NASHUA, N.H. - BAE Systems has been selected by the U.S. Navy to develop Dual Band Decoy (DBD), one of the most advanced radio frequency (RF) countermeasures in the world. DBD is a cutting-edge RF self-protection jammer that shields fighter jets from enemy attacks.

Expanding the capabilities of BAE Systems’ combat-proven ALE-55 Fiber-Optic Towed Decoy, DBD consists of a towed unit connected by fiber-optic cable to electronic warfare equipment onboard the aircraft. The decoy delivers the latest jamming technology to disrupt enemy radars and lure missiles away from the aircraft. DBD can be launched by the pilot or automatically in response to threats, offering critical protection in highly contested airspace.

“With Dual Band Decoy, we are building on the ALE-55’s years of mission success as a high-powered jamming system,” said Don Davidson, director of the Advanced Compact Electronic Warfare Solutions product line at BAE Systems. “Dual Band Decoy delivers broad capability that can be installed on a variety of aircraft and is upgradeable to address future threats.”

Dual Band Decoy incorporates the company’s custom integrated circuits, enabling higher performance and more capability with reduced size, weight, and power. DBD is an integral part of BAE Systems’ Intrepid Shield™ approach to creating a protective sphere around platforms in highly contested battlespaces using the full electromagnetic spectrum to detect, exploit, and counter advanced threats.

DBD will be initially fielded on the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Work on DBD will be performed at the company’s state-of-the-art facilities in Nashua, N.H.

Source: BAE Systems
Associated URL: https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/home

BEIRUT - Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) general manager Temel Kotil announced plans to build 20 KAAN fifth-generation fighters for the country by 2028. According to Turkish media, Kotil stated, "This aircraft is better than the F-35."

Following Turkey’s dismissal from the F-35 program in 2020 due to the country’s acceptance of a Russian air defense system, KAAN’s indigenous production became a major focal point.

Although a KAAN prototype completed a second test flight last week, the comments suggest an overly optimistic timeline. Kotil reportedly indicated many more aircraft will be delivered in the early 2030s to field a Turkish KAAN fleet of "hundreds of aircraft."

Source: Breaking Defense
Associated URL: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/05/tai-exec-claims-20-turkish-kaan-fighters-to-be-delivered-in-2028/
Author: Agnes Helou 

KYIV - Ukrainian forces have used the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) on a Russian airfield located in the Crimea. A series of powerful explosions reportedly occurred at the Belbek air base on May 15.

The ATACMS may have carried M74 M74 cluster submunitions. This operation may have targeted ammunition bunkers and fuel depots located at the Belbek air base. An unknown number of Russian aircraft also may have been hit in this attack.

Source: Kyiv Post
Associated URL: https://www.kyivpost.com/post/32701
Author: Stefan Korshak