it reduces the amplitude of the optical signal the attenuation is adjusted in order to control the overall gain of the link between the laser and the active towed decoy the generation of the control signal is discussed in more detail below the optical switch 430 receives the optical signal from the variable optical attenuator 420 and introduces additional attenuation in the optical path however the variable optical switch is used to allow the connection of multiple towed decoys to the aircraft decoy driver according to one embodiment of the invention up to four towed decoys may be connected to the optical switch at any given time one towed decoy is active and the optical path from the laser signaling system is coupled to the optical path leading to the active towed decoy the signal output from the optical switch 430 is optically coupled to the active towed decoy 405 this coupling may occur through one or more connectors including a blind mate connector the signal is applied to an optical receiver 440 within the active towed decoy 405 the optical receiver 440 includes an optical element such as a photodiode that produces a current or a voltage that is proportional to the amplitude of the optical signal received from the aircraft decoy control system 400 the photodiode.