What is it?

• Decoys are deception tools designed to mislead enemy sensors, surveillance, and weapons systems.
• They simulate the signature (radar, thermal, acoustic, or visual) of real assets like aircraft, tanks, or ships.
• They aim to confuse, divert, waste enemy munitions, and protect real platforms at relatively low cost.

Types of Decoys

1. Airborne Decoys:
   • Towed Decoys: e.g., Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) attached to aircraft to mislead radar-guided missiles.
   • Unmanned Aerial Decoys (UADs): Low-cost drones mimicking fighter jets to saturate enemy air defences.
   • Example: U.S. ADM-160 MALD (Miniature Air Launched Decoy).
2. Land Warfare Decoys
   • Dummy Tanks, Artillery, and Missiles: Inflatable or heat-emitting structures resembling real equipment.
   • Electronic Warfare (EW) Decoys: Emit radar or radio signals to mislead enemy reconnaissance.
3. Naval Decoys
   • Chaff & Flares: Metal strips/flares launched by warships to divert radar or infrared-guided missiles.
   • Active Decoy Launchers: Emit electromagnetic signatures of large ships.
   • Example: U.S. Navy’s Nulka active missile decoy system.
4. Cyber & Digital Decoys
   • Honeypots: Cybersecurity decoys that lure hackers into false systems.
   • False GPS Signals: Spoofing enemy navigation and drones.
5. Directed Energy & AI-enabled Decoys
   • Emerging use of AI algorithms to generate realistic, adaptive decoy signatures in real time.
   • Integration with laser-based Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) to create combined deception-and-defence systems.

India’s Deployment of Decoys

• Air Force: Rafale fighters equipped with X-Guard Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) developed by Rafael (Israel).
• Army: Dummy tanks/artillery during exercises to mislead enemy drones & satellites.
• Navy: Use of chaff & flare countermeasure systems against anti-ship missiles.
• DRDO: Working on indigenous electronic warfare suites and decoys integrated with QRSAM & IADWS (Integrated Air Defence Weapon System).

Strategic Importance

• Force Protection: Shields expensive platforms (jets, tanks, ships).
• Cost-Effectiveness: Low-cost decoys waste high-value enemy missiles.
• Psychological Impact: Creates uncertainty in enemy decision-making.
• Asymmetric Edge: Helps weaker forces counter technologically superior adversaries.

Challenges

• Advanced sensors (multi-spectral imaging, AI-driven recognition) can distinguish real from fake.
• Requires constant innovation to remain effective.
• Ethical concerns in cyber warfare decoys (honeypots, false civilian signals).