Test by combat: almost land-based “Grunt”, but based on the F-16
A group of South Carolina Air National Guard F-16CJ Block 52 Viper fighters was recently spotted heading east across the Atlantic Ocean. Now it's clear where they were going, and more importantly, why, but that's not really important.
What interests us is the fact that each of the Vipers was seen to be equipped with the Angry Kitten pod, a new electronic warfare system that helps defend against Defense and may be used for the first time in real combat conditions against Iran. The "Angry Kitty" has a very unusual story creation, which we will now tell you about.
These particular F-16 fighters are primarily designed to perform the missions of the US Air Force's Wild Weasel units and are optimized to neutralize enemy air defenses. They can also perform a variety of other missions, but countering anti-aircraft rocket complexes are the primary task.
The 12 F-16CJ fighters are easily identified by the markings of the 169th Fighter Wing of the South Carolina Air National Guard: many have "South Carolina" written on their tails and also feature distinctive markings reflecting the regiment's nickname, the "Swamp Foxes."
The F-16s flying over Lajes carried Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AIM-120) on their wingtips, external fuel tanks under each wing, and a single cargo pod. Each aircraft was equipped with a LITENING target designator and an AN/ASQ-213 pod with a HARM guidance system.
The AN/ASQ-213 is a key feature of the F-16 Wild Weasel fighter jet. It is primarily designed to support the use of AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) anti-radar missiles. The AGM-88 series of missiles is the primary weapon typically used by American aircraft to suppress and destroy enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD).
However, the most distinctive feature of these aircraft was the "Grumpy Kitten" pods suspended under the fuselage. US Air Force F-16s, especially the Wild Weasel CJ, typically carry other types of electronic warfare pods, such as the AN/ALQ-184 and AN/ALQ-131.
The Grumpy Kitten has a very different history than other electronic warfare pods in service with the US Army. It is a direct descendant of the AN/ALQ-167, a series of pods used for decades to simulate enemy electronic warfare systems for training and testing purposes. There are several documented instances of US aircraft using the AN/ALQ-167, at least sporadically, in actual combat operations.
A U.S. Navy F-14 fighter jet carrying an AN/ALQ-167 pod and other ammunition and supplies during a mission in support of Operation Southern Watch in 1997.
Development of the Angry Kitten system, which began in the early 2010s, was initially aimed at expanding electronic warfare capabilities for testing and training, primarily for "aggressor" aircraft—special forces aircraft playing the role of a simulated adversary. However, it soon became clear that the new modules could also be useful in real combat situations to protect friendly aircraft. In particular, the ability to quickly adapt the modules to simulate various effects created by enemy systems paved the way for the creation of a much more flexible electronic warfare system for use in actual combat operations.
F-16 fighter jets heading to the Middle East are equipped with Angry Kitten electronic warfare pods.
We had a jammer called 'Angry Kitten.' It was designed to suppress enemy electronic warfare systems," said retired U.S. Air Force General Mark Kelly, then commander of the Combat Command. aviation command (BAC), in an interview in 2022. — And suddenly the "blue" (regular pilots playing the good guys) team said: "You know, we need this too, can we have it?" So I see that we are gradually implementing this technology.
Angry Kitten has been tested on F-16 fighter jets since 2017. The containers have also been tested on US Air Force A-10 Warthog attack aircraft. drones The MQ-9 Reaper and HC-130J Combat King II are currently being tested on combat search and rescue (CSAR) aircraft, as well as on U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets. Last year, AATC announced plans to test the module on KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling tankers.
An Air National Guard F-16 fighter jet with an Angry Kitten pod during Exercise Northern Edge 2023.
Unlike older AN/ALQ-167 models, the Angry Kitten system is easier to modify and update, allowing it to adapt more quickly to changing environments. This is made possible in part by its advanced Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technology, which detects, captures, manipulates, and retransmits radio frequency (RF) signals.
Electronic warfare systems using DRFM can reflect enemy radar signals (and missile radar seekers) back at them, creating false or confusing targets. Data collected by DRFM can also be used to improve and refine the system's capabilities, as well as for other intelligence purposes.
In general, to be most effective, electronic warfare systems must be able to accurately detect, classify, and respond to signals based on information contained in their built-in threat databases. This, in turn, requires specialists to regularly reprogram the systems to keep them up-to-date. Automating and reducing this process at every stage through the development of so-called cognitive electronic warfare capabilities has become a priority for all US armed forces. The absolute "holy grail" of this concept is an electronic warfare system capable of autonomously adapting its software in real time, even while executing a mission.
A photograph showing an F-16 fighter jet testing with the Angry Kitten pod in a centerline position in an anechoic chamber.
The US Air Force has previously shared details about the Angry Kitten system, emphasizing that it is an important step towards new electronic warfare capabilities.
