In-Service
Following extensive testing, the ‘MALTS’ practice bomb carrier entered service as a two station variant on Royal Netherlands and Belgium Air Force F-16s during the mid 1990’s. Over 150 units were procured on a ‘spend to save’ basis, replacing the SUU-20 pyrotechnic practice bomb carrier.
Consistent Performance & Swing Role Training Capability
Independent trials by the RNLAF have fully validated the delivery performance accuracy, CEP requirements being consistently achieved. Because of the low mass and cross sectional area, MALTS is flown as a permanent fit on the wing centre pylon and without practice bombs has a full Cat 1 flight envelope. Swing role training is therefore possible; previously a return to station had been required to off-load SUU-20 and a second sortie necessary to achieve further training objectives.
Annual Servicing Only
MALTS does not employ pyrotechnic cartridges and therefore the frequently recurring and time consuming cycle of removal from aircraft, strip down and clean through is totally eliminated. In fact existing MALTS users only remove it from the aircraft once per year for a strip and rebuild which takes just a few hours. Most importantly valuable assets are not lost into a maintenance regime. A smaller inventory, typically one third less, is therefore required to deliver the same level of training capability.
Low Through Life Cycle Cost
The key to success in driving down the logistic footprint has been the utilisation of a self latching Electro Magnetic Release Unit, a simple solenoid and spring mechanism. The cost and safety implications associated with cartridges or the recharging/ handling of high pressure systems are entirely negated.
As recognised by the RNLAF and BAF, within a very short period of time, typically two years, the investment in an EMRU based system is easily recouped. Over a 25 year life cycle the potential saving could be many tens of millions of pounds.
