Breakout echelon. How modern combat aircraft penetrate enemy air defenses. How does the system of breaking through enemy air defense work in the Israeli army System of measures to combat enemy air defense
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14. Tactical techniques for overcoming air defense.
Based on the experience of local wars and military conflicts, aviation widely used the following tactics:
Bypassing zones affected by air defense systems;
Flight at altitudes and speeds that provide less time spent in the radar detection field and affected (firing) zones;
Performing complex types of maneuvers in zones of detection, auto tracking and destruction of air defense systems and fighter aircraft, which required increasing the distances and intervals between aircraft;
Flight in the most advantageous combat formations;
Strikes from various directions.
The accumulated experience of second-hand operations in Afghanistan and other local conflicts (North Caucasus) made it possible to avoid defeat from anti-aircraft artillery and short-range air defense systems in the simplest ways: going to heights beyond the affected areas (4-5 thousand m), leaving extremely low altitudes and flight performing anti-aircraft maneuvers with the simultaneous use of electronic warfare equipment.
The use of tactical techniques by aviation in combat operations in Vietnam and the Middle East led to an increase in the consumption of anti-aircraft missiles per loss from one to fifteen, and air-to-air missiles - from one to six.
Combat capabilities of FBA and SHA aircraft.
Su-24MK bomber aircraft.
The FBA is armed with the Su-24MK aircraft. It is designed to launch missile and bomb strikes in simple and adverse weather conditions, day and night, in a wide range of altitudes with targeted destruction of ground and surface targets in manual and automatic control modes. The aircraft is equipped with equipment that allows it to fly around the terrain at an altitude of 200 m at a speed of 1300 km/h. The possibility of such a flight significantly increases the survivability of the aircraft in combat.
The aircraft has an in-flight refueling system. The design of the landing gear allows the aircraft to be used not only from concrete runways, but also from unpaved airfields. To reduce the mileage, the aircraft is equipped with a braking parachute. The Su-24MK has modern radio-electronic equipment with electronic warfare equipment.
On-board radio-electronic equipment includes: a sighting and navigation system, an on-board computing device, a radio communication and navigation system, and state identification equipment. The aiming and navigation system, together with radio navigation equipment, makes it possible to solve the following tasks: entering an aircraft into a specified area, detecting targets and hitting them with aerial bombs from level flight and from a nose-up, issuing target designations to missiles, detecting radar stations and launching missiles at them, warning of collisions with ground obstacles, automatic or semi-automatic control during landing.
The aircraft has 8 weapon mounting points. Air-to-ground guided missiles, as well as unguided missiles, can be used from an aircraft. Air-to-air missiles are suspended to hit air targets.
The aircraft has a built-in 30 mm cannon. GSh-30-6 or 23 mm, capable of hitting ground targets. To destroy ground targets from an aircraft, free-fall bombs, adjustable aerial bombs, cluster bombs, incendiary tanks and nuclear bombs can be used.
Su-25 attack aircraft.
The Su-25 aircraft is in service with the SHA units. Combat survivability is ensured by powerful armoring of the cabin and vital system components. It has an armored cabin, special 65mm thick glass that can withstand bullets and shell fragments. The aircraft is equipped with a unique weapon system and the I-251 sighting system, which provides automatic recognition and tracking of small targets, target designation and automatic guidance of guided missiles to the target, as well as control of the launch of unguided missiles and cannon firing.
For operations at night, a container with a Mercury IR television system is suspended from the aircraft. The detection and capture range is 10-15 km during the day, slightly less at night.
The aircraft's armament includes guided missiles and anti-radar missiles. the aircraft is equipped with a unique anti-tank system “Vikhr”, which includes 16 supersonic guided missiles with a long-range launch of 10 km.
The electronic warfare equipment includes a complex of electronic reconnaissance, identification and suppression. The plane has blocks with 192 IR traps and dipole reflectors, as well as an IR jammer located in the tail section.
Combat capabilities of reconnaissance aircraft. The purpose and objectives of the RA.
Reconnaissance aviation, armed with manned and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, is designed to obtain information about enemy troops, terrain and weather in the interests of units and formations of the Air Force and other branches of the armed forces. In some cases, reconnaissance aircraft can destroy particularly important enemy targets that they have uncovered.
