Why in News?
Reports from Operation Sindoor suggest that the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully deployed advanced AI-enabled X-Guard Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) systems on its Rafale fighters. These systems — part of their electronic warfare (EW) suite — are believed to have misled enemy radars and missiles, showcasing a landmark moment in India’s adoption of deception technologies.
Background: The Evolution of Deception in Warfare
Deception has always been a key tool in war. In ancient times, armies used tricks like the famous Trojan Horse to fool their enemies. Later, during the World Wars, militaries used inflatable tanks and fake aircraft to mislead opponents about their real strength.
In the modern era, wars are fought with drones, precision missiles, and radar-based systems. Because of this, deception has also become more advanced. Instead of simple visual tricks, militaries now use AI-driven decoys and sensor-based systems to confuse the enemy.
| What are Decoys in Warfare? In military terminology, a decoy is any system or object designed to mislead the enemy — making them think they are targeting the real asset, while in fact they are engaging a false target. The main idea: confuse, divert, or overload enemy sensors, radars, or missiles, thereby protecting actual troops, vehicles, ships, or aircraft. What is a Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD)? 1- It is a small, expendable device deployed behind a fighter aircraft using a long, thin fibre-optic cable. 2- The cable allows real-time data transfer between the aircraft and the decoy. 3- The decoy mimics the radar signature of the parent aircraft, luring away incoming enemy air-to-air or surface-to-air missiles. 4- Since the decoy is placed tens to hundreds of meters behind the aircraft, the missile is diverted away from the fighter. |
Today, all three forces — air, land, and navy — rely on decoys to:
- Absorb enemy attacks so real weapons are not destroyed,
- Protect valuable equipment like fighter jets, warships, or tanks, and
- Confuse enemy surveillance systems so they lose track of the battlefield situation.
AI-Enabled X-Guard Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy Systems
The X-Guard, developed by Israel’s Rafael, is a modern aerial defence technology. It is a lightweight (30 kg), reusable, and retractable decoy system fitted with the SPECTRA electronic warfare (EW) suite on aircraft like the Rafale.
How it Works:
- The system is released and trails about 100 metres behind the aircraft, connected through a fibre-optic cable.
- It imitates the real jet’s radar signature — including its Radar Cross-Section (RCS), speed (doppler velocity), and electronic signals.
- It also provides 360-degree jamming across radar frequencies.
- As a result, enemy radar and missiles are tricked into chasing the decoy instead of the actual aircraft.
Operational Example:
During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s J-10C fighters armed with PL-15E beyond-visual-range missiles reportedly locked onto these X-Guard decoys. This caused wasted missiles and even led to false claims of shooting down Indian aircraft, showing how effective the system can be in real combat.
Comparable Systems Worldwide
Several countries have developed similar airborne decoy technologies to protect their fighter aircraft:
- Leonardo UL’s BriteCloud – Used on Eurofighter Typhoons, Sweden’s Gripen-E, and some F-16s. It works as a compact expendable jammer that confuses enemy radars.
- Raytheon/BAE AN/ALE-50/55 Series – Installed on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets of the U.S. Navy. These towed decoys are battle-tested and provide strong protection against radar-guided missiles.
- Adapted UAV Versions – Countries like Israel (Heron drones) and the U.S. (MQ-9 Reaper drones) now use lighter versions of decoys to safeguard unmanned aerial vehicles, which are increasingly central to modern warfare.
Land-Based Decoys
Deception is not limited to the air; armies also use ground-based decoys to mislead enemy surveillance and waste their weapons.
- Ukraine – Extensively used wooden, inflatable, and even 3D-printed dummy tanks, artillery, and missile launchers. These forced Russia to waste expensive missiles and drones on fake targets.
- Russia – Employed Inflatech-made inflatable tanks to create the illusion of large armoured formations on the battlefield.
- United States – The U.S. Army has tested vehicle decoys that mimic tanks and armoured vehicles to fool Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and other top-attack weapons.
- China – Investing in thermal-acoustic signature decoys that can fool not only visual observation but also infrared sensors and sound detection systems.
- India – In April 2025, the Indian Army invited vendors to design T-90 tank decoys that replicate visual, thermal, and acoustic features to protect its real armoured fleet.
Naval Countermeasures
Just like armies and air forces, navies also rely on deception systems to protect their ships from enemy missiles and submarines. These countermeasures create false targets so that the enemy’s weapons are diverted away from real warships.
- Chaff and Floating Decoys – Released into the sea or air to confuse enemy radar by creating large false signals, making it hard to track the real ship.
- Acoustic Decoys – Generate fake underwater sound signatures to mislead torpedoes and draw them away from submarines or surface vessels.
