Future countermeasures for fighters...

I have been reading quite a bit about the upgrades in air to air missle tech and it started me thinking. I researched some of CM's(countermeasures) that are imagined for future fighter techs and most revolve around a laser. The kind that anti ballistic missle 747 employs but on a smaller scale. I made this post to get some ideas on things that are not high energy weapons that could be employed within a few years not 10. My idea was a "flechette"-type cannister that is propelled from the rear of a craft and explodes , releasing the shrapnel from a shaped charge, at a certain distnance from the weapon. We have the detection tech to know when a missle is locked on in fighters ...use that to help guide the CM's. I am by NO MEANS an engineer but let's see what you guys and girls can come up with

Actually the latest one being tested that will soon start to see service is a towed decoy. They've been testing it over the last couple of years, and it has been rather successful and seems to not have an adverse affect on the aircraft towing it.

I saw that also...however it seemed like a one shot deal to me, so i really didn't pay it any mind. I can't see that working in a dogfight for use against multiple targets and SAMS.

From what I've heard, they're small enough that they can carry multiple decoys. Or there wouldn't be a point in carrying them.

Hmm have to read into that then...I passed over it because I envisioned it as a ELF antannae from a sub...lol.

[edit on 29-6-2008 by djvexd]

The ALE-50, which started development in the late 1990s, would fit 2 on an F-16, and 8 on a B-1B. The B-1 would carry two magazines of four under the aft fuselage and deploy them in pairs.

The new generation is the AN/ALE-55. It's less of a target decoy as it is a jamming platform. It's connected fiber optically to the carrier aircraft. It uses jamming to try to decoy the missile, and as a last resort it will make itself the target.

The RAF has been flying towed decoys (non retractable) on tornado F3 for years.
The Typhoon has a retractable decoy deployed in one of the wing tip housings. This is one of the differences between UK and Other nations Typhoons.(they don't all have them)
I am sure WAYNOS can supply the necessary details as I can't remember where I read it. (Airforces monthly I think, but hey my memory aint what it used to be)

Originally posted by djvexd
Future countermeasures for fighters...

Well, if your considering at low energy lasers, currently IR lasers are used to try and blind IR seekers, albeit with limited success. No doubt refinements of that concept will continue to find their way onto aircraft in the future.

reply to post by kilcoo316

the only problem with that is that next gen A2A missles and SAMS are starting to use multiple forms of detection and tracking for help ensure "final commitment". That is why I think DARPA and the USAF are looking more into "active countermeasures".



[edit on 30-6-2008 by djvexd]

My favorite counter measure has always been a good pilot with his (or her) finger on the trigger of a Vulcan.

reply to post by HatTrick

one problem...lol....vulcans don't face to the rear...