BAE Systems ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoy Completes Development Testing
The Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) Block 3 program, which includes the AN/ALE-55 FOTD, will now begin formal development and operational testing. A contract award for the Low Rate Initial Production of the ALE-55 is planned for early 2006. Contract award for Full Rate Production is expected to follow the successful completion of Operational Evaluation.
"The ALE-55 development program will bring the Super Hornet superior RF self-protection capabilities for many years to come," said Captain Dwight Cousins, U.S. Navy program manager, "The Navy and BAE Systems team met demanding requirements in completing this development program."
During the flight tests, conducted at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, the FOTD was subjected to more than 60 risk reduction flights to test the safe employment, endurance, and reliability of the FOTD under simulated combat maneuvers.
"The ALE-55 FOTD is the first fiber optic decoy ready now to protect Navy and Air Force pilots," said Joe Mancini, BAE Systems' AN/ALE-55 program manager in Nashua, New Hampshire. "The team has completed technology breakthroughs in performance and has greatly reduced unit production baseline costs."
The BAE Systems' ALE-55 FOTD is an integral component of the joint U.S. Navy - U.S. Air Force IDECM Radio Frequency Countermeasures (RFCM) system.
The ALE-55 FOTD system includes a high-power FOTD and deployment canister. Currently, the ALE-55 is slated for deployment on the F/A-18E/F aircraft.
SOURCE: BAE Systems