AN/ALE 40

Picture copyright Paul Jackson

The FG1 and FGR2 were fitted with the AN/ALE 40 chaff flare system under Mod 814 at around the time of the Falklands conflict. The master dispenser was on the outboard side of the inboard missile pylon with a slave dispenser on the inside.

The chaff dispenser fired directly behind but the flare dispenser had a 45 degree adapter block to fire down and aft. The dispensers could be configured to fire either 30 chaff (1x1) or 15 flare (2x1) cartridges but the countermeasures could not be mixed in the same dispensers. Flare magazines could not be fitted on the slaves. The chaff cartridge was the RR170 and the flare was the NATO MJU7 or British PW218.

Configured for chaff

Configured for flares with an adaptor

The dispense controller was fitted to the grab bars in the rear cockpit and controlled the dispense settings. Dispense buttons were fitted in each cockpit. Chaff burst, chaff salvo and flare burst could be programmed. A separate panel monitored remaining countermeasures. The payload could be jettisoned in an emergency.