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AN/ALE-50 towed decoy system

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AN/ALE-50
Radar jamming and deception towed decoy
F-16CM 2030 Turku Airshow 2015 04 pylon.JPG ALE-50 towed decoy system in upper part of an F-16 Fighting Falcon wing pylon
StatusIn use
Manufacturing Info
Manufacturer(s) Raytheon
Introduced1996;30 years ago (1996)
No. produced>1,200
Usage
Used by military
Platform(s)

The AN/ALE-50 towed decoy system is an electronic countermeasure system designed and manufactured by Raytheon to protect multiple US military aircraft from air-to-air and surface-to-air radar-guided missiles. [1] The ALE-50 towed decoy system is an anti-missile countermeasures decoy used on U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps aircraft, and by air forces of other countries. The system is manufactured by Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (now RTX Corporation) at its facility in Goleta, California. The ALE-50 system consists of a launcher and launch controller installed on the aircraft (usually on a wing pylon), with one or more expendable towed decoys. Each decoy is delivered in a sealed canister with a ten-year shelf life. [2]

Contents

Description

When deployed, the decoy is towed behind the host aircraft, protecting the aircraft and its crew against radar guided missiles luring the missile toward the decoy and away from the intended target. In both flight tests and actual combat, the ALE-50 successfully countered numerous live firings of both air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. U.S. military pilots nicknamed the decoy "Little Buddy". [3] The system requires no threat-specific software, and communicates its health and status to the aircraft over a standard data bus. [4]

In accordance with the Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), the "AN/ALE-50" designation represents the 50th design of an Army-Navy airborne electronic device for countermeasures ejection/release equipment. The JETDS system also now is used to name all Department of Defense and some NATO electronic systems.

Operational history

The ALE-50 was first delivered in 1996, [3] and is used on the B-1B Lancer, the F-16 Fighting Falcon and as recent as 2020, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. [5] The ALE-50 has also been integrated into the next-generation AN/ALQ-184(V)9 ECM pod, [6] creating an integrated threat-protection system capable of being carried on a large number of platforms.

The expendable decoys' estimated value is $32,000 each. A production run of 1,048 units were delivered through October 2010. [3]

In a September 2014 US$9,414,000(equivalent to $12,503,920 in 2024) firm-fixed-price delivery order, Raytheon's Electronic Warfare Systems in Goleta was contracted for an additional 226 units of ALE-50 Bravo T3F launchers for U.S. Navy F/A-18 E/F aircraft. [7]

As of 2008, the ALE-50 towed decoy was operational on the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and B-1B Lancer aircraft. [8] [9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Raytheon repairs towed decoys for Super Hornets". Shepard News. 8 December 2021. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. ↑ Colman, Ron (2001). "AN/ALE-50 Towed Decoy System". Raytheon Electronic Systems. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Raytheon's ALE-50 "Little Buddy" Decoys". Defense Industry Daily. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Trikha, Air Marshall A K (March 2012). "Electronic Warfare - Countering Missile Threats". SP's Aviation. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Contracts For April 22, 2020". US Department of Defense . 22 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "ALQ-184(V) – Archived 04/2003". Forecast International.com. April 2002. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Local Navy Contract Awards". Southern Maryland Online. 25 September 2014. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "AN/ALE-50 Towed Decoy System". Raytheon.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Keller, John (14 June 2019). "Raytheon to demonstrate electronic warfare (EW) towed decoy aircraft protection from radar-guided missiles". Military Aerospace Electronics. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
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