And Then There's MALD

And Then There's MALD: The

Air Force is anticipating that the jammer variant of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy will receive the Office of the Secretary of Defense's blessing this summer to enter production, according to recently released budget documents accompanying the service's Fiscal 2012 spending proposal. Accordingly, Air Force officials have requested funding for MALD-J production in the service's Fiscal 2012 budget request, in addition to continued funding to buy more of the baseline MALD, states USAF's newly unveiled 2011 posture statement (caution, large-sized file). The service is also requesting funding next fiscal year for the development of the MALD-J increment II system. MALD is designed to fool enemy air defenses by replicating the flight signatures of various combat aircraft. The decoy has already entered the Air Force's inventory. The jammer configuration is designed to disrupt enemy air defense radar. Raytheon is the supplier. (For background on MALD, read Time to Be Fooled from the Daily Report archives)

2/24/2011

On the Record

Mission One
"The health and safety of our pilots—all of our pilots—is our utmost priority. Our operational flight surgeons and our medical staff interact with our pilots on a daily basis."
—Brig. Gen. Daniel Wyman, Air Combat Command command surgeon, speaking to reporters during a teleconference, May 9, 2012. He was emphasizing that the Air Force is doing all it can to ensure the safety of F-22 pilots as service officials continue to home in on the cause of why some Raptor pilots have experienced hypoxia-like symptoms in the cockpit like difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, and nausea.

On the Record

Message to Congress
"If you give us force structure back, give us the money, too. Because the quickest way I know to a hollow force is to give us structure without money. Simple as that. . . . 'Make it work' is not a satisfactory solution."
—Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz articulating his message to lawmakers on the Air Force's Fiscal 2013 budget proposal during a speech at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012. The Air Force leadership has proposed reducing force structure and personnel next fiscal year in order to maintain a ready and capable force as the service absorbs significant spending cuts.