AN / ALQ-161

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The AN / ALQ-161 is an airborne system for electronic countermeasures and electronic reconnaissance over short, medium and long distances. It is primarily from the US -Konzernen ITT Corporation and Eaton Corporation produces.

development

The ALQ-161 was designed from the beginning as a massive self-protection system for the B-1A Lancer . Development began in the mid-1970s on behalf of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). The requirements were very ambitious, so that the original system, which was introduced in the mid-1980s, did not meet the requirements. Therefore, in 1990 the requirements were lowered so that they could then be met with modified hardware and software .

As the US Air Force plans to use the B-1B for a few more decades in active service, the ALQ-161 is constantly being modified and improved. In July 2004, ITT received an order worth US $ 21.3 million to integrate modern computer components and innovative disruptive processes into the existing systems.

technology

The ALQ-161 is currently one of the most powerful and complex jamming systems for combat aircraft. It consists of over 120 interchangeable assemblies and is characterized primarily by its extreme energy consumption and very high weight. In return, however, the system can also effectively interfere with powerful radars of any type, even at great distances. The individual modules are arranged in such a way that they can cover the entire airspace. The components of the ALQ-161 are highly integrated and mostly work fully automatically, although they were originally controlled by an IBM -AP-101F computer, which was also used in the space shuttle . The individual jamming modules are equipped with phased array antennas , which can focus the jamming signals precisely on the target within milliseconds, whereby the effectiveness can be increased many times over, especially if the principle of random noise is used for the interference. Linked the numerous subsystems through the MIL-STD-1553 - data bus . The ALQ-161 also coordinates the use of the AN / ALE-50 system, which releases a trolling bait in the event of danger. This sends out a special electromagnetic signature in order to deflect radar-controlled guided weapons from the carrier aircraft. Furthermore, the dropping of conventional decoys is initiated fully automatically.

The ALQ-161 has proven to be very effective in various conflicts, although the B-1B's small radar cross-section also contributed significantly to self-protection. During Operation Allied Force , the machines used were intense and focused with SA-6 - aircraft missiles fired, but said there were no losses or damage. The ALE-50 drag bait alone was able to successfully fool more than ten guided missiles. However, due to the high complexity and mass of the system, there are often problems with reliability. However, larger programs to correct this deficit have always been canceled for reasons of cost, so that the ALQ-161 still requires a high level of maintenance.

Technical specifications

  • Weight: 2,500 kg
  • Frequency range: 0.2-25 GHz
  • Energy requirement: 120 kW

Web links