The US military is utilizing the “Airborne Decoy” technology, which allows small unmanned drones to simulate the radar signals and flight trajectories of fighter jets, causing enemy radars to misjudge the number and type of attacking aircraft, with targets appearing on some radars that do not actually exist.
Developed by Raytheon, the “Miniature Air-Launched Decoy” (MALD) electronic warfare system, military designation ADM-160 MALD, is a crucial weapon for modern air combat deception. These small unmanned drones can mimic the radar characteristics and flight paths of various American and allied fighter jets, creating “fake aircraft targets” on enemy radars. The newer version, MALD-J (ADM-160C), also has electronic jamming capabilities.
The operation of this system is not overly complex: operators deploy the MALD decoy vehicles in formation into enemy airspace, sending specific signals to enemy radars to make the small decoys appear as large fighter jets on enemy radars, leading to misjudgments on the part of the enemy. For example, in cases where the enemy has a tightly packed air defense system, the US military can deploy multiple MALD decoys to create an illusion of a large number of attacking fighter or bomber aircraft, forcing the enemy to activate their air defense systems early and disperse defensive resources, increasing the likelihood of US aircraft breaking through the air defense network and completing their missions.
Jonathan Kantor, a US defense contractor, describes MALD as an “aerial illusion” on the battlefield, capable of causing the enemy to misjudge the direction of the attack, waste air defense resources, or even reveal their air defense positions – thereby reducing the risk of US aircraft being detected and locked onto, increasing the success rate of operations.
The MALD system was introduced in the 1990s and is considered one of the crucial pieces of equipment for enhancing pilot survivability and penetrating enemy air defenses. In recent years, it has garnered renewed attention due to technological upgrades.
Building on the basic MALD decoy system, Raytheon has recently developed the “MALD-J” with electronic jamming capabilities, military designation ADM-160C. The MALD-J is a rare mass-produced electronic warfare decoy, with the Ukrainian Air Force already having records of its use since May 2023. Production of MALD had faced cost constraints previously but in mid-July 2026, Raytheon announced plans for a rapid restart of production lines to meet the urgent needs of the US military and NATO for air-launched decoys.
Kantor notes that while MALD may be shot down by the enemy, the cost of around $380,000 per unit is much more cost-effective compared to losing a $367.5 million F-22 fighter jet with a pilot.
MALD-J can simultaneously execute decoy and electronic warfare missions, either individually or in pairs, conducting electronic jamming as it approaches enemy radar systems, weakening the radar’s detection and tracking capabilities while maintaining sustained airborne surveillance in enemy airspace to support mission aircraft.
Both MALD and MALD-J are small air-launched vehicles that can be mounted on a fighter jet’s weapon pylons, launched by the carrier aircraft, and powered by its Hamilton Sundstrand TJ-150 turbojet engine, providing approximately 90 minutes of loitering capability.
These small air-launched vehicles, resembling missiles but without warheads, are equipped with electronic deception systems. With a total length of about 2.84 meters, a wingspan of around 1.70 meters, and a weight of about 45 kilograms per unit, they can reach a maximum speed of 0.91 Mach (approximately 1,123 kilometers per hour). Each decoy has a maximum range of approximately 575 miles (about 925 kilometers), assisting combat aircraft in penetrating enemy air defenses.
When used in conjunction with stealth fighters like the F-35A “Lightning II,” the effectiveness of the MALD system is further enhanced. As the MALD can replicate the radar characteristics of larger aircraft, enemy radars may misidentify it as a real aircraft; coupled with the advanced stealth technology of the F-35A, with lower radar cross-sections making detection more challenging, it confuses the enemy’s ability to accurately assess real threats.
Presently, MALD utilizes the traditional TJ-150 turbojet engine, but there are possibilities of introducing newer models manufactured using 3D printing technology in the future to improve performance and production efficiency.
This article references reports from technology media outlets SlashGear and BGR.