DECOY SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention provides an airborne passive decoy system for use in the radio waveband, the system comprising a controllable aerial propulsion unit and one or more retroreflectors, wherein the one or more retroreflectors are mounted on, contained within or otherwise borne by the controllable propulsion unit, and wherein the system is configured such that the one or more retroreflectors can be deployed as a decoy at a desired location and/or time. The system is an integral system which does not rely on tethers, cables or suchlike. Related methods and uses are also provided.

Claims

1. An airborne passive decoy system for use in a radio waveband, the system comprising a controllable aerial propulsion unit and one or more retroreflectors, wherein the one or more retroreflectors are mounted on, contained within or otherwise borne by the controllable propulsion unit, and wherein the system is configured such that the one or more retroreflectors can be deployed as a decoy at a desired location and/or time.

2. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the system additionally comprises release means for separating the one or more retroreflectors from the propulsion unit upon deployment.

3. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the system additionally comprises a tether configured to link the one or more retroreflectors to the propulsion unit after deployment therefrom.

4. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more retroreflectors comprise a parachute.

5. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more retroreflector(s) are configured to transform from a collapsed state to an expanded state upon deployment.

6. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more retroreflectors are corner reflectors.

7. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the controllable aerial propulsion unit is an unmanned aerial or aerial-aquatic vehicle.

8. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the controllable aerial propulsion unit is autonomous or semi-autonomous.

9. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit is foldable.

10. A passive decoy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more retroreflectors comprise multiple reflective faces.

11. An airborne passive decoy round for use in a radio waveband, wherein the decoy round comprises a passive decoy system according to claim 1 held within a casing and wherein the decoy round is configured to eject the decoy system from the casing at a predetermined time and/or location after launch.

12. A passive decoy launching system comprising a launcher and a decoy round according to claim 11.

13. A method of deploying an airborne passive decoy for use in the radio waveband, said method comprising: (i) providing an airborne passive decoy system according to any one of claims 1 to 10; (ii) identifying an incoming threat using a long-range detection system and determining a remote decoy location; (iii) using the controllable aerial propulsion unit to position the decoy system at or near the remote decoy location, and (iv) deploying the one or more retroreflectors.

14. A method of deploying a passive decoy for use in the radio waveband, said method comprising the steps of: providing a launching system according to claim 12; (ii) identifying an incoming threat using a long-range detection system and determining a remote decoy location and trajectory; (iii) launching the decoy round and ejecting the decoy system at or near the remote location; and (iv) deploying the one or more retroreflectors.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the aerial propulsion unit provides lift to the one or more retroreflectors at step (iv).

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the remote location is revised or updated at or after step (ii) or (iii) and wherein the aerial propulsion unit repositions the decoy system based on the revised or updated remote location.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the deployment step (iv) involves releasing the one or more retroreflectors from the aerial propulsion unit.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein the one or more retroreflectors remain linked to the aerial propulsion unit after deployment by means of a tether.

19. A method according to claim 13, wherein the airborne passive decoy system provided in claim 13, is provided on a maritime platform.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein the method involves providing a plurality of airborne passive decoy systems and/or launching systems and wherein the one or more retroreflectors of each airborne passive decoy system and/or associated airborne passive decoy system are deployed in conjunction with each other to create a spatially positioned array.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. A method of using of a plurality of airborne passive decoy systems according to claim 1 to deploy a spatially positioned array of retroreflectors.

24. (canceled)

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the spatially positioned array of retroreflectors mimic an object.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] The invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a decoy system according to the first aspect in use; and

[0067] FIG. 2 shows a decoy round according to the second aspect in use.

[0068] The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] FIG. 1 shows an airborne passive decoy system according to the first aspect of the invention in use.

[0070] A naval vessel 1 requiring protection is subject to an incoming threat missile 6. The missile has a guiding beam 4 incident on the vessel. The missile is detected by means of a long range radar tracking system (not shown), and an airborne passive decoy system 2 according to the first aspect of the invention is rapidly launched from vessel 1, along trajectory A1-A2-A3, using the aerial propulsion unit as the launch mechanism. The airborne passive decoy system 2 comprises a quadcopter 8 having a load capacity of about 25 kg and an inflatable corner reflector which is held within (or in an alternative embodiment on) the quadcopter 8. (The inflatable corner reflector is not visible at point A2 on FIG. 1 because it is held within the quadcopter.) Between points A2 and A3 of the trajectory, the corner reflector 5 is deployed by releasing it from the quadcopter 8, inflated and retained on a tether 7. Quadcopter 8 controls the aerial position of the passive corner reflector, intercepts guide beam 4 and moves in a direction calculated to drag missile 6 away from the position of naval vessel 1.

[0071] The airborne passive decoy system is remotely controlled using wireless communications network 3.

[0072] After use (that is, after corner reflector 5 has successfully served its decoy function) the tether 7 is released or severed and the corner reflector is dropped into the sea or otherwise disposed of. The quadcopter 8 may also be disposed of, but preferably returns to the naval vessel, serviced if necessary and used as an aerial propulsion system for a new decoy mission.

[0073] FIG. 2 shows an airborne passive decoy round according to the second aspect of the invention in use.

[0074] A naval vessel 10 requiring protection is subject to an incoming threat missile 60. The missile has a guiding beam 40 incident on the vessel. The missile is detected by means of a long range radar tracking system (not shown), and an airborne passive decoy round 90 is launched from vessel 10, along trajectory B1-B2-B3, using a tube launcher. The airborne passive decoy round 90 comprises a casing 91 enclosing an airborne passive decoy system, the decoy system itself comprising a foldable quadcopter 20 having a load capacity of about 25 kg and an inflatable passive corner reflector 50. The quadcopter and corner reflector are (respectively) folded and uninflated whilst in the casing of the decoy round.

[0075] At point B2 in the trajectory, the airborne passive decoy system is ejected from the airborne passive decoy round. Between points B2 and B3 of the trajectory, the passive corner reflector 50 is deployed by releasing it from quadcopter 80, inflated and retained on a tether 70. Quadcopter 80 controls the aerial position of the passive corner reflector, intercepts guide beam 40 and moves in a direction calculated to drag missile 60 away from the position of naval vessel 10.

[0076] The airborne passive decoy system is remotely controlled using wireless communications network 30.

[0077] After use (that is, after the passive corner reflector has successfully served its decoy function) the tether is released or severed and the corner reflector is dropped into the sea or otherwise disposed of. The aerial propulsion unit may also be disposed of, but preferably returns to the naval vessel, serviced if necessary and used for a new mission.

[0078] It will be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modification of detail can be made within the scope of the invention. Each feature disclosed in the description, and (where appropriate) the claims and drawings may be provided independently or in any appropriate combination.

[0079] Moreover, the invention has been described with specific reference to maritime vessels, more specifically naval vessels. It will be understood that this is not intended to be limiting and the invention may be used more generally. For example, the invention may be used more generally in the security and military fields, such as in conjunction with land and/or air bases and platforms. Additional applications of the invention will occur to the skilled person.