AFRL Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) Program

[Scott Kenny]

Valkyrie is many time bigger than MALD-J, of course it can carry jamming gear.
They have done crazier thing in the past, for example, putting AGM-65 and AGM-45 on small drone
View attachment 724416
View attachment 724417

Yes, but I wasn't expecting a Valkyrie to be packing the nearly 7000lbs of jamming gear that the EA-18G does, either.

Because when you say "EW/Jammer CCA" to me, I'm hearing "Growler replacement"

 

[Josh_TN]

7000 lbs is almost the XQ-58 MTOW. I have no idea what its payload consists of, but it is not that.

 

[Scott Kenny]

7000 lbs is almost the XQ-58 MTOW. I have no idea what its payload consists of, but it is not that.

Exactly my problem. A Q58 is not big enough to carry all the equipment as a Growler, and I don't want that volume of equipment split across multiple aircraft on the grounds that one of them may not even be flightworthy when you need it.

The way I see it, you need an EW CCA to carry at least that 7000lbs of gear, plus 2000 to 4000lbs of boom in the shape of a couple of AARGM-ERs and/or JASSMs or JSOWs for things that need to get blown up RIGHT NOW.

Yes, you might be able to reduce the weight of the EW gear, I'm sure just not using the pod skins would save a couple hundred lbs per pod-contents, minimum.

 

[aonestudio]

https://ir.kratosdefense.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kratos-demonstrates-xq-58a-electronic-warfare-capabilities

 

[Ronny]

Yes, but I wasn't expecting a Valkyrie to be packing the nearly 7000lbs of jamming gear that the EA-18G does, either.

Because when you say "EW/Jammer CCA" to me, I'm hearing "Growler replacement"

ALQ-99 only weight 950 lbs each, where did you get 7000 lbs from?

 

[Scott Kenny]

ALQ-99 only weight 950 lbs each, where did you get 7000 lbs from?

Wiki entry says 7000lbs of EW gear. Remember, there are 5 or 7 EW pods on a Growler. wingtips, 2 under each wing, and centerline.

 

[Ronny]

Wiki entry says 7000lbs of EW gear. Remember, there are 5 or 7 EW pods on a Growler. wingtips, 2 under each wing, and centerline.

1 ALQ-99 under each wing, 1 under belly, total 3 pods, that around 3000 lbs
2 wing tip pod are passive ESM ALQ-218 sensor, which look a lot smaller than ALQ-99, it should be a lot lighter too

 

[Josh_TN]

Exactly my problem. A Q58 is not big enough to carry all the equipment as a Growler, and I don't want that volume of equipment split across multiple aircraft on the grounds that one of them may not even be flightworthy when you need it.

The way I see it, you need an EW CCA to carry at least that 7000lbs of gear, plus 2000 to 4000lbs of boom in the shape of a couple of AARGM-ERs and/or JASSMs or JSOWs for things that need to get blown up RIGHT NOW.

Yes, you might be able to reduce the weight of the EW gear, I'm sure just not using the pod skins would save a couple hundred lbs per pod-contents, minimum.

Q-58 are not going to be able to replicate the EA-18's jamming pods in power or frequency range. But it probably can geo locate as a group using DToA, possibly with an option to jam at lower power on some target frequencies. The idea is to have something more available for reasonable cost, rather than have a high end solution that might not be deployable in theater or be purchased in sufficient numbers.

 

[Josh_TN]

Wiki entry says 7000lbs of EW gear. Remember, there are 5 or 7 EW pods on a Growler. wingtips, 2 under each wing, and centerline.

And a communications jamming system fitted internally in place of the gun.

 

[Josh_TN]

Yes, but I wasn't expecting a Valkyrie to be packing the nearly 7000lbs of jamming gear that the EA-18G does, either.

Because when you say "EW/Jammer CCA" to me, I'm hearing "Growler replacement"

I think it is more like a growler supplement. The only people using Growlers now adays is the USN anyway; the USMC cannot rely on them being in range and available in a conflict with China. Q-58 has both greater range and far more deployment options (rocket launch/parachute recovery) than an EA-18.

 

[_Del_]

Q-58 are not going to be able to replicate the EA-18's jamming pods in power or frequency range. But it probably can geo locate as a group using DToA, possibly with an option to jam at lower power on some target frequencies.

Bingo. Mostly networked ELINT. Use a group of the sensors to locate targets and threats for someone else. With enough bandwidth available, they could do all the processing on a ship or an E-2 (big part of your SWaP-C problems), but I don't know that this is what they are doing.
If it is low enough cost, you can also get them closer to threats than you would like to send a manned aircraft. And since the inverse-square law never seems to go away, closer means less wattage required for the same effect (or more effect for the same wattage). The (apparent) signature means it can probably get closer for a given wattage before burnthrough as well.

It's not going to be a one for one Growler replacement. It'll be part of a network enabling other drones or Growlers or Hornets or F-35's to do more with less.