Raytheon’s ALE-50 “Little Buddy” Decoys

ALE-50 “Little Buddy”
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The entire ALE-50 system consists of a launcher and launch controller attached to one of the aircraft’s weapon pylons, containing one or more expendable towed decoys. These trail behind the aircraft when deployed, attracting radar-guided missiles to themselves instead. Each decoy and payout reel is delivered in a sealed canister, and has a 10-year shelf life.

The Multi-Platform Launch Controller (MPLC) is the standard launch controller for all future installations, but the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter, the USAF’s B-1B Lancer heavy bombers, and Raytheon’s AN/ALQ-184(V)9 ECM pod that equips a number of different aircraft each use the MPLC, with platform-specific launchers. This flexibility makes the AN/ALE-50 adaptable to any tactical or combat support aircraft.

Contracts and key events include an ancillary order to Boeing…

Contracts & Key Events, 2006 – Present

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. Deagel.com estimates the ALE-50 expendable decoys’ estimated value at $22,000 each – which is certainly a lot cheaper than a B-1 bomber. At least one US pilot who came home safe referred to the ALE-50 as “my little buddy” in a letter to Raytheon.

Contracts for the ALE-50 have been ongoing since at least 1995, and production began in December 1996. Unless otherwise noted, work on the ALE-50 towed decoy system is being done at Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) business by its Electronic Warfare Systems organization located in Goleta, CA.

Dec 15/09: Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. received a $6.1 million firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for 35 SUU-78 centerline pylons, and 14 ALE-50 well covers, in support of FY 2010 aircraft armament equipment production for the F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (86%); St. Louis, MO (11%); and Irvine, CA (3%). Work is expected to be complete in April 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-05-G-0026).

May 14/09: Raytheon announces a $19.8 million contract modification from the U.S. Air Force Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. ALE-50 Lot 13 production will include 807 decoys for the Air Force, to be delivered through April 2011. Completion of Lot 13 production will bring the total number of decoys produced by Raytheon to 26,489.

Oct 16/08: Raytheon announces a $24.3 million contract from the USAF’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Center to provide the 12th production lot of 1,048 ALE-50 decoys: 799 for the USAF, and 249 for the Navy. They will be delivered through October 2010.

Production of ALE-50 equipment began in December 1996. Raytheon has now achieved 12 years of on-time deliveries, and Lot 12 deliveries will bring Raytheon’s total production to 25,682. Raytheon release.

Dec 3/07: Raytheon Tactical Aircraft Systems in Goleta, CA received a $7.9 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Lot P9 Full-Rate Production of 30 Integrated Multi-Platform Launch Controllers (IMPLC) for the AN/ALE-50 (V) and associated technical support for the Government of Australia and the United States Navy, for F/A-18E/F aircraft. The IMPLC is the launch controller component of the AN/ALE-50 (V) countermeasures decoy dispensing set and integrated defensive electronics countermeasure program.

Work will be performed in Goleta, CA (94.4%) and Nashua, NH (5.6%) and is expected to be complete in December 2011. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-08-C-0006).

June 7/07: Raytheon announces a $29 million contract from the 542nd Combat Sustainment Group at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, GA, for Lot 11 ALE-50 production. They will deliver 1,269 systems: 934 for the USAF, and 335 for the Navy.

Raytheon recently produced its 23,000th ALE-50 decoy and achieved 11 years of on-time deliveries. Completion of the Lot 11 program will bring the total number of decoys produced by Raytheon to 24,634. Raytheon release.

Aug 30/06: Raytheon Company announces a $20.7 million contract award for the 542nd Combat Sustainment Group, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, GA for the 10th production lot of ALE-50 decoys. The Lot 10 contract calls for 862 decoys for the US Air Force ordered for the U.S. Air Force, and will be delivered through September 2008.

Raytheon also announced that it has produced its 20,000th ALE-50 decoy and achieved 10 years of on-time deliveries for the USAF and U.S. Navy as part of an original contract that began in December 1996. Completion of the Lot 10 program will bring the total number of decoys produced by Raytheon to 23,365. See Raytheon release.

March 20/06: Raytheon’s Sensors and Electronic Systems Division in Goleta, CA is being awarded a $13 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-05-C-0031), exercising an option for the full rate production of 110 integrated multi-platform launch controllers for the ALE-50 Advanced Expendable Airborne Decoy system used by US F-16 Falcon/Viper, F/A-18 Hornet family, and B-1B Lancer heavy bomber aircraft.

Work on this contract will be performed in Goleta, CA (90%), and Nashua, NH (10%), and is expected to be complete in June 2008. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD issued the contract. According to Raytheon, the Lot 9 production contract in April 2005 has increased the total number of decoys ordered to almost 22,500, with deliveries scheduled through 2007.

Additional Readings

• DID – ALE-55 Towed Fighter Decoys for US Navy, Australia. BAE’s ALE-55 is a competitive product that serves on F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft.