GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
USAir Force plans to equip the Boeing B-1B with a new electronic countermeasures system could slip by up to 20 months because of problems encountered during integration of a fibre-optic towed decoy (FOTD) on to the bomber.
A complete restructuring of the defensive system upgrade programme has been proposed because of test failures with the BAE Systems ALE-55 decoy.
BAE believes deployment problems with the ALE-55 have been overcome, citing recent test successes, but meanwhile Raytheon has been funded to begin work on an alternative FOTD for the B-1, developed from its ALE-50 towed decoy, as a risk-reduction measure. The two companies are also gearing up for a competition to equip USAir Force Lockheed Martin C-130s with a fibre-optic towed decoy.
B-1 flight tests with towed decoy mass models have been under way for a year, to demonstrate safe deployment throughout the bomber's flight envelope, but test failures on the fourth and fifth flights in March and April, have led to a six- to nine-month delay in clearing the decoy. On the unsuccessful flights, the decoy "deployed to only a few feet behind the B-1", says John Nyilis, BAE integrated defensive electronic countermeasures (IDECM) development programme manager.
The issue proved to be the braking system, which actively controls deployment of the expendable decoy. Unexpected stresses caused the braking system to lock up, Nyilis says, adding that the problem has not been experienced with the same system on the Boeing F-15 and F/A-18 fighters. The hardware was redesigned and five consecutive successful decoy deployments were accomplished during three flight tests in June and July, he says. The next flight is due this week.
A further 15 deployments are planned to clear the decoy for the B-1's mission profile and combat manoeuvres. This will be followed by effectiveness testing, during which the decoy will radiate deceptive jamming signals generated on board the aircraft by BAE's ALQ-214 radio-frequency countermeasures system, which is also being developed under the IDECM programme. Nyilis says a decision on full-rate production of the IDECM system for the B-1 is now scheduled for fiscal year 2005.
The USAir Force is expected to issue a request for proposals later this year to equip the C-130 with a pod-mounted FOTD.
Source: Flight International
