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 the upper part of an F-16 Fighting Falcon wing pylon
StatusIn use
Manufacturing Info
Manufacturer Raytheon
Designer Raytheon
Introduced1996;29 years ago (1996)
No. Produced>25,000[ citation needed ]
Usage
Used by Military
Used by Aircraft

The AN/ALE-50 towed decoy system is an electronic countermeasure system designed 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 certain non-United States air forces. 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 RF-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 and as late 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 larger number of platforms.

The expendable decoys' estimated value is $22,000 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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