ALQ-144
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The AN/ALQ-144, AN/ALQ-147, and AN/ALQ-157 are US infrared guided missile countermeasure devices (
IRCM An infrared countermeasure (IRCM) is a device designed to protect aircraft from infrared homing ("heat seeking") missiles by confusing the missiles' infrared guidance system so that they miss their target ( electronic countermeasure). Heat-se ...
). They were developed by Sanders Associates in the 1970s to counter the threat of
infrared Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...
guided
surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...
s like the
9K32 Strela-2 The 9K32 Strela-2 (; NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) is a light-weight, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile or MANPADS system. It is designed to target aircraft at low altitudes with passive infrared homing, infrared-homing guidance and dest ...
. While decoy flares were effective at jamming first generation infra-red
guided missile A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of Propulsion, self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor. Historically, 'missile' referred to any projectile that is thrown, shot or propelled towards a targ ...
s, each flare was only effective for a short period. If an aircraft needed to loiter over a high risk area or was flying slowly (as helicopters do), it would require a large number of flares to decoy any missile fired at it. The IRCM provided constant protection against infra-red guided missiles. The ALQ-144 and ALQ-147 were first delivered to the
US military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. U.S. federal law names six armed forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard. Since 1949, all of the armed forces, except th ...
in 1981. Currently there are over 3,500 in use with the US military, and a total of 6,000 in use by nineteen countries globally. Seven hundred ALQ-157 systems are currently in service. In accordance with the
Joint Electronics Type Designation System The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System (AN System. JAN) and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Depa ...
(JETDS), the "''AN/ALQ-144''", "''-147''" and "''-157''" designations represent the 144th, 147th and 157th designs of an Army-Navy airborne electronic device for special countermeasures equipment. The JETDS system also now is used to name all
Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
electronic systems.


ALQ-144/ALQ-147

Both systems consist of a heated
silicon carbide Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum (), is a hard chemical compound containing silicon and carbon. A wide bandgap semiconductor, it occurs in nature as the extremely rare mineral moissanite, but has been mass-produced as a powder a ...
block or cesium arc-lamp that radiates a large amount of infra-red energy. It is surrounded by a large cylindrical mechanical shutter that modulates the infra-red output, producing a pulsing pattern. Early infrared guided missiles used a rotating
reticle A reticle or reticule, also known as a graticule or crosshair, is a pattern of fine lines or markings built into the eyepiece of an optical device such as a telescopic sight, spotting scope, theodolite, optical microscope or the electronic v ...
. When a target was not on the sensor's centerline, it would produce a pulse as the reticle swept over the target. When the target was on the sensor's centerline, the sensor would produce a constant signal. This constant signal was required by the early missiles to produce a "lock on" that would allow a launch. The ALQ-144 and 147 IRCM produced a pattern of pulses that was approximately synchronized with the rotation rate of these reticles. Before launch this would prevent the missile actually locking onto the target, preventing the operator from firing the missile. After launch this would cause the missile to think that the target was off to one side and cause the missile to steer away from the aircraft carrying the IRCM. The introduction of rosette and "staring" scanning techniques in second generation missiles reduced the effectiveness of the ALQ-144 and 147; later upgrades restored the effectiveness of the jammers. The ALQ-144A was rushed into US service in time for the
1991 Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
, as Iraq had stocks of 9K34 Strela-3 and 9K38 missiles, against which the ALQ-144 was only partially effective. By the time the war started, two-thirds of the AH-64 Apaches in the persian Gulf had been upgraded to ALQ-144A standard. The only AH-64 Apache lost to an infra-red guided missile was hit by a 9K34 Strela-3 missile; the helicopter in question was one of the few that had not been upgraded. The ALQ-144's distinctive appearance has earned it the nicknames "disco light", "disco ball", "mirror-ball" or "R2-D2".


ALQ-157

Produced by Loral, the system consists of two emitters, each one covering one side of a large aircraft. The system is microprocessor controlled and has five pre-set jamming patterns.


Specifications


Variants

* ALQ-144 electrically powered IRCM ** ALQ-144A upgraded system to deal with more recent generations of IR guided missiles. **ALQ-144A(V)1 – Standard in helicopter jammer **ALQ-144A(V)3 – Added RFCM on/off switch **ALQ-144A(V)5 – Increased protection with a dual phaselocked transmitters and jam code selector switch on the operator control unit **ALQ-144A+ – Increased protection with the higher power **ALQ-144A+(5) – Increased protection plus with the dual phaselocked ALQ-144A+ transmitter * ALQ-147 mounted in a modified 150 US gallon (570 liter)
drop tank In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...
, it is a fuel powered IRCM. ** ALQ-147A upgraded system to deal with more recent generations of IR guided missiles. * ALQ-157 large aircraft version of the system fitted to
CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem-rotor helicopter originally developed by American rotorcraft company Piasecki Helicopter, Vertol and now manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The Chinook is a Military transport helicopter, heav ...
and
C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
aircraft, consists of two units, each giving semi-circular coverage. ** ALQ-157M upgraded system to deal with more recent generations of IR guided missiles.


See also

* Boeing EA-18G Growler * CAMPS Civil Aircraft Missile Protection System *
Electronic countermeasures An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to countermeasure, trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny ...
* Electronic warfare * Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler * List of military electronics of the United States


Related ECMs

*
AN/ALQ-99 The AN/ALQ-99 is an airborne electronic warfare system, previously found on the EA-6B Prowler and now utilised by the EA-18G Growler military aircraft. The ALQ-99E version of the system was carried on the EF-111A Raven aircraft as an escort or ...


References

* ''War in the Fourth Dimension'', Dr Alfred Price, * ''The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems'', Norman Friedman, {{Electronic warfare navbox Missile countermeasures Military electronics of the United States Equipment of the United States Air Force Electronic warfare equipment Military equipment introduced in the 1980s Electronic countermeasures