The main objectives of the RA are:
Establishing the locations of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles;
Revealing the locations of troops, defensive lines and enemy defense facilities;
Determining the nature of enemy transportation along railways, highways and other roads and routes of communication;
Identifying enemy aviation groupings, revealing the preparation of air and sea landings, establishing the location of fleet aircraft carriers, submarines, control posts and radio technical support for enemy actions;
Opening the enemy's air defense system;
Clarifying the location of objects before impacts;
Radiation and weather reconnaissance;
Determining the results of missile and air strikes.
To perform these tasks, the reconnaissance aircraft has on board reconnaissance equipment, as well as equipment for processing observation results, documenting and transmitting reports to the ground control point.
Conducting a war involves performing a variety of tasks, an increasing part of which is assigned to the air force.
The main form of use of air strikes is air strikes. They can be massed, concentrated, group or single.
Massive strikes form the basis of air offensive operations and are carried out by large heterogeneous formations with the aim of simultaneous fire impact of air-launched weapons against a large number of objects in a wide area.
Concentrated and group strikes are carried out by formations, units and subunits with the aim of reliably destroying one or more objects.
Single strikes are carried out by a flight or a pair of aircraft against one object.
All strategic facilities and troop groups are protected from air attack. It is called air defense (air defense). It includes air defense units and units that conduct combat operations to repel enemy air strikes.
When striking targets and troops, enemy aircraft will take into account all the strengths and weaknesses of the air defense system. Methods for overcoming it are constantly being improved and are enriched with new elements as new means of combating aircraft come into service.
The structure of an airborne attack on targets is not formulaic, however, almost always, in addition to strike groups, a detachment of forces usually includes several groups of aircraft for various purposes (active jamming from loitering zones, passive jamming and blocking of airfields, additional reconnaissance of targets, fire suppression air defense systems, direct fighter cover for strike groups). The actions of all groups are united by a common plan and coordinated in time, purpose and place.
The strikes are preceded by thorough reconnaissance. Its purpose is to determine the very “strengths” and “weaknesses” of air defense. Even in peacetime, the enemy studies the grouping of air defense forces and means, their characteristics, capabilities for destroying air attack weapons, and capabilities for strengthening and countering. During combat operations, he conducts continuous reconnaissance of changes in air defense capabilities.
Currently decided three main way overcoming the air defense system: evasion , neutralization And suppression . (ZVO 1995 No. 5)
Evasion combines tactical techniques for overcoming air defense without the use of weapon systems and jamming. The main ones are: the use of low and extremely low altitudes, bypassing the affected areas of air defense systems, performing various types of maneuvers, using night time, difficult weather conditions and flight secrecy.
The use of low and extremely low altitude airborne weapons makes it possible to reduce their detection range. The time to prepare for opening fire is reduced and the time spent in the affected area of the air defense system is reduced. Flight in a PMV, skirting the terrain, provides almost complete camouflage and, as a result, surprise in delivering strikes. The likelihood of an air defense system being hit by air defense missiles is significantly reduced due to the influence of the earth's surface on the quality of radar signals (due to multiple reflections from uneven terrain).
At the same time, flying in MV and PMV significantly complicates pilot training and reduces the effectiveness of combat use of aviation.
The complexity of aircraft navigation increases, which leads to inaccuracy in reaching the target area. Without finding the target immediately, the pilot is forced to make a repeat approach. In this case, the element of surprise is lost and the likelihood of an aircraft being hit by fire from portable air defense systems increases many times over.
When preparing for a low-altitude flight, the route is carefully studied on the map, and control landmarks are selected on it every 5...10 minutes. flight. If possible, the route is chosen along a railway or highway, river bed, etc. Most modern aircraft are equipped with special equipment (radar and computer), which allows them to fly around the terrain in automatic mode.
When flying at MV and PMV, the performance of the aircraft crew decreases. The pilot gets tired after 15-20 minutes of flight as a result of tedious tracking of the leader, the distance to the ground and constant aerodynamic shaking.
Fuel consumption increases almost threefold and the combat radius is halved.
Another trick evasion is to bypass the affected areas of air defense systems. It became possible after a qualitative improvement in electronic reconnaissance means, which find the direction of the air defense electronic systems that have come into operation and identify them by radiation parameters (survey, target designation, guidance). In this case, the flight duration increases, as a rule, by 30-40% due to the curvature of the path.
