BriteCloud decoy trialled on Reaper UAV 22 February 2021 by Gareth Jennings Leonardo has launched its BriteCloud expendable active decoy (EAD) from a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as part of wider trials of the newly developed Self-Protection Pod (SPP). An artist’s impression of the BriteCloud expendable decoy saving an MQ-9 UAV from a surface-launched radar guided missile. (Leonardo) Announced by the Italian company on 22 February, the tests of the SPP and its UK-designed and built BritCloud EAD took place in late 2020. They were conducted to develop a suite of protections against radar frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air missile threats to both the MQ-9A Reaper and MQ-9B Sky/SeaGuardian series UAVs.