Flying decoy

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The decoy of the present invention can be constructed as a small, compact disposable missile which has two main components: a radar reflector and an engine.
The radar reflector consists, for instance, of an aerodynamically-shaped mantle that radar waves can penetrate and a device consisting of reflectors and/or lenses, which is optimized to produce within a volume that is as small as possible, a radar effective cross section (RCS) that is as large as possible.
Thus, one can produce in the relevant frequency range maximum RCS values in excess of 10 m.
sup.
2 with different lenses--such as, for instance, the Eaton-Lippmann lens--with a diameter of only a few centimeters and a length of a few decimeters.
This device, or parts thereof, can also be designed to unfold, so that the desired RCS, together with aerodynamic stability, is only achieved after the decoy is prepared for firing.
The drawing figure is largely copied from U.
S.
Pat.
No.
3,866,226 where it is fully described.
That description also applies to the present figure.
As in the noted patent the engine 16 is appropriately placed behind the reflector 12, contains a solid propellant charge 31, and provides the decoy with the speed necessary to produce the desired doppler shift in the radar band.
According to the present invention various means can be used in the engine to produce appropriately large IR radiation and a plume covering an appropriately large area.
One technique is to select the propellant charge so that it has a content of carbon that increases the CO.
sub.
2 content of the exhaust, or a content of boron or other metallic powder to achieve high IR radiation of the plume in the applicable IR windows.
At least about 20% boron or carbon in the fuel is preferred.
It is also desirable to install holes or slits 5 on the sides of the engine so that the gas of the burning propellant escapes laterally and thereby creates a very large plume considering the size of the engine and its jets.
A separate supply of fuel 4 can be used for such lateral discharge