Fire leads to delays for USAF air launched decoy

Delays caused by an engine fire are holding up the transfer of control of the Northrop Grumman ADM-160A Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) programme to the US Air Force.

MALD completed two captive carriage flight trials in October, but failed a test in December when the decoy's Hamilton Sundstrand TJ50 turbojet caught fire. MALD is designed to spoof enemy air defence radars by simulating fighter mission profiles. Flight testing will not resume until a DARPA and Northrop Grumman inquiry into the fire is completed. The programme will not shift to the USAF until two successful flight tests are undertaken.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is completing the MALD advanced concept technology demonstration before transferring it to the USAF's Lethal Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses Program Office at Eglin AFB, Florida for engineering and manufacturing development. An engine oil problem and GPS signal interference have also delayed the switch, though the company believes these have been fixed.

Source: Flight International