(August 11, 2016) The B-1B Lancer was recently brought to the Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF), the largest anechoic chamber in the world, for testing of its ALQ-161 threat protection system.
“The ALQ-161 is a receiver/transmitter that detects and identifies threat radio frequencies then applies the appropriate jamming technique to protect the B-1 while on missions,” reported Edwards.af.mil. The goal is to enhance the bomber’s survivability.
Rodney Brooks, 579th Software Maintenance Squadron, out of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, said, “The ALQ-161 receives all of the radio frequency energy when it’s flying and will process it and determine if it’s a threat, and then it can set up automatic jamming to jam that RF energy from a missile, aircraft or ground missile.”
Data was being collected from “directional signal testing, antenna pattern testing and system channel testing” to observe “how the ALQ-161 responds to signals and what the system is looking at when it sees signals out in the field,” according to Edwards.
To read more, click here.
