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LEONARDO EYING NEW MARKETS
FOR BRITECLOUD EXPENDABLE

ACTIVE DECOY

Leonardo is eyeing new markets for its world-first BriteCloud
expendable active decoy. The company had recently debuted the
expendable active decoy in Japan. There has also been an increase in
requirements for sophisticated Radio Frequency (RF) protection
across the Asia Pacific region. BriteCloud is a life-saving
countermeasure that provides high-tech protection from radar-
guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. Many regional
operators have expressed an interest in BriteCloud, which ANG has designated the BriteCloud 218 as AN/
can be carried by combat, transport and special mission aircraft. The ALQ-260(V)1 in US service.
BriteCloud expendable active decoy can also be fitted on maritime
patrol aircraft such as the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force’s Fired like a flare, BriteCloud contains a power-
(JMSDF) P-1. ful miniature jammer that sends out convincing
‘electronic decoy’ signals that seduce incom-
BriteCloud’s unique combination of latest-generation threat ing missiles towards the decoy as it falls away
protection with extremely low integration costs continues to generate from the aircraft. BriteCloud is unique in that it
significant international interest and Leonardo is in talks with employs ‘gold-standard’ RF technology known
a number of Air Forces internationally about the capability. as Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM),
BriteCloud is now undergoing evaluation for potential service with which allows BriteCloud to tailor its ‘electronic
U.S. Armed Forces under the Office of Secretary of Defence (OSD) decoy’ signal to the specific threat radar, allow-
Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programme. The U.S. Air National ing it to fool the radar in the most effective
Guard (ANG) has issued a ‘fielding recommendation’ for Leonardo’s possible way.
BriteCloud 218 variant, tested on US F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. This
means that the service, which has conducted an extensive testing Leonardo’s original BriteCloud 55 decoy (a
and live trials campaign with BriteCloud since 2019, is confident slightly larger variant, compatible with round
that the decoy meets and, in some instances, even exceeds oper- 55mm flare dispensers such as those on the
ational requirements, delivering an increased platform protection Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen C/D), is
capability to 4th generation fighter aircraft like the F-16. The U.S. in service with the UK Royal Air Force.

MORE WARSHIPS BEING FITTED WITH ASELSAN’S GOKDENIZ CIWS

Turkish defence firm Aselsan’s Gokdeniz close-in weapon system tion types as needed. In addition to anti-ship
(CIWS) is gaining export interest from regional navies. An increasing missiles, Gokdeniz is also effective against heli-
number of export customers have already opted for the CIWS, which copters, fighters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)
has already been selected by Turkmenistan for its largest warship,’ and asymmetric surface naval threats.
Deniz Han’, designed by Turkish shipyard Dearsan Shipyard and built
in Turkmenistan in a joint venture (JV) between Gülsan and Dearsan
Shipyard. The Pakistan Navy is another Gokdeniz CIWS customer
having installed them on its Babur-Class (MILGEM) multi-mission
corvettes. The Gokdeniz CIWS will also be integrated on the Turkish
Navy’s Istanbul Class Frigates, which is the second phase of the
MILGEM programme for four warships. The CIWS is one of several
products offered by Aselsan for the export market and the Turkish
defence firm has gained sales to 15 new countries since 2018 for its
growing range of defence equipment.

Aselsan tested the Gokdeniz CIWS prototype on a Turkish Navy ship
in May 2018, wherein a high speed target drone having a speed
greater than 180 m/s was used to represent an antiship missile. It
can engage targets in sea-skimming scenarios and offers autono-
mous target detection, tracking and firing with the ability to destroy
targets at long-range. The system with the automatic link less
ammunition feed mechanism allows loading both HEI and airburst
ammunition at the same time and switching between ammuni-
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY APRIL-MAY 2023 | 31