MBDA Aladin

[timmymagic]

New missile seen at the Dubai Airshow.

MBDA Aladin, a 'Counter UAV Air to Air missile'.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1724666703383011765

View: https://twitter.com/RAeSTimR/status/1724666703383011765


Doesn't appear to be a development of the Hard Kill mini missile concepts previously seen...doesn't use the 'Asraam shape' either that was seen on a number of concepts. Wonder which division of MBDA has thought this one up...Aladin isn't the UK spelling...(usually Aladdin).

https://imgur.com/wR1X6Mm

View: https://imgur.com/wR1X6Mm

https://imgur.com/fumTI1w

View: https://imgur.com/fumTI1w

https://imgur.com/e0bhbtz

View: https://imgur.com/e0bhbtz

 

[thefrecklepuny]

Those WVR missiles when carried in tandem cannot be rail launched then.

 

[Scott Kenny]

https://imgur.com/wR1X6Mm

View: https://imgur.com/wR1X6Mm

That picture seems to have the subsonic and supersonic labels reversed...

 

[timmymagic]

Those WVR missiles when carried in tandem cannot be rail launched then.

Internal carriage was mentioned when they were shown a few years ago, so they would need to be drop launched, probably with an ejector.

That picture seems to have the subsonic and supersonic labels reversed...

It is, it was an early slide that was released, rapidly changed but had a larger view of the Hard Kill missile proposal.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Internal carriage was mentioned when they were shown a few years ago, so they would need to be drop launched, probably with an ejector.

Gonna be interesting with all these "Halfraam" missiles showing up with performance close to that of an AMRAAM/Meteor. I see the F-22 packing 4x Halfraams, 4x AIM-260s, and 2x Sidewinders in the future. F-35 packing 2x Halfraams, 1x AARGM, and 2x BLU-109s for strike; or 4x Halfraams and 4x-6x AIM-260s for pure Air to Air.

GCAP, FCAS, and NGAD would be packing at least that much. I'm expecting somewhere around 10klbs of internal storage capacity for NGAD. F-22 only holds about 3500lbs internally, F-35A/C about 5000lbs internally, and F-35B only about 3000lbs internally.

It is, it was an early slide that was released, rapidly changed but had a larger view of the Hard Kill missile proposal.

Gotcha!

I'm struggling to read the published specs for that HKDAS. ~50kg and less than 1m long? Am I reading that right? That puts the mini missiles at roughly Hellfire/Brimstone weight class, but visually they're a lot thinner than Hellfire. Look more like ~70mm diameter or so, maybe less.

 

[timmymagic]

Forgot to add this detail from RAE after the Dubai show

"With air-to-air missiles costing $1-2m each now being used to down cheap drones and loitering munitions in Ukraine and elsewhere, MBDA revealed at the show a new concept for a low-cost, fire-and-forget anti-drone air-to-air missile. The ALADIN (Anti Loitering And Drone INtercepter) is a 1m+ 15-20kg AAM that could be carried by fast jets and light attack turboprops – in a multi-round rocket pod launcher. Guidance would be via a lower-cost IR seeker, although the company is also exploring a RF seeker and range several km – as drones and loitering munitions currently do not present an air-to-air threat to piloted fighters.

With a goal of producing a compact, simple AAM that could be used against drones, loitering munitions, and UAV swarms for 50% of the cost of a traditional dogfight AAM – MBDA says that customer interest at the show has been very high."

 

[timmymagic]

I'm struggling to read the published specs for that HKDAS. ~50kg and less than 1m long? Am I reading that right?

Less than 10kg.

 

[CJGibson]

Taildog lives!

 

[timmymagic]

Taildog lives!

A 'rocket pod' style with end caps would make some sense for it...

 

[Ronny]

Forgot to add this detail from RAE after the Dubai show

"With air-to-air missiles costing $1-2m each now being used to down cheap drones and loitering munitions in Ukraine and elsewhere, MBDA revealed at the show a new concept for a low-cost, fire-and-forget anti-drone air-to-air missile. The ALADIN (Anti Loitering And Drone INtercepter) is a 1m+ 15-20kg AAM that could be carried by fast jets and light attack turboprops – in a multi-round rocket pod launcher. Guidance would be via a lower-cost IR seeker, although the company is also exploring a RF seeker and range several km – as drones and loitering munitions currently do not present an air-to-air threat to piloted fighters.

With a goal of producing a compact, simple AAM that could be used against drones, loitering munitions, and UAV swarms for 50% of the cost of a traditional dogfight AAM – MBDA says that customer interest at the show has been very high."

So like APKWS?

 

[timmymagic]

So like APKWS?

Yes and No.

Cheap (or at least cheaper) and launched from a pod - Yes
Re-use of an existing system - No

It should also be more manoueverable and be fire and forget (although APKWS might get a fire and forget seeker in the future)

 

[Scott Kenny]

Less than 10kg.

Thank you!

So functionally smaller than a Hydra 70 rocket.

Which one of the guided Hydra programs used an imaging IR sensor? Because I'm seeing commonality with Hydra/CRV7s (= cheaper units) being more useful than extra light weight.

 

[Ronny]

Thank you!

So functionally smaller than a Hydra 70 rocket.

Which one of the guided Hydra programs used an imaging IR sensor? Because I'm seeing commonality with Hydra/CRV7s (= cheaper units) being more useful than extra light weight.

LOGIR

 

[Scott Kenny]

LOGIR

Thank you!

Wiki is saying ~14kg and 1.9m long, with a surface-launched range of over 8km. Might even be able to reduce the cost a little by dropping the IMU from the guidance pack, though that may also reduce range some.

That feels like the best anti-drone option.