The main goal of the maneuver is to reduce the effectiveness of the combat use of air defense systems. Modern on-board equipment provides the pilot with information about the radar radiation that currently poses the greatest threat, and warns him of the need to begin an appropriate maneuver in order to disrupt the attack.
Based on the time and place of execution, the maneuver can be divided into maneuver against control And maneuver against fire (anti-missile).
Maneuver versus control is carried out before aircraft enter the air defense launch zones and is carried out through sudden changes in aircraft courses. Its goal is to mislead the combat crews of control points and attract as many air defense forces as possible to attack secondary targets, distracting them from the main ones and thereby making it easier for them to overcome the air defense system. Such actions complicate the situation and lead to difficulties in targeting and assigning tasks to units.
The maneuver of a single aircraft is carried out by changing the direction, speed and altitude of flight. The maneuver of a group of aircraft can be carried out by various rearrangements of their battle formations.
Anti-shooting maneuver is carried out in the launch and engagement zones of air defense systems in order to reduce the effectiveness of missile defense fire. It is carried out by a sharp change in the course, altitude and speed of the aircraft when a missile launch is detected. The launch of a missile defense system can be detected using special equipment or visually. The maneuver is usually carried out under the cover of electronic interference.
Demonstrative and distracting actions are used to achieve surprise in a strike by diverting the main forces and air defense systems from the main (strike) aviation group to demonstrative and secondary ones. This task can be solved by both airplanes and UAVs. To mislead the enemy the following can be used:
actions of demonstrative (distracting) groups;
maneuver against control;
the creation of intensive flight zones from which sudden departures and aviation breakthroughs to attack targets are carried out), etc.
To divert the attention of air defense forces from the defense of the main objective, a demonstrative strike can be launched at a secondary objective. At this time, the main strike group makes a covert approach and delivers a surprise attack on the main objective.
Demonstrative actions are a necessary element in the fire suppression of air defense systems, especially when using anti-radar missiles.
The main advantage of using night conditions, limited visibility And flight stealth is to reduce the capabilities of visually detecting airborne weapons and using anti-aircraft artillery weapons.
Neutralization– this is a difficulty in the operation of air defense systems without the use of fire on them. This is, first of all, a reduction in radar and thermal signature and electronic suppression of air defense electronic systems.
Radar signature is reduced by choosing the geometry of the airframe and applying radio-absorbing coatings to it.
Thermal – by choosing the design and location of the nozzles.
Electronic jamming includes:
use of electronic interference;
the use of decoys and infrared decoys.
The main purpose of jamming is to exclude or complicate the detection and destruction of aircraft of strike groups and to ensure that they strike targets.
The greatest impact on the functioning of radio-electronic air defense systems is exerted by the use of active radio-electronic interference.
It can be carried out:
by electronic warfare aircraft from loitering zones;
electronic warfare aircraft from combat formations of strike group aircraft;
strike group aircraft;
electronic warfare unmanned aerial vehicles;
thrown by interference transmitters.
An additional element of neutralization is the production of passive interference. Passive interference is formed as a result of the influence of the energy of electromagnetic waves on RES, scattered (reflected) by various reflectors or reflective means: dipole, corner and lens reflectors, reflective antenna arrays, ionized media and aerosol reflectors.
To mislead the enemy regarding the composition of the group, make it difficult to identify attack aircraft, and divert fire weapons from them, decoys and infrared decoys are used.
Methods of overcoming air defenses that do not involve the use of weapons (evasion and neutralization) are not always effective for the unhindered access of strike groups to their designated targets. A more effective way to overcome an air defense system is to suppression using air-to-ground guided missiles, specially designed for the destruction of air defense objects and having a homing system for studying radar.
Active jammers from loitering zones (based on current strike experience) jammed from ranges of 100-150 km throughout the entire raid from the main directions of action of the strike groups.
Passive jamming and airfield blocking groups created passive interference along the route of strike groups in front of the zones and in the zones affected by air defense missile systems, making it difficult for anti-aircraft missile units to control, and then went out to the airfield area, preventing fighters from taking off.
The target reconnaissance groups, acting in time with some advance in relation to the suppression groups and strike groups, had the task of determining the coordinates of launching and technical positions, command posts and other air defense systems by both visual observation and by calling the radar to emission.
