Terma And Leonardo Launch F-16 Electronic Combat Integrated Pylons System

BY Diane Marini

Terma And Leonardo Launch F-16 Electronic Combat Integrated Pylons System – July 18, 2018 – Farnborough, UK (Techreleased) – Terma has partnered with electronic warfare experts Leonardo to offer a variant of its Electronic Combat Integrated Pylons System (ECIPS) with an integrated Leonardo Compact Jamming System (CJS). The new ECIPS/CJS product will be on show for the first time on both companies’ stands [Terma at Hall 2, stand 2440 and Leonardo at L1] at Farnborough Airshow, which runs during 16-20 July.

Uniquely, the new system gives an upgrade path to F-16 users who want to equip their platforms with a persistent, high-powered, modern defensive jamming capability without losing a weapons station: the ECIPS/CJS retains a full weapons carriage capability. The system provides effective protection from radar-guided threats by emitting powerful Radio Frequency (RF) signals to confuse enemy radar systems and prevent radar lock on to the host F-16.

The ECIPS/CJS, which employs Leonardo’s advanced Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) capability, can protect an F-16 against even the most modern radar-guided threats. Additionally, because of the Company’s approach to providing ‘open’ and user-programmable electronic warfare (EW) systems, the jammer can be kept up to date with a nation’s own EW threat library, maintaining sovereign capability.

Terma will offer the ECIPS/CJS as an ‘off-the-shelf’ product, having worked closely with Leonardo to fully integrate the CJS. Because the new system sits within the current envelope of the certified and operational Terma ECIPS+, on a typical F-16 Mid Life Update (MLU) jet there are no additional aircraft modifications required, making ECIPS/CJS simpler and less expensive to install when compared to an onboard jamming solution or towed radar decoy. Because the new product is designed and manufactured by Terma and Leonardo in Europe, it is also readily exportable around the world.

Benefits include:

ECIPS/CJS provides a modern self-protection jammer solution for the F-16 within the current envelope of the certified and operational Terma F-16 ECIPS+.

The CJS is a Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) combined with a techniques generator, receive antennas, transmitters, and power hardware in a compact form factor.

The ECIPS/CJS pylon is based on a certified and operational solution for Jammer installation while still retaining the Missile Warning System configuration.

The aircraft control is via the current Terma ALQ-213 EW Management System, including the Advanced Threat Display and may also include Terma’s Aircraft Audio Management System with 3D-Audio and Active Noise Reduction capabilities.

The ECIPS/CJS is complementary and fully compatible with Leonardo’s BriteCloud 218 expendable active decoy, to provide a further level of protection for F-16 jets.

The ECIPS/CJS can be installed on wing stations 3 or 7.

The ECIPS/CJS is designed to operate together with Terma’s PIDS+ countermeasures dispenser pylon on opposite wing stations 3 or 7.

SW changes are limited to implementation of a CJS driver in the ALQ-213.

No aircraft OFP changes required.

ECIPS/CJS envelope and weight is similar to current ECIPS configuration.