After the successful release of another R-73 missile, the test aircraft Tejas LSP-4 today test fired ‘Chaff and Flares’ from the indigenously designed Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS).
Chaff is a collection of fine fibre-coated aluminium particles released from the fighter aircraft for passive jamming of the enemy air-borne radar. Flares are high intensity Infra Red (IR) source fired from the fighter aircraft, which acts as a passive jammer to the on-coming heat seeking enemy missile and deviates it away from the target aircraft, said DRDO release.
Today’s test firing assumes significance as this is the first time indigenously developed CMDS was integrated and tested on an indigenous fighter aircraft with open architecture mission computer and digital stores management system.
The release and trajectory of these stores were closely monitored by another Tejas chase aircraft flown in close proximity of the test aircraft. Visual observation supported by analysis of video recording of the event indicated that the trial was successful, meeting the stipulated design requirements of the system.
The test was the culmination of a long journey of Tejas from a fledgling fighter aircraft to a full blown weapon system with passive missile and radar jamming capabilities. Tejas detachment has been operating from INS Hansa in Goa, conducting the last phase of flight trials before release to service by the year end. It test-fired one R-73 air to air close combat missile on November 30,the release said. The CMDS was developed by Bharath Dynamics Ltd (BDL), Hyderabad.