Which forms are commonly used as decoys in radar countermeasures?

• A. Inflatable balloons with reflector tape; reflectors suspended from kites or parachutes
• B. Chaff and Flares
• C. Sonobuoys and Infrared decoys
• D. Radar amplifiers and jammers

Answer: (A)

In radar countermeasures, decoys work by creating extra false targets for the radar to see, so the real asset can be hidden or misdirected. Inflatable balloons with reflector tape and reflectors suspended from kites or parachutes are classic passive decoys because they physically reflect radar energy, producing believable echoes that radar systems may mistake for additional aircraft or objects. This approach doesn't rely on emitting signals; it simply increases the number of solid radar returns, making it harder for the operator to track the actual asset.

Other options mix different concepts. Chaff is a radar decoy in the sense that it reflects radar as well, but flares are infrared and aimed at heat-seeking missiles, not radar. Sonobuoys are used for underwater sensing, not radar deception, and infrared decoys target IR seekers rather than radar. Radar amplifiers and jammers actively disrupt radar signals rather than provide false echoes, so they are not decoys in the same sense.