TUCSON, Ariz., July 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air
Force awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) $34.8 million to demonstrate upgraded electronic
warfare capabilities for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer
missile. Development of the new version of the MALD-J, called
MALD-X, will be completed in only 24 months and will culminate in
two flight demonstrations.
"MALD-X will build on the successful MALD platform to
demonstrate the advanced electronic warfare capabilities needed
today and in the future," said Mike
Jarrett, Raytheon vice president of Air Warfare Systems.
"MALD-X creates an upgrade path for the current MALD-J program of
record and meets the requirements for the MALD-N, a net-enabled
decoy/jammer for the U.S. Navy."
MALD is a flying vehicle that confuses adversaries by posing as
friendly aircraft. MALD-X, a modular weapon designed for the
Strategic Capabilities Office under the U.S. Secretary of Defense,
will demonstrate an improved electronic warfare payload,
low-altitude flight and a datalink that will allow the weapon to
communicate with other net enabled systems.
"MALD-X will allow the Air Force and Navy to quickly move on to
the next generation of MALD, providing a substantial increase in
capability and potential mission areas," said Dr. Will Roper, director of the Special Capabilities
Office at the Office of the Secretary of Defense. "The program will
provide the combatant command with a flexible capability that will
address key needs in multiple regions of the world."
MALD-X is a uniquely collaborative effort, contracted and
managed by the MALD Program Office at Eglin Air Force Base in
Florida, with program oversight
from the SCO and shared technical management by both the Air Force
and Navy.
About MALD and MALD-J
MALD® is a state-of-the-art, low-cost, expendable flight vehicle
that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than
300 pounds and has range/endurance of approximately 500 nautical
miles and 90 minutes. MALD-J adds radar-jamming capability to the
basic MALD platform.
- MALD confuses enemy air defenses by duplicating friendly
aircraft flight profiles and radar signatures.
- MALD-J maintains all capabilities of MALD and adds jamming
capabilities.
- Raytheon began delivery of MALD-Js in the fall of 2012.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of
$23 billion and 61,000 employees, is
a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil
government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of
innovation spanning 94 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art
electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™
products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for
customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in
Waltham, Mass. Visit us at
www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.
Raytheon Company
Missile Systems
Tucson, Ariz.
Media Contacts
Farnborough
John B. Patterson
+1.520.794.4559
Tucson
Ashley Mehl
+1.520.794.5142
rmspr@raytheon.com
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SOURCE Raytheon Company