The Miniature Air Launched Decoy under test at Eglin AFB, Fla., reached speeds up to 0.9 Mach during its first powered flight test on April 30, according to a May 23 release from the Armament Systems Center at Eglin. An F-16 launched the turbojet powered MALD, which then had no electrical power or communications provided by the F-16—a first for a GPS/Inertial Navigation System-guided weapon, reports Capt. C.J. Hale. The test team plans to begin tests with a B-52 next month.
SDA’s Next Phase of Data Transport Satellites on Hold
June 30, 2025
The long-term future of one of the Space Development Agency’s two satellite constellations is on hold as officials study the options for replacing a planned “data transport layer” with one or more commercial solutions. President Trump’s proposed 2026 defense budget...