(Back to first page) Saab have recently demonstrated the successful deployment of the BriteCloud from a countermeasure dispenser flown on a Swedish Gripen fighter jet. On three test flights, EAD decoys were safely released from the countermeasure dispenser. The trial used a 55-mm diameter version of BriteCloud which is compatible with the standard chaff and flare dispenser size operated by Gripen fighter jets and other aircraft. In future flights Saab and Selex ES plan to test the actual performance of the BriteCloud 55-mm variant against representative threats.
The Gripen electronic warfare system is continuously updated to meet emerging threats and BriteCloud integration is an important step in this process,” says Hans Einerth, Wing Commander Flying at Saab. BriteCloud is a self-contained digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) jammer that is designed to protect fighter jets from complex threats such as RF-guided missiles and fire-control radars. After manual or automatic ejection from a standard chaff and flare dispenser, BriteCloud detects RF emissions and cross-references them against its pre-programmed threat library. Upon finding a match, the decoy applies advanced algorithms and emits a deception signal to defeat the threat radar and incoming missile so that the aircraft is able to carry on safely and concentrate on its mission.
