Decision Support System for Fighter Pilots
Lars Rosenberg Randleff · 2007
During a mission over enemy territory a fighter aircraft may be engaged by ground based threats. The pilot can use different measures to avoid the aircraft from being detected by e.g. enemy radar systems. If the enemy detects the aircraft a missile may be fired to seek and destroy the aircraft. Such a missile will almost always be either radar guided or heat seeking. It will be launched from a permanent launch pad, or it will be man portable and small enough to fit in the boot of a car. The probability of a missile being detected by onboard sensors depends on the type of missile. If a missile is detected the pilot may choose to deploy electronic countermeasures to avoid the impact of the missile. The countermeasures to choose depend on e.g. the type of missile and guidance system, distance and direction between the missile and the aircraft, an assessment of the environment hostility, aircraft altitude and airspeed, and the availability of countermeasures. Radar systems, guidance of missiles, and electronic countermeasures are all parts of the electronic warfare domain. A brief description of this domain is given.