Floating Decoy System (FDS)
IrvinGQ’s FDS3™, designed to protect naval ships from RF-seeking missile threats, including modern agile seekers
Non-kinetic countermeasure
360 degree response arc
‘no power’ mode of operation
Effective on sea surface
Simple to install and operate
A ship-deployed, passive radio frequency, anti-missile countermeasure, designed to defeat modern anti-ship RF missile seekers
Supplied
FDS3™ units are supplied as a complete decoy launch tube assembly in low-RCS launchers, typically in pairs, and may be integrated within the ship’s systems or as a standalone system, with just 8 bolts and a power feed necessary for installation.
Capabilities
FDS3™ anti-missile floating decoy system is capable in seduction, distraction, confusion or signature-management roles and is suited to blue-water or littoral operations. Its multi-reflector structure achieves a ship-like Radar Cross Section (RCS) that is greater than the ship.
1 decoy = protection for a ship
Mechanical Launch Mode
Should all ship’s power be lost, then FDS3™ can still be launched and provide full ship protection.
No auxiliary power is required
No targeting necessary
Independent
The decoy is completely independent of the ship’s systems, and does not require other countermeasures such as jammers to be used in conjunction with it. Once FDS3™ is launched, its operation is automatic and requires no further input from the ship.
Installation
Installation is simple, with minimal in-service maintenance requirements, resulting in extremely low through life cost of ownership.
Launch/inflation sequence
01
Decoy is launched when a threat is identified
02
Decoy inflates automatically, with rcs developed even before full inflation
03
Decoy floats free of the ship on the sea surface, producing a ship-like rcs
04
Decoy continues to function, independent of ship movements
05
Automatic deflation, pre-programmed to user tactics
FDS3™ MODES
OF OPERATION
A single FDS3™ decoy, launched after the missile has locked-on to the ship, seduces the missile away from the ship.
When FDS3™ is released in the final stages of a missile approach, the decoy seduces a locked-on RF-guided missile away from a target ship, producing a RCS greater than that of the ship itself. In this mode FDS3™ issued for self-protection.
All FDS3™ features
- Remans effective on sea surface for as long as required. Can be launched regardless of ship or wind direction/speed, or sea state
- Non-kinetic countermeasure – removes risk of Rules of Engagement (ROE) violation
- Does not take space in locker – so enables more ammunition rounds to be carried
- Once launched, fully automatic and immediate operation – RCS produced within seconds of launch
- Standalone operation – no other countermeasures need be used in conjunction
- Totally passive – no mutual interference with other ship systems. Cannot be jammed.
- Capable against broad frequency, agile, multi-band threats with no knowledge of type of threat required
- 360 degree response arc, regardless of threat bearing or azimuth
- Bulk RCS, greater than ship’s own RCS
- Insensitive to chaff discriminators – radar response looks like a ship
- ‘No-power’ mode of operation – still functions with total loss of ship’s power
- Manual launch or fully integrated into ship’s combat management system (CMS)
- Remains effective on sea surface for as long as required. Can be launched regardless of ship or wind direction/speed or sea-state
- Simple to install, simple to operate, low maintenance
- Very high availability (>98 per cent availability over 10 years in-service record)