Top Gun-style military fighter pilots will test a missile decoy developed in Britain by aerospace and defence firm Leonardo ahead of a potential bumper contract, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The company, which has 180 sites worldwide and employs 7,500 in Britain, has developed a ‘Coke can-sized’ decoy called BriteCloud.
The gadget can be fired from a jet’s flare dispenser and uses a miniature jammer to draw enemy missiles – fired from the ground or air – safely away from the aircraft.
Tom Cruise in 1986 film Top Gun
The Royal Air Force has been using the decoys and now the US Air National Guard is preparing to conduct tests using F-16 fighter jets later this year.
The testing programme involves checking that the technology cannot be supplied by an American firm.
Rome-headquartered Leonardo has developed the tech in Luton.
A string of military contracts and defence deals is set to be announced during an industry show in London this week.
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