Ukrainian fighter jets carrying "ghost missiles" deceive Russian air defenses.

Ukrainian fighter jets carrying "ghost missiles" deceive Russian air defenses.

Friday, May 24, 2024, 23:59 PM (GMT+7)

Ukraine equipped its MiG-29 fighter jets with ADM-160 MALD decoys, nicknamed "ghost missiles," a type of equipment designed to deceive Russian air defenses during air raids.

On May 21, the Ukrainian_Front account on X posted photos of a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet performing a "low pass" maneuver (flying over the runway at a low altitude). The images show that each wing of the fighter jet is fitted with an ADM-160 Miniature Airborne Decoy System (MALD). (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

Each of these systems weighs approximately 136 kg, which is within the payload limit of the underwing pylons of the MiG-29 fighter jet. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The fighter jet carried no other weapons, except for auxiliary fuel tanks mounted between the engine air intakes. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

This is the first time information has emerged about Ukrainian MiG-29s being fitted with ADM-160 decoys, a type of weapon launched alongside real missiles during airstrikes to deceive enemy air defenses. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

In May 2023, Russian-appointed officials in the Lugansk province confirmed that Kyiv's forces had used this type of decoy in a missile attack on the province's capital, and also posted images allegedly showing fragments of the system. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

In December 2023, more images emerged of the remains of an ADM-160 decoy missile after launch, this time in the southern province of Kherson. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The ADM-160 decoy missile program originated in the 1990s and is based on deception tactics in warfare. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The US military wants to use the ADM-160 to impersonate "ghost fighters" or "ghost missiles" to deceive enemy air defense systems. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The ADM-160B is an upgraded version of the decoy missile project, which entered service with the US military in 2009. When launched from a fighter jet, the ADM-160B can simulate up to 100 different flying targets (from cruise missiles to stealth aircraft) throughout its flight path. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

Simulating targets confuses and overwhelms enemy air defenses, making it impossible to distinguish between real and fake missiles. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The ADM-160B can even deplete enemy air defenses of interceptor missiles due to its high firing rate. The ADM-160B can be launched from various aircraft, from F-16 fighters to heavy transport planes. In terms of size, the ADM-160B is 2.384 meters long, has a wingspan of 1.72 meters, and a diameter of 15 cm. The ADM-160B weighs approximately 115 kg. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

This type of decoy missile is equipped with a jet engine that allows it to fly at a speed of Mach 0.9. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The ADM-160B has a service ceiling of 12,200 m and an operational range of up to 920 km. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The ADM-160B can operate continuously for approximately 45 minutes and make multiple consecutive rounds around an enemy air defense zone. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

The unit price of an ADM-160B decoy missile is approximately $322,000. The ADM-160B has been used in combat by the US and its allies and has proven highly effective. (According to TWZ, RIA Novosti, Sputnik.)

PV (According to ANTĐ)

Source: https://danviet.vn/tiem-kich-ukraine-deo-ten-lua-ma-danh-lua-phong-khong-nga-20240524154509332.htm