ELT/555 (V) 3 AIRBORNE ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES POD

The ELT/555 (V) 3 is a self-contained self protection ECM pod for supersonic fighter aircraft. Electrical power generation is ensured by a ram-air turbine located on the nose of the pod. Internal equipment include fore and aft facing antennas which receive pulsed and continuous wave signals and transmit pulsed responses, plus separate fore and aft facing continuous wave transmitter antennas on the undersurface. The system operates in H- to J-band (6 to 20 GHz) and is designed to operate in dense electromagnetic environments. It has multiple target contrast capability and features BITE.

The ELT-555 Airborne Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) and radar jamming system, was utilised in the electronic warfare role (Jamming/Self-Protection and was often referred to as "Bikini". as a active self-protection system for fighter aircraft (in pod installation) and is designed to provide a wide range of jamming techniques (deception, noise, etc), suitable to face both traditional and new threats characterized by coherent radar (Pulse, Doppler, Pulse Coded, etc...) associated to Anti-Aircraft Artillery, Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, AI and AAM systems. In SAAF service, this pod was carried on the Mirage F1, the Buccaneer as well as the Impala.