How do decoys and electronic warfare (EW) measures contribute to a ship's air-defense envelope?

• A. They physically intercept missiles.
• B. They improve propulsion efficiency.
• C. They provide camouflage and degrade attacker sensors.
• D. They eliminate the need for any active sensors.

Answer: (C)

Decoys and EW extend the air-defense envelope by masking the ship’s true signature and scrambling the attacker’s sensing and tracking. Decoys, like radar reflectors or chaff and infrared flares, create false targets or clutter that misleads weapons seekers and makes it harder for an attacker to maintain a reliable track on the ship. Electronic warfare enhances this further by jamming, spoofing, or degrading radar and other sensor signals, reducing detection ranges, distorting tracks, and confusing target priorities. Together, these measures slow or misdirect the attacker’s weapons and buy time for the ship to maneuver, react, or bring its own defenses to bear. They don’t physically intercept missiles, they don’t boost propulsion, and they don’t eliminate the need for active sensors—EW and decoys amplify the effectiveness of the ship’s sensor and weapon system rather than replacing them.