Staff Sgt. Areal Johnson, 57th Maintenance Squadron Precision Guidance Munitions crew chief, completes post-load checks on a Miniature Air Launched Decoy/Jammer ADM-160C/J missile at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 22, 2014. The MALD-J is launched mid-air and can match the cruising speed of an F-16 Fighting Falcon. The MALD-J takes ground radar signals and sends them back to the source at an amplified level to mimic any type of aircraft. The goal of mimicking an aircraft is to distract enemy ground radar and surface-to-air missile sites, and possibly have the enemy SAM sites expend munitions on the MALD causing them to give away their position, while the actual friendly aircraft are able to get past the enemy and complete their mission. In addition to acting as a decoy, the MALD-J also has the ability to jam the enemy’s ground-based radar. Before the MALD-J leaves the ground, it has various mission scenarios programmed into it before flight. The pilot can then choose a specific pre-programmed scenario to match the real-world situation. The role of the 57th MXS is to provide flight support preparation and storage for the missile. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Spangler)
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