The Art of Deception in Modern Warfare: The Strategic Role of Decoys
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Science and Technology (Defence Technology, Electronic Warfare); Current events of national and international importance.
Key Highlights from the News
In modern warfare, decoys (false targets) play a crucial role in deceiving and misdirecting enemy sensors and weapons.
Decoys are widely used for defense in three domains: air, land, and sea.
Air-based decoys: India's Rafale fighter jets are reported to use the Israeli-made X-Guard Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) system. This system is attached behind the aircraft and emits the same radar signal as the aircraft, misdirecting enemy missiles.
Land-based decoys: Inflatable decoys in the shape of tanks and artillery that emit heat and radar signals are used to waste the enemy's valuable weapons. The Indian army plans to acquire such decoys for its T-90 tanks.
Naval decoys: Chaff, acoustic decoys, and active decoys like Nulka are used to protect warships from missile and torpedo attacks.
Decoys have become an integral part of modern warfare due to their high security at a relatively low cost.
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