- Nulka Active Decoy (Australia–U.S.) – A self-propelled decoy that flies away from the ship while imitating the radar signature of a large warship, effectively tricking incoming anti-ship missiles into targeting it instead.
Significance of Modern Decoy Systems
- Force Protection: Decoys act as expendable shields, keeping high-value platforms — fighters, tanks, or warships — safe from missile strikes.
- Cost-Effectiveness: A decoy worth a few lakh rupees can mislead a missile costing several crores.
- Operational Flexibility: By creating confusion, decoys buy crucial reaction time for evasion or counterattack.
- Psychological Impact: Successful deception undermines enemy confidence and can inflate false victory claims.
- Strategic Deterrence: Nations with credible deception systems enhance their deterrence, as adversaries hesitate to commit expensive strikes without certainty of hitting real targets.
“Yet, as with all technologies, decoys face challenges that could limit their long-term effectiveness.”
Key Issues and Challenges
- Arms Race in Counter-Decoys: As decoys advance, so do enemy discrimination technologies (AI radars, multispectral seekers).
- Integration Costs: Installing advanced EW suites on all platforms is expensive.
- Dependence on Imports: India’s reliance on Israeli and Western systems underlines gaps in domestic EW and decoy technology.
- Detection Risks: Over time, adversaries may adapt to specific decoy signatures, reducing effectiveness.
Need for a More Nuanced Model
India’s security environment demands a balanced and future-ready deception strategy.
- Balancing Imports with Indigenous R&D
India currently imports several advanced decoy systems. While this ensures quick capability, overdependence on foreign technology is risky. Strengthening DRDO-led indigenous research will provide long-term strategic autonomy. - AI and Machine Learning Integration
Modern warfare evolves rapidly. By using AI-driven decoys, India can make systems that adapt in real time to changing enemy sensors, radars, and missile guidance systems, ensuring higher survivability. - Multi-Domain Deception Frameworks
Future wars won’t be fought in isolation. India needs deception strategies that synchronise across air, land, sea, cyber, and even space domains. Coordinated decoys and misinformation can create maximum confusion for adversaries.
Way Forward
- Indigenisation Drive: Invest in DRDO and private-sector collaboration for EW and decoy systems.
- Joint Services Integration: Ensure air, land, and naval decoy systems complement each other.
- AI-Enabled Upgrades: Use adaptive algorithms to constantly change decoy signatures.
- Training & Wargaming: Frequent exercises to integrate decoys with live operations.
- Export Potential: Once matured, India can become a hub for low-cost decoy systems for the Global South.
Conclusion
Deception remains as relevant to warfare today as it was in ancient times — only now, it is powered by AI, fibre-optics, and electronic warfare. India’s adoption of the X-Guard system highlights its seriousness about protecting frontline platforms like Rafales. However, long-term security lies in indigenous innovation, adaptive technologies, and multi-domain deception strategies. For modern militaries, decoys are no longer tricks of war — they are strategic assets, as vital as missiles and radars themselves.
Upsc prelims practice question-
Q1. Consider the following statements with reference to Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) systems:
- They are deployed behind fighter aircraft using a fibre-optic cable that enables real-time communication with the parent aircraft.
- They are designed to mimic the radar cross-section of the aircraft and lure enemy missiles away from the actual target.
- The X-Guard system, recently in news, is developed indigenously by India’s DRDO.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Explanation:
- FOTDs trail behind aircraft through a fibre-optic cable, allowing real-time jamming and decoying (✓).
- They mimic radar signature to mislead missiles (✓).
- X-Guard is developed by Israel’s Rafael, not by DRDO (✗).
Q2. With reference to modern military deception technologies, consider the following pairs:
| Decoy System / Country | Primary Domain |
| 1. BriteCloud – UK | Airborne |
| 2. Nulka – Australia–U.S. | Naval |
| 3. Wooden Dummy Tanks – Ukraine | Land-based |
| 4. AN/ALE-50 – China | Cyber |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
- BriteCloud (UK) → Airborne expendable decoy (✓).
- Nulka (Australia–U.S.) → Naval active decoy for anti-ship missiles (✓).
- Ukraine’s dummy tanks → Land-based deception against Russian missiles (✓).
- AN/ALE-50 is a U.S. (Raytheon/BAE) system, not Chinese and not cyber (✗).
UPSC Mains practice question
Q. Decoys have evolved from simple battlefield tricks to advanced AI-enabled electronic warfare systems. In the context of India’s security environment, critically examine the role of modern decoy technologies in strengthening national defence. (Answer in 250 words)
SOURCE- THE HINDU
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