In operational use by numerous customers, including the US Navy and the Israeli Air Force, the air-launched decoy is an aircraft-launched standoff decoy, which appears as a "real " target on enemy radar screens. By replicating fighter aircraft, ITALDs suppress enemy missile effectiveness and support air-to-surface missions while assuring mission success, crew safety and aircraft survivability.
ITALD performs all missions autonomously, aided by a GPS and navigation sensors. It can be launched from most fighters without any modification to the aircraft's on-board avionics. ITALD fly along a variety of preprogrammed mission maneuvers. As no maintenance is required, it can be programmed shortly before flight. With a 160 NM operational range, ITALD offers numerous features and advantages: excellent maneuverability, flexible and realistic flight profiles - including a programmable speed of MO.45 - MO.8, variable altitude of 500 - 30,000 ft, multiple way-point trajectory, launch and forget concept, multiple carriage on standard bomb racks, and a terrain-following flight capability.
ITALD is a powered version of TALD, designed to achieve longer operational range (160 NM) and better maneuverability for more realistic flight profile. ITALD has the same size and weight of TALD, and is equipped with a small turbo-jet engine, enhanced avionics and terrain-following capability. It fitted with a Teledyne CAE-312 turbofan, which provides 0.78 kN (80 kg/177 lb) thrust and was developed for a cancelled anti-radar cruise missile named "Tacit Rainbow". ITALD has a ventral intake for the turbofan, and a radar altimeter so it can maintain low-level flight at a specified altitude over the ground.
The ITALD is an air launched, preprogrammed, powered RF active vehicle used to deceive and saturate enemy integrated air defenses during strike aircraft operations. It is a Preplaned Product Improvement towhead that adds turbojet propulsion and low-level navigation capability to the TALD. All four versions are compatible with and can be launched from the A/A37B-6E Multiple Ejector Rack (MER), A/A37B-5E Triple Ejector Rack (TER) or a BRU-42 Improved Triple Ejector Rack (ITER).
All versions are approximately 92 inches long with a nominal 10 inches include width and height. The chaff vehicle weighs approximately 172 kg, while all RF passive and active versions weight approximately 181 kg. A computer within each vehicle is preprogrammed with flight profile data prior to loading. It provides flight management and controls of the vehicle through a series of planned maneuvers after launch. The ITALD has enhanced terrain tracking capability and an extended flight envelope for expanded missions.
ITALD has a speed of Mach 0.8 and range of 280 kilometers (175 miles) at altitude. It can be launched from the ground using a RATO booster, as well as air launched. First flights were in 1995, with trials completed in 1996. At that time, Brunswick got out of the defense business, but the project was picked up by IMI. The US Navy is now asking IMI to add a Global Positioning System / Inertial Navigation System (GPS-INS) autopilot to ITALD.
ITALD performs all missions autonomously, aided by a GPS and navigation sensors. It can be launched from most fighters without any modification to the aircraft's on-board avionics. ITALD glides along a variety of preprogrammed mission maneuvers. As no maintenance is required, it can be programmed shortly before flight. With a 160 NM operational range, ITALD offers numerous features and advantages: excellent maneuverability, flexible and realistic flight profiles - including a programmable speed of
MO.45 - MO.8, variable altitude of 500 - 30,000 ft, multiple way-point trajectory, launch and forget concept, multiple carriage on standard bomb racks, and a terrain-following capability.
ITALD's inherent features make it a highly viable training solution. It appears as a legitimate target for air defence systems, enabling its use for training aimed at activating “enemy” acquisition systems, which then home in on the “real” target. ITALD provides excellent pre-mission training in preparation for every real-life scenario - making it an extremely cost-effective method for air combat training in which ITALD serves as the target. With programmable flight profiles, ITALD can be used for training at various levels of difficulty.
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January 26,2003
Israel Military Industries (IMI) has received a US Navy contract for the supply of an additional 140 advanced ITALD (Improved Tactical Air Launched Decoys). IMI is the sole supplier to the US Navy of the aircraft-launched standoff decoys which appear as "dummy" targets on enemy radar screens. By replicating fighter aircraft, ITALDs suppress enemy missile effectiveness and support air-to-surface missions while assuring crew safety and aircraft survivability. The new contract is valued at approximately $22 million.
ITALD is an advanced version of our combat-proven TALDs, which have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to saturate enemy radar screens and divert enemy anti-aircraft activity. During the Gulf War, TALDs created safe corridors for US and allied aircraft on route to Iraqi targets. The upgraded ITALD was created in light of the TALD's success. |
