Speaking at the Typhoon Ministerial Meeting in Germany, Defence
Minister Stuart Andrew announced the beginning of a series of capability
tests of BriteCloud, a drinks-can sized missile decoy to protect combat
jets from the latest radar-guided missiles.
BriteCloud uses powerful radar emissions to disrupt the targeting
system within air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, drawing them away
to a safe distance. The device can be fired from an aircraft flare
dispenser without the need for modification to the aircraft.
Designed and manufactured in Luton by Leonardo, the miniature decoy
has been tested and released for the first time aboard the RAF’s fleet
of Typhoon aircraft. The MOD has been working with Leonardo on the
development of BriteCloud since 2012 and has so far invested £27m in the
system, with the project sustaining 50 jobs in Luton.
Defence Minister Stuart Andrew said:
Britecloud offers the RAF a powerful and cost-effective way to keep our pilots safer than ever on the frontline.
These trials show UK industry is once again at
the heart of defence innovation, providing our Armed Forces with
state-of-the-art capabilities and creating high-tech jobs across the
country.
The first Britecould trial with Typhoon aircraft took place in the UK
in April. Thirty three BriteCloud 55 rounds were dispensed from
aircraft flown by the RAF’s 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron against a
range of threats designed to mirror those faced on the battlefield.
Further trials are planned to ensure the decoy launches safely from
the aircraft and to develop a range of operational uses for the
technology on the battlefield, including adding the devices to military
helicopters and C-130 Hercules aircraft. The Typhoon trials will also
inform how such decoys could be used on the RAF’s Lightning stealth
jets.
Should the trials be succesful, the devices will be available for frontline aircrews by the end of 2019.
Sir Simon Bollom, CEO of the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, said:
Our ongoing partnership with Leonardo continues
to drive vital research and development that leads to the kind of
innovation demanded by our RAF today. The trials of BriteCloud on
Typhoon demonstrates how we are constantly striving to find a
technological edge and protect our service personnel.
Wg Cdr Pete Ward, SO1 Typhoon said:
The initial flight-trial of Bright-cloud from
RAF Typhoon aircraft was a key milestone in moving closer towards a
viable and extremely valuable capability for the warfighter; trials will
now move to operational testing and validation before the initial
operating capability is declared, planned at this time for later in 2019
The MOD invested £4.4bn with industry in in the South-East in 2017/18, sustaining almost 27,000 jobs across the region.
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