We all know about fighter aircraft deploying chaff to try and defeat incoming radar guided missiles. Leonardo a global aerospace company has been working with the United Kingdom to develop a radar jamming decoy named BriteCloud.
The company says that it is developing BriteCloud into a “third generation EAD, details of which are currently classified.” The new UK government investment to help achieve this is coming via the RAF’s recently established Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), which is supposed to bring new technology into service via a faster, more streamlined procurement process.
BriteCloud takes advantage of the miniaturization of electronics to package a battery-powered radiating decoy into a canister no larger than a drink can. It can therefore be dispensed from the standard flare cartridges that are fitted to most fast jets. Leonardo says that it protects them from modern radar-guided missiles that are able to outwit older countermeasures such as chaff, or radiating onboard jammers that are susceptible to “home-on-jam” techniques. – AINonline
Leonardo reports successful live trials of the system but apparently it has not become operational yet with the two customers they currently have, the RAF or the Swedish air force.
Featured image by Leonardo
