The U.S. Air Force and Raytheon have begun operational testing of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy Jammer (MALD-J). After completing a highly successful developmental test phase, the MALD-J team achieved four successful flights in four attempts.

MALD-J adds radar-jamming capability to the basic MALD platform. MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles. MALD protects aircraft and their crews by duplicating the combat flight profiles and signatures of U.S. and allied aircraft.

"MALD saves lives by saturating enemy integrated air defense systems, causing them to pursue the wrong target instead of attacking our aircraft," said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems' vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "With MALD-J, we are building on this combat-proven decoy to provide the warfighter with even more capability."

During 2012 test firings, MALD and MALD-J achieved 13 successful flight tests in 13 attempts. More MALD-J flight tests are scheduled for the remainder of the year. On Sept. 6, Raytheon Missile Systems marked the delivery of the first MALD-J to the U.S. Air Force during a ceremony at the company's Tucson facility.

MALD and MALD-J
+ MALD confuses enemy air defenses by duplicating friendly aircraft flight profiles and radar signatures.

+ MALD-J retains all MALD capabilities and adds a jammer.

+ Raytheon has begun MALD-J deliveries.