Not long ago , it is commonly believed that F-35 lack towed decoys and its jammer/radar can only operate in frontal sector and in X-band whereas legacy aircrafts has much better jamming coverage and frequency range. However that noition seem to be wrong according to recently surfaced information.
This came from BAE brochure of ASQ-239
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwix2P-C4uPPAhWFWhoKHbAwDZwQFgghMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baesystems.com%2Fen-us%2Fdownload-en-us%2F20160718215911%2F1434583878736.pdf&usg=AFQjCNG0lru4BJHco6Zoa4cP6SzJ0n_i1A&sig2=femGPVvkL5Kc1NPVqzvpjQ&bvm=bv.135974163,d.d2s
Seem like that not only F-35 can carry towed decoy (aka ALE-70 ) but ASQ-239 also has a seperate jamming capabilities seperated from APG-81
SpudmanWP himself was able to dig up further information regarding the purchase of such system:
It looks like the USN did put a contract out in April 2014 that has caused some confusion.
BAE Systems Electronic Solutions, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $47,352,248 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order contract for the manufacture of the transmitter countermeasures T-1687A/ALE-70 (V) in support of the Joint Strike Fighter program. Work will be performed at Nashua, N.H., and work is expected to be completed by April 2017. Fiscal 2014 procurement of ammunition Navy and Marine Corps, and fiscal 2012 Air Force aircraft funding in the amount of $14,314,816 will be obligated at the time of award. The Air Force funds in the amount of $6,308,224 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(l). The NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00104-14-D-K054).
http://archive.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5255
These two Budget docs provide a lot of clues… still digging
http://www.dtic.mil/procurement/Y2017/Navy/U_P40_0182_BSA-1_BA-1_APP-1508N_PB_2017.pdf
http://www.dtic.mil/procurement/Y2017/AirForce/U_P40_76_BSA-4_BA-7_APP-3010F_PB_2017.pdf
The program is buying 318 of them in FY2017 and has been buying them for yeays (search the budget docs for “ALE-70” and you will see them going back to 2014.
DESCRIPTION:
The ALE-70 Towed Decoy is a countermeasures dispenser system designed to fit into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft. The ALE-70 provides aircraft self-protection against radar guided missiles.
Funds procure all system components: decoys, canisters, and explosive cartridges to deploy the decoys.
F-35 COUNTERMEASURES: Includes all unique countermeasures that provide self-protection for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, specifically ALE-70, MJU-68, MJU-69 and CCU-168. In addition to F-35
unique countermeasures, MJU-61 and MJU-64 are also used for F-35 self-protection.
ALE-70 = Towed Decoy ($50k each)
MJU-68/69 = Flares http://www.chemring.co.uk/~/media/Files/C/Chemring-V2/PDFs/introduction-to-chemring-for-investors-oct2014.pdf
CCU-168 = Impulse cartridge for the flares https://govtribe.com/project/13-pn-8385852-2-ccu-168b-impulse-cartridge/activity
MJU-61/64 = also flares (4 differenc kinds?)
Absence of chaff info is odd….
This tidbit from the FY2017 budget (looks like the ALE-70 is in Block 2B/3i already:
[quote](14) ALE-70 FY 2015 quantities increased from PB 2016 to accommodate F-35B IOC. FY 2017 quantity change from PB 2016 due to revised F-35B delivery schedule.
Upon closer look , we was able to find where the flares and towed decoy bay located on F-35:
A = Fiber optic towed decoy (ALE-70) dispenser door
F (x2) = Flare doors
Here are some photos of F-35 with flares bay door open , you can see that the door open vertically and flares ejected vertically
Here are some photos of F-35 with towed decoy bay open and when the launcher is removed , you can see that the bay open horizontally 
Zoom in BAE brochure of ASQ-239 reveal even more interesting information , the aperture of the system seem to be consist of various Vivaldi antenna next to each others, what could be the reason for that planar array configuration ? electronic beam steering ? ( so ASQ-239 itself is also an AESA jammer ?)
Now on to the discussion part :
How many flares and towed decoys do you think F-35 can carry ? , it seem to be that it can carry about 4 towed decoys probably about 10 -20 flares.
Second question (this one for someone interested in electromagnetic physics or math), can a VLO aircraft achieve same effect using terrain bounce jamming vs normal aircraft using direct path jamming ?
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October 18, 2016 at 8:20 am