapidly ejects the MALDs, which then initiate a standard wing deployment and engine ignition sequence.
March 10/11: The Us Navy posts FedBizOpps notice #N0016411RWS47: “14—SOLE SOURCE – MINIATURE AIR LAUNCHED DECOY (MALD)/ MINIATURE AIR LAUNCHED DECOY JAMMER (MALDJ)”:
“Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division plans to enter into a five year Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) with Raytheon Missile Systems… ceiling in the amount of [$12.5 million, for] engineering, logistics and test support, test item hardware and software, support equipment hardware and software, prototypes, test and assembly fixtures, repair services, training, and various data products. This requirement will be negotiated on a sole source basis in accordance with the statutory authority 10 U.S.C. 2304©(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1…. The POC for information regarding this requirement is Mr. Matthew Lucas, Code CXMN, telephone (812)854-8864, fax 812-854-3805 or send a request via e-mail (E-MAIL preferred)....”
May 5/10: Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ receives a $96.7 million MALD low rate initial production contract for a 24-month effort, to include operational test and evaluation. Raytheon expects to supply 300 MALD decoys. At this time, $89.8 million has been committed by the 692th ARSS/PK at Eglin Air Force Base, FL (FA8682-10-C-0007).
Raytheon has already delivered more than 100 units to the USAF, and this Lot-III order for 300 is nearly equal to the total of Lots I and II combined. Additionally, the contract requires the delivery of the MALD-Jammer in preparation for the MALD-J initial operational test and evaluation phase. Raytheon release
April 30/10: Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ receives a $53.1 million contract to develop the MALD-J active jamming variant. This includes the associated engineering, program management, supportability, mission planning, modeling and simulation, hardware fabrication, production readiness, software and testing efforts. At this time, $24.5 million has been committed by the 692th ARSS/PK at Eglin Air Force Base, FL (FA8682-10-C-0010).
During EMD, Raytheon will put MALD-J through an aggressive series of free-flight and captive-carry tests, in order to meet the required operational availability date of 2012. Raytheon states that MALD-J has successfully completed all 27 test events so far, culminating in a free-flight test in December 2009, and a 2nd free-flight test April 27/10. Production is expected to begin in 2011. Ken Watson, the U.S. Air Force’s MALD program manager, explains the stakes:
“In executing the MALD-J program, Raytheon has been ahead of schedule and under budget for 39 months in a row…. The success of this program is crucial because it will reduce or eliminate the need for manned stand-in jamming aircraft.”
March 31/10: Raytheon announces that they have now delivered “an operationally significant quantity” MALD decoys to the USAF, allowing the service to reach its “required assets available” as scheduled. Raytheon had committed to a 2010 delivery schedule in 2003.
Raytheon will continue to deliver additional MALDs to the U.S. Air Force, and expects to deliver its first system to the U.S. Air Force in 2012. It also says that it “continues to make progress developing a jamming variant of the MALD.”
Feb 18/10: Raytheon announces that the USAF completed a critical design review (CDR) for the MALD-J variant. Passing the CDR follows completion of the 1st MALD-J free-flight test in December 2009. This sets the stage for a final system design and development and low rate initial production.
Jan 13/10: Raytheon announces that the USAF completed the 1st free-flight test of the MALD-J variant. The test demonstrated that the MALD-J has reached a technology readiness level 7 and sets the stage for the system to enter engineeing and manufacturing development. The Feb 18/10 announcement notes that the free-flight test was conducted in December 2009.
June 14/09: Raytheon announces that the company and the USAF completed a preliminary design review of the MALD-J variant.
March 17/09: Raytheon announces that the USAF accepted delivery of the 1st MALD low-rate initial production unit. With this delivery, Raytheon said that it is on schedule to meet the USAF required asset availabililty date of March 2010.
Jan 15/09: Raytheon announces that it received a $12.2 million USAF contract to study the feasibility of increasing power and adding a data link capability for the MALD-J. The contract requires Raytheon to integrate a data link and more powerful jammer amplifiers into the baseline MALD/MALD-J vehicle. Raytheon will also determine the technical feasibility and performance capability of MALD-J Block II prior to building and flight testing the new vehicle.
April 9/08: Raytheon announces that it received a 2-year, $80 million contract from the USAF for Phase II risk reduction for the MALD-J. The contract calls for Raytheon to further develop, integrate and test the MALD-J variant.
Feb 26/08: Raytheon announces that MALD completed government and Raytheon verificaiton team flght testing on Jan 11/08. This sets the stage for MALD to enter low-rate initial production later in 2008. The testing, which began in June 2007, put the MALD through a series of flight profiles including jettison and powered flight tests from both F-16 and B-52 aircraft.
Oct 24/06: Raytheon announces that a series of MALD vehicles demonstrated successful separation when launched from an F-16 fighter. The flight tests took place at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, under a development contract managed by the 728th Armament Systems Group. In total, 9 free-flight launches took place from May to July 2006 at Eglin.
Additional Readings
- Raytheon – Miniature Air Launched Decoy. See also brochure [PDF]
- GlobalSecurity.org – Miniature Air-Launched Decoy
- Deagle.com – MALD-J
- Wapedia - ADM-160 MALD
- Designation Systems – Northrop Grumman (Teledyne Ryan) ADM-160A MALD/ Raytheon ADM-160B/C MALD
- Defense News (June 15/09) – UK to Consider Raytheon MALD
- Aviation Week (July 18/08) – USAF Orders Early MALDs
