The AN/ALE-29 countermeasures chaff dispensing set is an electro-mechanical device that ejects cartridge-loaded configurations of Mk 46 or MJU-8/B decoy flares and RR-129 or RR-144 chaff.
Decoy flares burn very hot and are used during evasive maneuvers against heat-seeking missiles. Chaff rounds consist of extremely fine shredded metal strips in a cylindrical metal container. When they are ejected, the metal strips are released which causes a cloud of reflective surfaces which appear as “static” or “snow” to a radar (either ground-based, aircraft, or missile) which in effect “masks” the movement of the aircraft for a short period of time.
Decoy flares burn very hot and are used during evasive maneuvers against heat-seeking missiles. Chaff rounds consist of extremely fine shredded metal strips in a cylindrical metal container. When they are ejected, the metal strips are released which causes a cloud of reflective surfaces which appear as “static” or “snow” to a radar (either ground-based, aircraft, or missile) which in effect “masks” the movement of the aircraft for a short period of time.
Under Project Shoehorn the Navy's F-4s had this device mounted on the aft end of the engine bulge of each engine. Each unit held 30 cartridges of either flares, chaff, or a combination contained in a plastic “bucket” which was loaded into the dispenser. The door was opened when the selector knob was turned to any setting other than off (port, stbd, or both) and stayed open until the aircraft landed and the unit was serviced.
The countermeasure material may be ejected in single or multiple salvos. A salvo consists of a series of single bursts ejected at specific intervals. A salvo can be ejected from a single dispenser or simultaneously from both dispensers. If an empty dispenser is selected, or if a dispenser runs out of countermeasure material during a salvo, the system automatically cascades to the loaded dispenser.
F-4B/N - AN/ALE-29 / -29A AFT Cockpit Controls
F-4B/N - AN/ALE-29 / -29A AFT Cockpit Controls
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F-4B/N - AN/ALE-29 / -29A External Location
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| (click picture to enlarge) 1 - AN/ALE-29 location F-4B/N left side |
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| (click picture to enlarge) 1 - AN/ALE-29 location F-4B/N right side |
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| AN/ALE-29 Dispenser Open (Detail) Mirrored on other side (click picture to enlarge) |
Revision History:
Were there any countermeasures utilized by the F-4C variant? Or was it strictly the F-4B/N?
ReplyDeleteYes they had, the late f4C got them installed before the f4E
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