Thursday, December 04, 2008

AN/ALE-50

IOC: 1996
Total Production: 25,682
Total Program's Cost: USD$500 million

AN/ALE-55

IOC: 2006

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
BAE Systems

Applications
B-1B Lancer
C-130J Super Hercules
F-15E Strike Eagle
F/A-18E Super Hornet
F/A-18F Super Hornet

Family Members
AN/ALE-50

Description: The AN/ALE-55 fiber optic towed decoy system is being developed by BAE Systems to protect the US Air Force B-1B and the US Navy F/A-18E/F aircraft from radar-guided missiles. It is a derivative of the proven AN/ALE-50 towed decoy. The ALE-55 consists of a launch controller, launcher and fiber optic towed decoy (FOTD). It has the potential be used on a variety of platforms without undergoing major modification.

When deployed, the ALE-55's expendable aerial decoy is towed behind the aircraft using fiber optic. The decoy protects the host aircraft providing a more attractive target and steering the radar-guided missile away from the aircraft and right to the decoy. The long endurance ALE-55 has countered both surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles during development testing.

In August 2005, BAE Systems completed the AN/ALE-55 development testing program on the US Navy's F/A-18E/F platform. Formal development and testing are expected to be conducted by the US Navy until early 2006 when a low rate initial production order would be issued. Under the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) Block 3 program the AN/ALE-55 FOTD will be provided to the US Navy's F/A-18E/F fleet.

In July 2006 BAE Systems announced that had completed design, development and testing of a new deployment and retrieval mechanism for the AN/ALE-55 fiber-optic towed decoy for use on US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle. The same decoy was also slated for deployment on the C-130 aircraft operated by the US Air Force.

Specifications
Performance: Endurance 2 hours, Service Life 10 yr

News
AN/ALE-55 Anti-Missile Decoy Begins Tests on F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

FMS: Australia Requests Potential Sale of Super Hornet

Operators

United States of America

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
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Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008

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