Fire suppression groups, operating, as a rule, at low and extremely low altitudes (AL), went to attack targets and, using bombs, anti-radar missiles (ARMs) and cannon weapons, sought to disable air defense systems, air defense systems and other air defense systems.
The actions of strike groups intended to destroy defense targets were also supported by flights of distracting groups, electronic suppression groups and direct fighter cover.
The total composition of support groups can be 2-4 times greater than the size of the strike group.
To coordinate the actions of all groups, control aircraft are allocated to perform the functions of air command posts (ACCP).
The basic principles of the use of tactical and carrier-based aircraft are the massive use of them and surprise. Strikes, as a rule, are carried out in groups of 4 to 8-12 or more aircraft in typical wedge, bearing, diamond, column formations. The distance along the front is 1-2 km, in depth 4-8 km and in height 100-300 m. The raids are preceded by a thorough reconnaissance of the target.
The strike can be delivered by both guided and unguided missiles and bombs, incl. and nuclear. The main methods of bombing: dive bombing, pitching and vertical climb.
Strategic Airpower The US Air Force remains an important element of America's strategic offensive forces. It is able to ensure the delivery of weapons and destroy major targets in any area of the world within a few hours. The US military doctrine provides for the use of bombers in strategic offensive operations and to solve problems in the theater of operations together with general-purpose forces.
Strategic aviation in a nuclear war, the potential enemy intends to use it massively. At the same time, using up to 80% of the combat-ready SA, the second echelon, after the strike of ICBMs, SLBMs and TA. The KGU SA, armed with cruise missiles ALKM, AKM with nuclear ammunition and JASSM with a conventional landmine, will strike targets without entering the air defense zone and without violating the state border. Bombing at a target will be carried out, as a rule, after the suppression of air defense, from horizontal flight or a smooth climb. Each bomber is assigned to hit 3-4 targets.
After taking off and gaining altitude, strategic aviation proceeds to the refueling area and then to the control area (800-1200 km from the border), which serves to maintain the time schedule for striking targets and coordinating actions when overcoming air defenses.
Then the SA follows several combat routes 50 - 100 km away to the passive radio detection line, from which they switch to radio silence in combat formations of columns of groups consisting of 3-5 aircraft with intervals along the front between aircraft of 2-3 km, a distance of 8- 15 km, between groups 30-45 km.
Air defense will be strengthened by electronic warfare systems The Ministry of Defense plans to strengthen air defense divisions with electronic warfare (EW) battalions. Such units will be equipped with so-called anti-aviation electronic warfare systems. Highly mobile stations can interfere with radars and aircraft communications systems. As exercises and combat use in Syria have shown, the combination of air defense and electronic warfare will provide effective protection against high-tech air attack weapons. The Ministry of Defense is considering the inclusion of electronic warfare battalions in air defense divisions. The latter will receive three mobile electronic warfare systems - Moskva, Krasukha-2 and Krasukha-4. In the future, these battalions will be equipped with the most modern electronic warfare equipment - the Divnomorye mobile system. This decision was made based on the results of joint work of the Central Research Institute of Aerospace Defense Forces and the Research Testing Institute of Electronic Warfare. The study showed a twofold increase in the effectiveness of air defense and missile defense when working together with ground-based electronic warfare systems. The scientists' conclusions have been confirmed in practice in Syria. Modern mobile electronic warfare systems effectively counter air and ground detection systems. They are capable of jamming the equipment of cruise missiles, drones and aircraft radars that carry out guidance with powerful interference. Disoriented winged aircraft and drones become easy targets for air defense systems. New electronic warfare battalions will be able to “cover” an area of several hundred kilometers with interference. They will create an impenetrable curtain for the technical reconnaissance systems of a potential enemy and make it as difficult as possible to use aerospace attack weapons. This also applies to high-precision. Such battalions are used to cover command posts, troop groups, air defense systems, and important industrial and administrative facilities. Strengthening air defense units with electronic warfare is the right decision, which is based on Soviet experience, said the former chief of the Russian anti-aircraft missile forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Gorkov. In the Soviet army there were electronic warfare battalions that were part of air defense corps and divisions,” he said. - They were supposed to suppress on-board radar stations of aircraft and radio altimeter channels of cruise missiles. These units have proven their effectiveness. When electronic warfare was operating, it became difficult to pilot aircraft, and missiles went astray. Cruise missiles have areas where they adjust their position during flight. Having come under the influence of electronic warfare jammers, they rose much higher than the usual 50-meter flight altitude. At the same time, the missiles became easy targets for air defense. When carrying out the reform, the combat experience gained in Syria was taken into account. In particular, the attack of two drones on the Khmeimim airfield in April of this year has been seriously studied. Then the drones were intercepted by the joint efforts of electronic warfare and air defense systems. After detecting the targets, the electronic warfare system jammed the GPS signal in the area of the airfield, disabling the navigation and control system of the drones. Both drones immediately lost their course and began to circle chaotically, becoming excellent targets for the air defense battery. As a result, they were destroyed by the fire of automatic cannons of the Pantsir air defense missile system. A study of the wreckage of the vehicles showed that they were armed with homemade suspended bombs.
The conduct of air defense in a local war or armed conflict refers to the actions of air defense troops to carry out the combat missions assigned to them.
Air defense troops carry out combat missions both independently and in cooperation with fighter aircraft, neighbors, and electronic warfare units, using various methods and forms of combat operations.
In order to carry out their assigned tasks, air defense units and formations are deployed into battle formation in the positional areas of the covered troops. The combat formation of air defense units and formations is built in two or three lines, taking into account two or three times the overlap of affected areas. For deployment, air defense units are given positional areas, within which the main and two or three reserve positions are selected. In addition, it is possible to create false positions. Starting (firing) positions are equipped with access roads and must meet the basic requirements for them: closing angles in the responsible sector should be no more than 0.5°, the slope of the platforms should not exceed 4-5°. The main positions are assigned for combat operations, and the reserve ones for maneuver in case of deliberate or forced abandonment of the main position.
The distance of the air defense systems of the MSP (tp) anti-aircraft division is 1-1.5 km, the air defense means of the medical (td) - 3-5 km, the air defense systems of the Buk air defense missile system - 15-20 km from the front line in defense and up to 10 km in offensive The second line of batteries of anti-aircraft regiments med (td) is deployed at a distance of up to 20 km from the first line, and the distance of the second line unit in the zrbr is up to 40 km from the first line unit. Special technical support units are deployed at technical positions and must ensure timely delivery of missiles to launch positions.
Starting and technical positions are equipped in engineering terms with shelters for equipment and personnel. Positions and access roads are masked; if necessary, corner reflectors and masks are installed.
Command and reserve command posts are deployed in the unit's positional area and must ensure constant, uninterrupted control of air defense units and subunits throughout the entire operation.
During special operations in armed conflicts, when blocking airspace, it is possible to deploy anti-aircraft missile regiments (anti-aircraft divisions) in the area of the second line of air defense in order to create a continuous air defense zone on the outer perimeter and ensure the task of mutual cover of air defense systems.
As the direction of the enemy's main attack is identified, by decision of the combined arms commander, the covered units and formations, and therefore air defense systems, can maneuver.
Before the start of hostilities and during the battle, work is constantly underway at the command post of anti-aircraft units (formations) to collect information about the air enemy and issues of interaction with units and formations of a group of troops are worked out.
The adoption of precision-guided weapons (HPT) by most countries has led to the emergence of new forms of using air attack weapons:
- - deep defeat of the second echelons;
- - massive strike with precision weapons;
- - increasing the depth of continuous fire damage;
- - a sharp increase in the intensity of fire exposure.
Under these conditions, the air defense system does not fully provide reliable cover for troops and facilities from air strikes. As a result of a massive attack on troops using high-tech weapons, their losses could reach 30%.
To reduce the effectiveness of enemy air attack weapons, along with the creation of new models of air defense systems, other methods of combat use of anti-aircraft missile (artillery) units and subunits are being developed.
The main goals of introducing unconventional methods of combat use of anti-aircraft units (units) are:
- - ensuring surprise impact on air attack means;
- - misleading the enemy regarding the true combat formations of anti-aircraft units;
- - increasing the survivability of air defense forces and means.
