German sensor solution provider Hensoldt has completed extended flight tests of the “Kalaetron Attack” jamming system, proving its effectiveness against air defense radars of various types.
A demonstrator system on board a PC-12 test aircraft proved that it can detect even the latest air defense radars in near-mission scenarios and interfere with them by means of precisely directed jamming signals.
“Neutralizing enemy air defense radars is an essential prerequisite for the deployment of own air forces on the modern battlefield,” says Christoph Ruffner, head of the spectrum dominance & airborne solutions division at Hensoldt. “Our flight tests proved that Kalaetron Attack can combat ground-based threats to our air force and protect aircrews.”
The flight tests followed immediately after laboratory and ground tests, so that the effectiveness in the so-called “Airborne Electronic Attack” (AEA) mission has now been comprehensively proven. The verification flights from Augsburg airport followed scenarios of increasing complexity against various radars. They demonstrated the effectiveness of the latest technologies employed, as well as the ability to engage multiple targets and the use of various jamming techniques.
It is worth noting that Kalaetron will also be part of the payload of the Pegasus airborne electronic signals intelligence aircraft system that is being developed for the German Air Force.
The Kalaetron Attack jamming system is part of Hensoldt’s fully digital ‘Kalaetron’ product family, which is used in various forms in self-protection and signal reconnaissance systems by the German Armed Forces. In addition to cognitive elements of artificial intelligence, the core components are a fully digitalised, broadband sensor and an electronically controllable jammer.
Hensoldt says metallic 3D printing has enabled a condensed design of the electronic components so that the jammer can be integrated into pod formats commonly used worldwide or directly into various flying platforms.
Kalaetron Attack, as an escort jammer on board the Eurofighter, can significantly increase the Eurofighter’s assertiveness against highly integrated air defense clusters. Due to its scalability, the system can also be used in land- or ship-based applications.
