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Thought it might be useful to have a Britecloud thread given its success...
Available in 3 disposable countermeasure forms...and an increasing number of recoverable or longer duration payload applications:
Britecloud 55 - The original cylindrical Britecloud, compatible with Saab style dispensers. Entered service in 2018 with RAF Tornado and used on Typhoon now.
Britecloud 55T - Aimed at the large aircraft market
Britecloud 218 - In the US 218 form factor. Cleared for use with F-16 and being integrated with F-35
Spear EW - A Britecloud development is the EW payload of this Spear missile variant (currently unclear if this is Britestorm)
Britestorm - Britecloud derived payload designed for UAV carriage
Stormshroud - A Britestorm payload mounted on a Tekever AR3 UAV
There may be others on the way...particularly on the UAV front as an EW platform or for self protection of systems like UAV.
uk.leonardo.com
As part of the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) investment in BriteCloud, the Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted initial trials on Tornado in early 2014. This was followed by a further trial in the USA during October 2015 using the Tornado GR4.
In supporting the US trials, extensive modelling and simulation of the various engagement scenarios was performed using Tactical Engagement Simulation Software (TESS) produced by Leonardo. TESS was utilised before, during and after the trials, with excellent correlation between the simulated and real world data.
2015 – Saab Gripen fighter aircraft successfully deploys BriteCloud
Swedish defence company, Saab, was the first to offer the decoy as an EW enhancement option on all versions of its Gripen fast jet, including the Gripen E. The aircraft is used extensively by the Swedish Air Force, and exported to other forces in Europe, South Africa and Thailand.
Saab’s first trials took place in Sweden during early 2015, using BriteCloud 55 which is compatible with the standard chaff and flare dispenser size operated by Gripen and other fighter aircraft including Typhoon. During three flights, BriteCloud was successfully deployed from a Gripen fighter.
2016 – Developing and testing BriteCloud 218
The successful trials of BriteCloud 55 by the Swedish Air Force and RAF were followed by the testing of BriteCloud 218, a smaller variant which is compatible with aircraft that use this standard size of flare cartridge, such as the widely-operated F-16 and F-15.
The 218 system was tested by the Royal Danish Air Force on one of their F-16 aircraft, fitting directly into the F-16’s standard flare dispenser with no integration work required. During the mission, the jet dispensed BriteCloud 218 in response to being locked onto by a real radar-guided surface-to-air missile targeting system. This trial proved that the technology has been successfully adapted into the smaller format and that it could be easily and quickly integrated onto a new platform type.
2016 – RAF purchases BriteCloud
The successful initial evaluation of BriteCloud led the RAF to purchase a significant number of the decoys in September 2016. This was part of a second stage to extend evaluation of BriteCloud’s protective effect with the RAF’s fleet of Tornado jets, and develop a ‘concept of operations’ (CONOPS) for the technology, which characterises the decoy’s behaviour in realistic scenarios and develops procedures for combat use.
2017 – A new impetus in BriteCloud development
In 2017, ongoing development of BriteCloud and associated EAD technology was strengthened further by Leonardo signing up as the first company to partner with the RAF’s newly-established Rapid Capability Office (RCO). The RCO was established to develop defence technologies and capabilities in a faster more streamlined fashion.
2018 – BriteCloud-T variant unveiled
The 55-T decoy is designed to protect large military transport aircraft such as Leonardo’s C27-J and third party platforms including the C-130, KC-390 and A400M from modern, radar-guided missiles.
2018 – BriteCloud goes into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF)
BriteCloud was cleared for service on the RAF’s fleet of Tornado GR4 aircraft, with Leonardo delivering a quantity of the countermeasures to the RAF for operations.
2019 – Leonardo conducts BriteCloud 55 trials for UK Typhoon
Leonardo was contracted by the UK MOD to support a series of trials in which BriteCloud 55 was being trialled for operations with the RAF’s fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
2019 - MBDA and UK MoD announce Spear-EW. A Spear missile using a Britecloud derived payload as a stand in jammer/decoy.
2022 – UK, Italian, Danish trials conducted
Trials involving Leonardo and the RAF with Italian Tornado aircraft and Danish F-16s proved the effectiveness of new decoy techniques, readying the countermeasure for future threats. The trials involved programming both the BriteCloud 55 and 218 with new threat-defeating waveforms, enhancing the range of techniques that BriteCloud can employ against threat radars.
2022 – U.S. Air National Guard issues ‘fielding recommendation’ for BriteCloud 218
Following successful trials under the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programme on US F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, the US Air National Guard issued a ‘fielding recommendation’ for BriteCloud 218. The US subsequently designated BriteCloud 218 as AN/ALQ-260(V)1, identifying it as an airborne electronic warfare countermeasure.
To add as leonardo haven't updated:
2024 - US Navy orders Britecloud 218 for F-35C and F-35B, undoubtedly more users will follow.
2024 - Leonardo announces Britestorm, a Britecloud derived payload with increasd power and size, designed for re-use
2025 - RAF announces Stormshroud a Tekever AR3 UAV equipped with Britestorm
Available in 3 disposable countermeasure forms...and an increasing number of recoverable or longer duration payload applications:
Britecloud 55 - The original cylindrical Britecloud, compatible with Saab style dispensers. Entered service in 2018 with RAF Tornado and used on Typhoon now.
