Self-protection demands grow: in common with many other aspects of defence, that of self-protection for aircraft is constantly being revised to counter new threats. That may be just fine for industry anticipating extra business but can prove to be a dilemma for procurement agencies that must ultimately decide what level of protection can be afforded and when.

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Electronics

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Self-protection demands grow: in common with many other aspects of defence, that of self-protection for aircraft is constantly being revised to counter new threats. That may be just fine for industry anticipating extra business but can prove to be a dilemma for procurement agencies that must ultimately decide what level of protection can be afforded and when.

For many years, self-protection (SP) systems have comprised passive Radar Warning Receivers (RWR) linked to powerful transmitters designed to alter the flight path of an incoming missile, or alternatively to trigger the deployment of chaff or flares. Some systems are integrally fitted in the airframe but more often are pod mounted to accommodate the various electronic receivers, antennas and transmitters necessary to deal with different threats.

Fixed-wing Protection

Now gathered into the Northrop Grumman product line, the AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod was first fielded in 1970 but has since been the subject of regular software updates. Fitted to aircraft types a...

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