10 to 45,000 feet: US Navy’s subsonic drone gets electronic decoy to deceive enemies

The U.S. Navy is set to enhance its electronic warfare capabilities by partnering with BAE Systems to create a new towed decoy system for use on the BQM-34S target drone.

Officials from the Naval Air Systems Command, based at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland, have recently disclosed their intentions to enter into negotiations for a new contract.

This contract will focus on developing an ALE-55 towed decoy, a sophisticated system intended to enhance the capabilities of the Northrop Grumman BQM-34S aerial target drone.

The ALE-55 is designed to improve the effectiveness of electronic warfare operations by drawing enemy attention away from manned aircraft and critical assets, thereby ensuring greater operational safety and mission success.

The collaboration with Northrop Grumman aims to push the boundaries of aerial target systems, ultimately benefiting military training and real-world combat scenarios.

U.S. Navy’s subsonic drone

The BQM-34S Firebee is a subsonic, high-performance aerial target that is recoverable and remotely controlled.

Capable of reaching speeds up to 0.9 Mach and flying at altitudes between 10 feet and 45,000 feet, this uncrewed drone can simulate enemy aircraft behavior, offering a realistic platform for air-to-air combat training.

It boasts an impressive payload capacity, making it valuable for fleet training, research, development, testing, and evaluation of various weapon systems.

Officials from the Navy are moving forward with plans to award a sole-source contract to BAE Systems this summer, with expectations for delivery within seven months following the contract signing.

BAE Systems is the only contractor with the expertise to integrate the ALE-55 system within the BQM-34S and deploy the relevant electronic warfare pod system on full-scale fixed-wing aircraft.

The ALE-55 Advanced Off-Board (AOB) Pod, which BAE Systems manufactures exclusively, plays a crucial role in the Navy's strategy for countering radar-guided threats.

This airborne jamming pod is an electronic countermeasures tool designed to generate various electronic noise and deceptive signals, effectively disrupting enemy radar and missile systems.

The ALE-55 synchronizes with the Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets.

It emits complex countermeasures signals from a transmitter that trails behind the aircraft, deceiving incoming radar-guided missiles and thus enhancing the aircraft's defensive capabilities.

The towed decoy's onboard electronic system works with the Super Hornet's advanced electronic warfare system to jam radar seekers in air-to-air missiles, making it easier to divert threats away from the aircraft.

New electronic warfare decoy

The ALE-55 can detect threats in its acquisition mode by identifying radar signals aimed at the Super Hornet.

Once a threat is detected, it employs sophisticated jamming techniques to prevent the radar from locking onto its target.

The system can determine the most effective countermeasure strategy by analyzing the incoming radar signal, ensuring the aircraft's safety from potential missile strikes.

The advanced system includes an onboard electronic frequency converter (EFC), pivotal in processing and transmitting data.

The EFC converts radio frequency signals from the aircraft’s electronic warfare system into coded data, which is sent via fiber optics to the towed decoy, optimizing the effectiveness of the countermeasures.

With this contract, the Navy reaffirms its commitment to maintaining cutting-edge technology in electronic warfare, Military Aerospace reported.

The collaboration with BAE Systems enhances the BQM-34S’s capabilities and emphasizes the military’s continued investment in advanced systems to ensure air superiority against evolving aerial threats.

As this partnership unfolds, the Navy aims to bolster its training and operational readiness, preparing its personnel to meet modern warfare's challenges effectively.