Electronic warfare could be revolutionised when new Drone Radar Electronic Enhancement Mechanism (DREEM) tech-nology is in widespread use on manned aircraft, towed decoys and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Details of DREEM technology to be deployed on the Bristol Aerospace Hokum-X and Vampire test targets to deceive enemy air defences have been released by John Andrews of Boeing Defense and Space Group.
Andrews showed conference delegates concepts of the DREEM being used in conjunction with strike aircraft, taking advantage of the system's capability to send enemy radars doctored returns.
Using radio frequency signature augmentation science, the DREEM device returns altered signals that make enemy radar think a small UAV is a large fighter, propeller transport or helicopter. Andrews said company's miniature air launched decoy (MALD) would successfully emulate a F-16 sized fighter.
The Hokum-X programme uses a reconfigured Bell AH-1 Cobra to simulate a Russian Ka-50 Hokum attack helicopter and the Vampire is a UAV fired from MLRS and Harpoon missile launchers to simulate missiles and fixed wing aircraft. DREEM is used to generate a radar return that mimics the Russian machines contra-rotating design.
Source: Flight Daily News
