The AN/ALE-50 Towed Decoy System was developed by Raytheon to protect multiple US military aircraft from radar-guided missiles.[1] The AN/ALE-50 Towed Decoy System is an anti-missile countermeasures decoy system used on multiple U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps aircraft, and by certain foreign air forces, too. The system is manufactured by Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems 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), and one or more expendable towed decoys. Each decoy is delivered in a sealed canister and has a ten-year shelf life.
When deployed, the decoy is towed behind the host aircraft, protecting the aircraft and its crew against RF-guided missiles by luring the missile toward the decoy and away from the intended target. In both flight tests and actual combat, the ALE-50 has successfully countered numerous live firings of both surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. U.S. military pilots have nicknamed the decoy "Little Buddy".
The ALE-50 was first deployed in 1996, but is also used on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the B-1B Lancer. The ALE-50 has also been integrated into the next-generation ALQ-184(V)9 ECM pod, creating an integrated threat-protection system that can be carried on a larger number of platforms.
The ALE-50 expendable decoys’ estimated value is $22,000 each. The latest production run of 1,048 units will be delivering through October 2010.[2]
The ALE-50 towed decoy has provided combat-proven aircraft protection against RF missile threats in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Featuring low acquisition and life-cycle cost, the system adaptability enables installation and operation on virtually any airborne platform. The ALE-50 towed decoy is currently operational on the F-16, F/A-18E/F, and B-1B aircraft.[3]