Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
Flight testing of the Northrop Grumman miniature air launched decoy (MALD) is expected to be complete early next month, with the focus shifting to winning funding for an initial production run of 3,000 units.
The MALD, built by Northrop Grumman's Ryan Aeronautical Center in San Diego, California, is being developed under a US Air Force/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiative. The 2.3m (7.5ft)-long vehicle has deployable wings and a 50lb-thrust (0.2kN) turbojet that enables the decoy to fly up to 460km (250nm) and altitudes of 35,000ft (10,670m) at high subsonic speeds for up to 20min. The on-board electronics generate a false radar track that fools an enemy's air defence system into believing it is a full-size combat aircraft.
"We have about six to seven more flights to go, with some increases to the envelope expansion planned," says DARPA programme manager Col Walter Price. Results show that MALD "produces the kind of signature we expected. It has got to the point in the flight test where we are comfortable with its capabilities".
Fifteen flight tests have been conducted at Edwards AFB, California, in which the MALD has been launched from the wing of a Lockheed Martin F-16. "We've also had more than 10 other captive carries by operational units," says Price. The tests with operational units based at Nellis AFB, Nevada, were part of the original MALD programme goals. They prove the round can be carried and operated without major modifications to either the aircraft or ground-handling systems.
The MALD is designed to be built at an average unit flyaway price of less than or equal to $30,000 and have a 15-year shelf life. "We've been making sure that we have a manufacturing process in place to build a vehicle for $30,000. Now we are evaluating that what we have designed and built is a usable vehicle," Price adds.
The engine costs around $8,500, while the most expensive component is the avionics and electrical subsystem, which has an $11,000 cost target.
The test team has overcome early reliability problems with the Hamilton Sundstrand-developed TJ50 turbojet by improving the oil supply to the bearings. "We haven't seen that problem in the last few flights, so we think we've resolved that," says Price.
"We are also giving it a better 'in-the-box' life, so we are doing things to improve the capability of the oil system," he adds.
Source: Flight International
