GOLETA, Calif., 15 May 2009. Raytheon Company won a $19.8 million contract for continued production of its ALE-50 line of towed decoys.

The award by the U.S. Air Force Warner Robins Air Logistics Center represents the 13th production lot of ALE-50 decoys, which are used by the U.S. Navy and Air Force, reveals a company representative. The contract calls for the delivery of 807 decoys for the Air Force through April 2011.

Says Roy Azevedo, deputy vice president for Raytheon's Tactical Airborne Systems business area: "It is an important part of Raytheon's advanced complement of integrated avionics that help control the battlespace."

Completion of the Lot 13 program will bring the total number of decoys produced by Raytheon to 26,489.

Towed decoy systems enhance aircraft survivability by acting as preferential targets for many types of missiles.

The company's Space and Airborne Systems business is working on the towed decoy system at its Tactical Airborne Systems facility in Goleta.