Drone Swarm Radar Decoy for Simulating Ship Scatter Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radar-guided missiles increasingly distinguish between decoys and genuine targets, posing a risk that decoy maneuvers will be recognized and bypassed, compromising the effectiveness of existing protection methods.
Innovation Solution
Deploying a swarm of drones equipped with active offboard reflectors to simulate the object's radar signature by positioning them as individual scattering centers, creating a realistic radar scatter pattern that mimics the protected object, allowing for precise alignment and amplification of radar signals to deceive the missile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single decoy with an active offboard reflector is used to reflect radar signals back to the missile, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the complexity of the system increases and the decoy may be easily distinguished as artificial by intelligent missiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single decoy system into multiple smaller drone units, each equipped with its own active offboard reflector. These segmented drones work collectively to create the radar scatter pattern, reducing the complexity of each individual unit while maintaining overall protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple copies of the active offboard reflector functionality across different drone units. Each drone carries a simplified version of the reflector system, and together they replicate the radar scattering characteristics of the protected object, making the system less complex individually but collectively effective.
2Device complexity
If a single decoy is used to simulate the radar signature, then the system is simpler, but it cannot accurately simulate the complex radar scatter pattern of large objects like ships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radar signature simulation task across multiple drone units, where each drone contributes to specific portions of the overall scatter pattern. This segmentation allows accurate reproduction of complex radar characteristics of large objects without requiring a single overly complex decoy system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the radar scattering contributions from multiple individual drone units to create the complete simulated radar signature. By combining the scattered radar signals from multiple sources positioned strategically, the system accurately reproduces the complex scatter pattern of large objects like ships.
3Measurement precision
If multiple drones are deployed to form a swarm decoy, then the radar signature simulation accuracy is improved, but the deployment complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses multiple copies of standardized drone units, each with identical or similar active offboard reflector configurations. This copying approach allows accurate radar signature simulation through数量 accumulation rather than individual complexity, simplifying deployment while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of drone quantity from single to multiple, and adjusts their spatial distribution parameters to optimize radar scatter pattern simulation. By varying the number and positioning parameters of drones rather than increasing individual drone complexity, the system achieves accurate simulation with manageable deployment complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively simulates the radar signature of large objects like ships, making it difficult for intelligent missiles to distinguish between the decoy and the genuine target, thereby enhancing protection by creating a realistic and dynamic decoy pattern.
Implementation Method 1
a radar signal transmitted by the radar-guided missile is picked up and returned to the missile as an amplified signal
Implementation Method 2
returned to the missile as an amplified signal in the previously ascertained opposite direction of reception
Implementation Method 3
positioning them as individual scattering centers, creating a realistic radar scatter pattern that mimics the protected object
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for protecting an object, in particular a land vehicle or watercraft, in particular a ship, from of a radar-guided missile by deploying and using an active offboard reflector, which is arranged at a decoy and comprises at least one receiving antenna and at least one transmitting antenna, wherein a radar signal transmitted by the radar-guided missile is picked up and is returned to the missile as an amplified signal in the previously ascertained opposite direction of reception; the invention proposes carrying out the method by deploying a plurality of flying drones, each having at least one active offboard reflector, and positioning the drones relative to one another in space in such a way that the active offboard reflectors thereof act as individual scattering centers and the signals therefrom that are returned to the missile collectively produce a radar scatter pattern that simulates the object to be protected.