A new day Dawns for the MALD® Decoy

Raytheon is preparing a rapid production restart for the MALD decoy – a battle-tested, air-launched system that meets the U.S. and NATO allies’ surging and urgent demand for protection against enemy air defenses.

In military conflicts around the world, drone swarms and adversary air defenses are posing a threat to piloted fighter jets, unmanned systems and weapons launched from afar.

MALD’s mission is to attract and absorb enemy air defense fire by replicating the radar signature of high-value aircraft. It’s built for “stand-in” operations, meaning it flies close to threats so piloted aircraft, unmanned aerial systems and effectors can move through contested airspace with reduced risk.

Those who know MALD best say they can produce enough units to create the phantom fleet of decoys the U.S. and NATO allies need – and that it could begin shipping within two years of a contract award.