{"id":33473,"date":"2023-05-19T13:05:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-19T13:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2023\/05\/19\/fur-midable-us-air-force-pairs-angry-kitten-jammer-with-reaper-drone\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:39:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:39:17","slug":"fur-midable-us-air-force-pairs-angry-kitten-jammer-with-reaper-drone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/electronic-warfare\/2023\/05\/19\/fur-midable-us-air-force-pairs-angry-kitten-jammer-with-reaper-drone\/","title":{"rendered":"Fur-midable: US Air Force pairs Angry Kitten jammer with Reaper drone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. Air Force meshed fearsome with furry in tests of electronic warfare equipment aboard a widely used drone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service\u2019s 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron in April completed initial ground and flight testing of an MQ-9A Reaper<\/a> outfitted with the Angry Kitten ALQ-167 Electronic Countermeasures Pod, a cluster of components contained in a vaguely cat-shaped tube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The successful trials at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, focused on providing electronic attack from the Reaper, a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems product typically used to collect intelligence or conduct reconnaissance. The pod is derived from technology developed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, which in 2013 described the project as using commercial electronics, custom hardware and novel machine-learning for flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe goal is to expand the mission sets the MQ-9 can accomplish,\u201d Maj. Aaron Aguilar<\/a>, the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron assistant director of operations, said in a statement May 13. \u201cThe proliferation and persistence of MQ-9s in theater allows us to fill traditional platform capability gaps that may be present.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electronic warfare, or EW, is an invisible fight for control of the electromagnetic spectrum, used to communicate with friendly forces, to identify and suppress opponents, and to guide weapons. Dominance of the spectrum will be critical in a fight with China or Russia, the two most significant national security threats, according to U.S. defense officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force is trying to reinvigorate its EW capabilities after years of neglect; the service in September announced a \u201csprint\u201d to dig up deficiencies<\/a>, seek needed resources and identify next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\t