During local wars and armed conflicts, the procedure for bringing air defense forces and means into readiness No. 1 with the outbreak of hostilities becomes of particular importance:
- - first of all, air defense systems capable of fighting ballistic targets and damaging elements of high-precision weapons are transferred to readiness No. 1;
- - in the second place, units and air defense units located in the zone of breakthrough of the air defense system by enemy aircraft are transferred to readiness No. 1;
- - then units and air defense units located outside the breakthrough zone, but capable of fighting enemy air attack weapons, are transferred to readiness No. 1;
- - the remaining air defense systems go into readiness No. 1, but without going on air in order to possibly reduce the time of entry into battle.
The protection of air defense troops from enemy high-precision weapons, along with the defeat of high-precision weapons by air defense means, is carried out by camouflaging troops, equipping false positions, creating reserve positions, and ensuring the frequency of changes in positions of air defense units.
In order to preserve the air defense system, the forces and air defense systems on duty, and with the beginning of repelling aviation strikes, the air defense systems that went on the air must alternately change positions after 10-15 minutes, and immediately after the launch of missile defense systems.
Air defense units that are in readiness No. 2 or have not gone on the air, air defense systems that are in readiness No. 1, change starting positions under the cover of aerosol interference (curtains) after 1-3 hours, depending on situation conditions. This order of operation of air defense forces and means can ensure an increase in the survivability of the air defense system as a whole by 20-30%.
During the conduct of combat operations in a local war, a mixed air defense group is created to combat directly with weapons and enemy aviation control units. The use of long-range air defense systems "S-400", "Antey-2500" makes it possible to fight enemy long-range radar detection (AWACS) aircraft. The destruction of the E-ZA Avaks AWACS aircraft leads to a reduction in the effectiveness of the use of enemy aircraft by 40-45%, and the E-8A aircraft leads to the disruption of the use of the Djisak missile launcher.
Notification of troops about the beginning of an enemy air raid is carried out both using the created control system and established signals.
November 22nd, 2014
How does the system of breaking through enemy air defenses work in the Israeli army?
As a preface. It just so happens that modern war remains a rather mysterious thing for the vast majority of people, even those who once served somewhere. Most often it is represented by films.
But they are often filmed by exactly the same civilians, which forms a vicious circle. It is certainly good that the long peace has made the picture of war something abstract. However, sometimes misconceptions form incorrect conclusions, on the basis of which erroneous decisions are made. But mistakes in life are certainly bad. For this reason, I think it makes sense to read this article. Its author conducted a competent and, most importantly, very clear analysis of how combat missions are actually solved. In this case, the task is to hack a ground air defense system that does not have air cover.
Israeli “opener” of air defense systems
The idea of writing this article arose on the basis of endless debates about the effectiveness of air defense and the obligatory nature of air cover for air defense missile systems. Many stubbornly insist that a fully echeloned air defense system is practically impenetrable; opponents object to them, arguing that air defense is “the poor man’s air force.” So who is right?
In this article we will discuss a scenario for breaking through a layered air defense system that does not have full-fledged air cover, based on Israeli-made technology and weapons. I chose Israel for several reasons: the endless debate about the supply of modern air defense systems to the Middle East region, and the real combat experience of such operations (“Artsav-19,” for example).
So, let's start the “battle”. Today, such an attack would be a planned operation, carried out simultaneously, using all the capabilities of the “network-centric warfare” principle and the full range of weapons. For the sake of the purity of the experiment, we will assume that the enemy also has a “network-centric” connection and will not use ground/sea launch systems (IAI Harop drones) and foreign-made systems (AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles) in the breakthrough.
The amount of funds will be directly proportional to the network being broken through, so we will leave the number of parties out of the equation. The formation of the air wing will be standard (by echelon) - multi-profile UAVs, fighters, AWACS and electronic warfare aircraft, and air tankers. And of course, the attack will be coordinated with the flight window of the reconnaissance satellites.
With over-the-horizon radars, such an attack would not be a surprise, but it leaves the enemy little time for maneuvers and preparation. Over-the-horizon interception (if the enemy has such a capability) is extremely unlikely. The AFAR of a fighter (and even more so an AWACS) is capable of almost 100% probability of disabling the radar seekers of head-on air defense missiles with a focused high-energy radio beam, if necessary, using group suppression of individual targets in the order of priority. This tactic makes it possible to concentrate hundreds of kilowatts on the receiver of a single seeker, practically burning its electronics in seconds.
