EADS Missile Warning System successfully flight-tested on Danish F-16
* Reliable detection of heat-seeking missiles
* Adaptation to fighter aircraft environment on track
Paris/Ulm, 13 June 2005
EADS Defence Electronics has successfully conducted first test flights with its missile warning system MILDS on a Royal Danish Airforce F-16 at RDAF airfield Aalborg. MILDS is an advanced, sensor system which detects and tracks the UV emissions of approaching missiles including the most prevalent threat of heat seeking shoulder launched missiles.
As reported by EADS during the Paris Air Show, the purpose of the flight test campaign was to collect valuable reference data of the MILDS operating in the combat aircraft environment for its software adaptation. Furthermore, the aim was to qualify TERMA's testbed-pod, which is housing the MILDS system for the trials. The missions (4 flights with more than 6 flight hours in total) included several supersonic parts as well as high altitude flights and both the pod and the MILDS system proved to withstand the environment. Sensor data were successfully recorded in various scenarios including afterburner operation, missile firings and flares ejection both from own-ship and wingman aircraft.
The MILDS system presently undergoes an adaptation to meet specific requirements in a fighter environment. Operation of a missile warner on a combat jet superimposes specific stress to the equipment (temperature, vibration, g-load, shock etc.), typical speeds flown are much higher and space available for physical airframe integration is much less than on helicopters or wide body aircraft. The flight test results proved that the established adaptation path is on the right track. They also provided the engineers from EADS and DDRE (Danish Defence Research Establishment) with sufficient data to finalize specifications and to set up test criteria for the initial flight trials planned for mid 2006.
The Air Material Command of RDAF contracted EADS Defence Electronics in July 2004 to deliver the latest version of the AN/AAR-60 Missile Launch Detection System, the AN/AAR-60 (V)2, dubbed MILDS-F, for their F-16. To the benefit of the program, RDAF and DDRE are actively supporting the adaptation of the EADS missile warning system and its integration into TERMA's wing weapon pylons PIDS+/ECIPS+ in terms of providing the testbed aircraft and testpilot as well as aircraft related know how from the very beginning of the program.
MILDS-F is using the proven key components of the very successful MILDS missile warner, which is operated as the standard missile warning device on helicopters and transport/mission aircraft world wide.
For the Danish programme, the EADS DE self-protection system will be integrated into TERMA A/S’ Pylon Integrated Dispenser System (PIDS+) and Electronic Combat Integrated Pylon System (ECIPS+) and linked to the AN/ALQ-213 EW Management System. The Danish solution will be marketed worldwide by the companies EADS DE and TERMA A/S.
EADS Defence Electronics is the Group´s Sensors, Avionics and Electronic Warfare House and is an integrated part of the EADS Defence and Security Systems Division (DS). DS, with revenues of about € 5.4 billion in 2004 and roughly 24,000 employees across ten nations, forms the defence pole within EADS. It offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and homeland security units. It is active in the areas of military aircraft, missile systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems with manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), battlefield management systems, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, and related services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004, EADS generated revenues of € 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of about 110,000.
Contact
Lothar Belz
EADS Defence Electronics
Ulm
Germany
Tel.: +49 (731) 392-3681
mailto: lothar.belz@eads.com
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