View source for AN/SLQ-49 Chaff Buoy Decoy System

[[Image:USS Moosbrugger (DD-980) decoys.jpg|thumb|Decoys on {{USS|Moosbrugger|DD-980}}]]
The '''AN/SLQ-49 Chaff Buoy Decoy System''', commonly referred to as "Rubber Duck", consists of inflatable radar-reflecting decoy buoys. It is used by the [[U.S. Navy]], [[Royal Navy]], and other [[NATO]] countries. The decoy is designed to seduce radar-guided [[anti-ship missile]]s by simulating the [[radar]] cross section of a ship, presenting itself as a more attractive target than the ship.

The system is deployed in pairs. The deployment process takes a few seconds. When deployed, the system launches into the water two [[octahedron]]-shaped inflatable decoy floats, connected by a {{convert|5|m|ft|0|adj=on}} cable. They can last up to 3 hours in [[sea state]] 4.

The AN/SLQ-49 has been in operation since 1985. Originally designed to confuse or distract enemy radar operators, it has demonstrated effective missile seduction capabilities.

With the perceived lack of an adversary naval power following the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|collapse of the Soviet Union]], the AN/SLQ-49 was phased out of U.S. Navy service in the 1990s. It has since been replaced with the [[Naval Decoy IDS300]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trevithick |first=Joseph |date=2019-03-12 |title=US Navy Destroyers And Royal Navy Ships Use These Big Blow-Up Anti-Ship Missile Decoys |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26899/us-navy-destroyers-and-royal-navy-ships-use-these-big-blow-up-anti-ship-missile-decoys |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=The Drive |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=USS Ramage DDG-61 Arleigh Burke class Destroyer US Navy |url=https://www.seaforces.org/usnships/ddg/DDG-61-USS-Ramage.htm |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=www.seaforces.org}}</ref>

In accordance with the [[Joint Electronics Type Designation System]] (JETDS), the "''AN/SLQ-49''" designation represents the 49th design of an Army-Navy electronic device for waterborne countermeasures special equipment. The JETDS system also now is used to name all [[Department of Defense]] electronic systems.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Electronics}}
* [[Electronic warfare]]
* [[Electronic countermeasures]]
* [[Naval Decoy IDS300]]
*[[List of military electronics of the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/an-slq-49.htm AN/SLQ-49 Chaff Buoy Decoy System at fas.org]
* [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/an-slq-49.htm AN/SLQ-49 Chaff Buoy Decoy System at globalsecurity.org]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081005072112/http://safetycenter.navy.mil/media/fathom/issues/JanMar00/pdf/Jan-Mar%20fathom%20p11-12.pdf ''Fathom'' Jan-Mar 2000 article on accidental firings of SLQ-49s]

{{Electronic warfare navbox}}
[[Category:Electronic warfare equipment]]
[[Category:Military decoys]]
[[Category:Military electronics of the United States]]
[[Category:Naval warfare]]
[[Category:Electronic countermeasures]]
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