Deceptive jammer

In electronic warfare, a deceptive jammer electronically attacks a hostile tracking or fire control sensor, by giving it stronger signals than does the actual platform being defended. The jammer may be aboard the platform (i.e., a self-protection jammer), on an escorting platform, or in a package (i.e., deceptive decoy) either expended or towed by the platform). While most such decoys interfere with radar, they also exist for infrared guidance and against sonar.

One deceptive self-protection jammer is the AN/ALQ-122, carried by the B-52 and E-3 aircraft. Reusable towed decoys include the AN/ALE-55 against radar, and the AN/SLQ-25 Nixie surface ship defense against torpedo sonars.

Intelligent towed or expendable decoys, if deception fails, may convert to sacrificial decoys as a final protective measure.