Ukraine integrates U.S.-made ADM-160 MALD decoys on Su-27s to penetrate Russian air defenses
Ukraine’s Air Force has officially confirmed the use of ADM-160 MALD jet-powered decoy drones, designed to mimic cruise missiles or other airborne targets during attempts to break through Russian air defenses. The drones are being deployed by both Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters using dedicated underwing pylons.
Evidence of ADM-160 MALD use appears in an official video released by Ukraine’s Air Force, in which crews discuss the fighters’ combat missions.
In the footage, a Su-27 is shown carrying two MALDs mounted on its inner weapon stations. Those same pylons were previously used for France’s Hammer guided bombs and the US JDAM-ER, underscoring how Ukrainian jets have been adapted to employ Western munitions.
As noted by The War Zone, the first signs of MALD use in Ukraine surfaced in spring 2023, when debris from the system was found in Luhansk region and later in Kherson. Since then, decoys have become a key element of the Ukrainian Air Force’s tactics, providing cover for Storm Shadow and SCALP EG cruise missiles.
MALD (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy) is a small, missile-like system designed to distract and confuse enemy air defenses. Unlike strike munitions, it doesn’t destroy targets directly; instead, it draws enemy fire, creating conditions for other weapons to be used more effectively.
Each MALD is powered by a small turbojet engine that allows it to fly a preprogrammed route or loiter near targets while generating a prominent radar signature. That significantly increases the effectiveness of strikes against Russian positions by reducing the likelihood that primary missiles will be intercepted.
Ukrainian pilots say the MALD is used alongside AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles as well as Storm Shadow and SCALP EG cruise missiles. This combined approach gives the Ukrainian Air Force a significant tactical advantage, enabling strikes on Russian targets with fewer losses.
In early June a Ukrainian Su-27 from the Air Force’s 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade struck a Russian air-defense installation with an American-made AGM-88 HARM missile. It was the first visual confirmation of an enemy surface-to-air missile system destroyed by this type of weapon.