Suppression of seeker using AFAR
For an effective breakthrough, it is first necessary to expose the enemy’s positions and, first of all, long-range air defense systems. Of course, the enemy will not turn on all of his targeting radars and will try not to reveal his positions if he considers the threat not serious enough. Therefore, at the forefront of the air wave will be decoys, for example, “ATALD” (Advanced Tactical Air Launched Decoy & Aerial Target) produced by IMI. Their task is to make the enemy believe in the need to use “everything that is possible and what is not” to repel an attack of this scale.
This is, in fact, an autonomous drone launched from a fighter, its primary task is to create as many plausible decoys as possible on enemy radars. One “ATALD” can simulate an entire flight of fighters or cruise missiles on several radars simultaneously, tuning to their range and giving the decoys realistic behavior (maneuvering, evading).
The drone is insensitive to electronic warfare equipment because it does not conduct radio reconnaissance; its main task is to “sparkle like a Christmas tree on New Year’s Eve” and attract maximum attention. And its small size, radar-absorbing coating and spatial dispersion of decoys make it a difficult target for interception.
ATALD-Advanced Tactical Air Launched Decoy & Aerial Target
While target simulators will “troll the enemy” to detect the positions of their radars, satellites, AWACS and high-altitude radio reconnaissance UAVs will scrupulously record all incoming information, calculate the coordinates of targets and instantly distribute this information to the entire air force.
Aircraft AWACS "Nahshon-Eitam" (IAI) with EL/W-2085 (Elta) system
Reconnaissance satellite equipped with synthetic aperture radar "Polaris" aka Ofek-8 (IAI)
High-altitude long-range radio reconnaissance UAV 4X-UMI Heron TP (IAI)
The second echelon, slightly behind the imitators, is followed by a swarm of Delilah cruise missiles at extremely low altitudes. Their task is to go as deep into enemy territory as possible by the time targets are distributed, and their launch range is 250 km. IMI “Delilah” is small in size and does not emit radio waves when used in stand-alone mode. Target detection occurs at geographic coordinates using GPS or inertial navigation, and the electro-optical/thermal imaging seeker or radio source guidance seeker (anti-radar version) is responsible for final targeting.
The first targets of the missile defense system will be electronic warfare sources, long-range air defense systems radars and main communication centers. The ability to unite into a “flock”, attack simultaneously from several sides, or “make a clearing” in a short-range air defense system guarantees high efficiency in hitting main targets.
IMI "Delilah"
Popeye Turbo ALCM can also be used as a weapon to hit particularly distant targets. This aircraft version of the Popeye Turbo SLCM missile has a range of over 350 km.
Popeye Turbo ALCM (Rafael)
As soon as the enemy is deprived of long-range air defense systems and main electronic warfare stations, the air group reduces the distance and cheaper weapons are used. The medium-range air defense radar will be hit using Popeye Lite missiles (at ranges up to 150 km), as well as Spice-1000 adjustable glide bombs (at ranges up to 100 km).
Popeye Lite (Rafael) on a fighter pylon
Spice-1000 (Rafael) on a fighter pylon
SAM positions left without radar, inaccurately designated positions, as well as their supply bases are cleared using “MSOV” (Modular Stand Off Vehicle) from IMI. This is essentially a large gliding drone carrying on board a different range of weapons - from cluster warheads to individually targeted guided munitions. His task is to reach the given coordinates, find the target and open the bomb bay. MSOV weighs more than a ton and has a launch range of up to 100 km. Guidance - GPS/INS.
MSOV - Modular Stand Off Vehicle
Fighter-bombers armed with Spice-250 glide bombs will “finish the job” of short-range air defense systems, clear launch sites, communications centers and control headquarters. Each aircraft can drop 16 of these munitions, 113 kg each. EW cover for each link will be provided using a Skyshield Jammer POD on one of the aircraft. This proven system operates over a 360-degree radius, automatically responding and adjusting to radiation sources.
Spice 250 (Rafael) against the background of a mock-up of an F-16 with full ammunition
SKY SHIELD Airborne Support Jammer (Rafael)
Our “mission” has come to an end. I apologize in advance for the “abundance” of performance characteristics, but this is not a technical catalog, but a speculative experiment. Thank you all for your attention.