Britecloud 55T - Aimed at the large aircraft market
Britecloud 218 - In the US 218 form factor. Cleared for use with F-16 and being integrated with F-35
Spear EW - A Britecloud development is the EW payload of this Spear missile variant (currently unclear if this is Britestorm)
Britestorm - Britecloud derived payload designed for UAV carriage
Stormshroud - A Britestorm payload mounted on a Tekever AR3 UAV
There may be others on the way...particularly on the UAV front as an EW platform or for self protection of systems like UAV.
BriteCloud
BriteCloud is the world’s first Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) Expendable Active Decoy (EAD), which delivers increased platform protection to fast-jet aircraft and their crews against a growing range of airborne and surface-based RF threats.
Trials Programme Timeline (From above)
2014-2016 – BriteCloud trials undertaken with Royal Air ForceAs part of the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) investment in BriteCloud, the Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted initial trials on Tornado in early 2014. This was followed by a further trial in the USA during October 2015 using the Tornado GR4.
In supporting the US trials, extensive modelling and simulation of the various engagement scenarios was performed using Tactical Engagement Simulation Software (TESS) produced by Leonardo. TESS was utilised before, during and after the trials, with excellent correlation between the simulated and real world data.
2015 – Saab Gripen fighter aircraft successfully deploys BriteCloud
Swedish defence company, Saab, was the first to offer the decoy as an EW enhancement option on all versions of its Gripen fast jet, including the Gripen E. The aircraft is used extensively by the Swedish Air Force, and exported to other forces in Europe, South Africa and Thailand.
Saab’s first trials took place in Sweden during early 2015, using BriteCloud 55 which is compatible with the standard chaff and flare dispenser size operated by Gripen and other fighter aircraft including Typhoon. During three flights, BriteCloud was successfully deployed from a Gripen fighter.
2016 – Developing and testing BriteCloud 218
The successful trials of BriteCloud 55 by the Swedish Air Force and RAF were followed by the testing of BriteCloud 218, a smaller variant which is compatible with aircraft that use this standard size of flare cartridge, such as the widely-operated F-16 and F-15.
The 218 system was tested by the Royal Danish Air Force on one of their F-16 aircraft, fitting directly into the F-16’s standard flare dispenser with no integration work required. During the mission, the jet dispensed BriteCloud 218 in response to being locked onto by a real radar-guided surface-to-air missile targeting system. This trial proved that the technology has been successfully adapted into the smaller format and that it could be easily and quickly integrated onto a new platform type.
2016 – RAF purchases BriteCloud
The successful initial evaluation of BriteCloud led the RAF to purchase a significant number of the decoys in September 2016. This was part of a second stage to extend evaluation of BriteCloud’s protective effect with the RAF’s fleet of Tornado jets, and develop a ‘concept of operations’ (CONOPS) for the technology, which characterises the decoy’s behaviour in realistic scenarios and develops procedures for combat use.
2017 – A new impetus in BriteCloud development
In 2017, ongoing development of BriteCloud and associated EAD technology was strengthened further by Leonardo signing up as the first company to partner with the RAF’s newly-established Rapid Capability Office (RCO). The RCO was established to develop defence technologies and capabilities in a faster more streamlined fashion.
2018 – BriteCloud-T variant unveiled
The 55-T decoy is designed to protect large military transport aircraft such as Leonardo’s C27-J and third party platforms including the C-130, KC-390 and A400M from modern, radar-guided missiles.
2018 – BriteCloud goes into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF)
BriteCloud was cleared for service on the RAF’s fleet of Tornado GR4 aircraft, with Leonardo delivering a quantity of the countermeasures to the RAF for operations.
2019 – Leonardo conducts BriteCloud 55 trials for UK Typhoon
Leonardo was contracted by the UK MOD to support a series of trials in which BriteCloud 55 was being trialled for operations with the RAF’s fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
2019 - MBDA and UK MoD announce Spear-EW. A Spear missile using a Britecloud derived payload as a stand in jammer/decoy.
2022 – UK, Italian, Danish trials conducted
Trials involving Leonardo and the RAF with Italian Tornado aircraft and Danish F-16s proved the effectiveness of new decoy techniques, readying the countermeasure for future threats. The trials involved programming both the BriteCloud 55 and 218 with new threat-defeating waveforms, enhancing the range of techniques that BriteCloud can employ against threat radars.
2022 – U.S. Air National Guard issues ‘fielding recommendation’ for BriteCloud 218
Following successful trials under the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programme on US F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, the US Air National Guard issued a ‘fielding recommendation’ for BriteCloud 218. The US subsequently designated BriteCloud 218 as AN/ALQ-260(V)1, identifying it as an airborne electronic warfare countermeasure.
To add as leonardo haven't updated:
2024 - US Navy orders Britecloud 218 for F-35C and F-35B, undoubtedly more users will follow.
2024 - Leonardo announces Britestorm, a Britecloud derived payload with increasd power and size, designed for re-use
2025 - RAF announces Stormshroud a Tekever AR3 UAV equipped with Britestorm
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