BAE Systems to develop advanced decoy countermeasures to protect aircraft from future threats

WASHINGTON - BAE Systems announced a $36.7 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop and demonstrate a next-generation, dual band Fiber-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) to protect aircraft and pilots from advanced threats.

BAE Systems' FOTDs are radio-frequency (RF) countermeasure systems that provide self-protection capabilities for any aircraft, including fighters, bombers, and transports. The company's Dual Band Decoy development work is intended to expand the capabilities of its combat-proven AN/ALE-55 FOTD.

The primary role of the decoy is to protect the warfighter by luring threat missiles away from the aircraft. The decoy also combines techniques that disrupt adversaries' radar, preventing missile launch from occurring. Much like the ALE-55 FOTD, the Dual Band Decoy will interface with onboard electronic warfare (EW) equipment, but it can also operate independently, enhancing its effectiveness against current and future threats.