EW integrated with uncrewed aerial systems will undergo testing with U.S. Army
NewsSeptember 27, 2023
U.S. ARMY JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. June 2023 saw the U.S. Army conduct extensive testing for the Multi-Function Electronic Warfare – Air Large (MFEW-AL) capability, starting with initial testing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and continuing throughout the summer with developmental testing and Soldier Touch Points at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, and Fort Drum, New York.
According to the report about the testing from the U.S. Army, the MFEW-AL system uses a modular open-system approach that is tailored to adapt to changing threats, complete with a graphical user interface.
Dr. Leslie Litten, chief engineer for MFEW-AL, said that the system will enable users to see farther than other equipment. “Commanders will be getting information in near-real-time because MFEW brings [information] to the tactical edge,” said Litten.
During the summer 2023 testing, the MFEW-AL was mounted to an MC-12W Liberty aircraft, giving the users a picture of the electromagnetic spectrum wherever it flew. Originally, the system was tested on a specialized Gray Eagle engineering aircraft and later a Twin Otter; the Army asserts that testing on various platforms showcases the MFEW-AL’s platform-agnostic capacity.
The Army report states that the MFEW-AL team plans to formally integrate the MFEW-AL onto an MQ-1C Gray Eagle uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), with the goal of obtaining airworthiness certification in fiscal 2024; the following year, the team plans to execute the initial operational test and evaluation of the MFEW-AL.
