Tactical DIRCM Jamming Pod - Early Operational Assessment

摘要

Infrared-guided surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and air-to-air missiles (AAMs) continue to pose grave danger to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. Current tactics against these threats include the execution of evasive maneuvers and the dispensing of flare countermeasures. Improved self- protection capabilities that are essential to enhance aircraft survivability include: (1) the deployment of passive missile warning technologies capable of providing the earliest detection of the threat missile plume ignition and (2) the development of more effective covert laser-based countermeasure techniques. We describe here the development, fabrication, and testing of an operational prototype pod designed to protect U.S. Navy tactical aircraft against the most advanced infrared (IR) guided missile threats.