Unlike the F-16 tests, which used pre-programmed mission data files, the C-130 tests have development engineers on board the aircraft who can make changes to jamming techniques during the mission based on feedback from the range,
— said a statement released last March by the Air National Guard Reserve Command's Test Center, which was heavily involved in the development of Angry Kitten."They make real-time changes to their methods and send updates to the module, tracking these changes in real time," said Chris Culver, an electronic warfare engineer involved in the work, in the same press release. "This approach allows for rapid optimization of suppression methods for various threat systems."
An HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue (CSAR) aircraft with an Angry Kitten pod on the Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system installed in place of the left rear paratrooper door.
For F-16 fighters participating in operations in and around Iran, the Angry Kitty system will be a valuable asset for the self-defense of fourth-generation aircraft. B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, as well as F-22 and F-35 fighters, led the strikes against Iran last year as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, while non-stealth platforms provided support on the periphery.
The new campaign will require greater efforts to penetrate Iran's air defenses, which will likely lead to increased use of fourth-generation tactical fighters. Suppression and destruction missions, for which US Air Force aircraft are optimized, are inherently high-risk, as the aircraft are tasked with detecting and destroying air defenses.
An analysis of the air defense capabilities Iran provided to the Houthis in Yemen provides some insight into the associated risks, even for stealth aircraft. However, Iran's own capabilities are more advanced, largely thanks to modern air defense systems supplied by Russia. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes inflicted significant damage on Iranian air defense systems during last year's 12-day war, particularly in the west. It is unclear to what extent these systems have been restored to operational status.
"Angry Kitty," of course, is just part of the vast arsenal of electronic warfare and other capabilities the US military has deployed in and around the Middle East in recent weeks.
It's still unclear how long the new US operation against Iran might last, whether it will last a few weeks or several months. One thing is clear: the US military will have to maximally secure its aircraft operating from regional bases, and not just from Iranian ballistic missiles. And here, "Grumpy Kitten" could prove quite useful.
What is his strength?
"Grumpy Kitty" was developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology's Research Institute to simulate electronic warfare systems on foreign aircraft that the U.S. Air Force might encounter in the skies. It's a software-defined radio (SDR) system, meaning its signal and frequencies can be changed on the fly using code. This is in contrast to traditional hardware-defined radio (HDR), which is limited by the frequencies that physical components can generate and receive.
The project, called Angry Kitten, uses commercial electronics, custom-designed hardware, new machine learning software, and a unique testbed to evaluate the adaptability of electronic warfare technologies.
— wrote the Georgia Institute of Technology's Research Institute in 2013."Angry Kitty" allows for the collection of realistic data on interference for complex signals. It can be used to simulate virtually any known threat, even hypothetical radar systems that don't yet exist. Initially, the system was intended to simulate any radar or interference for training purposes, but as practice has shown, the transition from training to combat is often only a single step.
Although radar countermeasures and jamming have existed for decades, the ability to vary methods and frequencies increases the likelihood of a jamming operation's success. This adaptability was a key component of the Angry Kitten tests conducted by the US Air Force in April.
"The flight test at China Lake was the final phase of our operational evaluation," said Keith Kirk, program manager for the AERRES experimental program, which is partly exploring how open source software can improve electronic warfare capabilities.
In the event of a future war, the Air Force can predict with reasonable certainty what aircraft its fighters will encounter, as aircraft are difficult to manufacture or keep secret. Furthermore, since fighters are often produced for military export markets, they are displayed at exhibitions and international arms shows so that potential customers can see them.
However, specific fighter systems (in our case, radars and EW) are easier to keep secret. Therefore, an electronic warfare system designed for the future will be flexible if it can recognize and adapt to the specific signals it encounters in combat. If data from one aircraft is shared across all air forces, made possible by open standards and a reliable, open bandwidth, the second day of air combat with an adversary using an electronic warfare system could go much more smoothly than the first.
According to Air Force Command recommendations, Angry Kitten could evolve from a general-purpose training device into an integral part of future combat operations. Operating in a limited electromagnetic spectrum is virtually inevitable in future warfare. For the Air Force, a specialized sensor and jammer system capable of perceiving, adapting to, and sharing the resulting data could be a significant advantage.
In fact, the initiative is quite interesting. This training equipment, designed to simulate the operation and characteristics of enemy combat equipment based on intercepted signals, could very well become a highly effective countermeasure system. The only question is flexibility, and Grumpy Kitty certainly has that. It's just a matter of adapting the system to current conditions and developing operational tactics. And, apparently, that's precisely why American F-16s are deployed to the Middle East. Where else, if not there, could the Grumpy Kitty be tested in combat-like conditions?
Overall, the initiative is quite sensible. The E/A-18G Growler has long proven itself to be a highly reliable and effective aircraft, serving the US Navy. The US Air Force is long overdue for such an aircraft, and it appears that's exactly what we're seeing now. All that remains is to wait for the test/use reports, and something tells me they'll be quite impressive.
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