The LRCR system is a long range rocket used as a “first line of defense” against missile attack. The rocket creates a ship size decoy at a range of 14 kilometers from the ship. The rockets can be integrate with anti-submarine SRBOC Mk-36 rocket launchers and decoys. These countermeasures can be augmented by other defensive measures, such as the MRCR decoys, BT-4 short range rockets and Heatrap IR decoys as well as the Barak anti-missile system.
Ship launched decoys can accommodate various electronic warfare equipment and payloads, including chaff, to provide missile deception. LRCR rocket can implement such deception tactics, as they generate a ship size target some 14 kilometers from the real ship. According to Rafael, the system is combat proven, as it succeeded to attract a high percentage of enemy missiles fired at the protected ships.
Distraction is used to prevent engagement by enemy missiles that are searching for targets. The missile detects the medium-range decoys as legitimate targets, causing its seeker to “lock on” them instead of the ship. MRCR medium range decoys are used for distraction defense. These lightweight chaff rockets are equipped with a programmable electronic timer to generate realistic targets, a few thousand of square meters in size, at ranges between 500 and 2000 meters from the ship.
Seduction is used when the missile has achieved radar lock-on the ship. These decoys use rapid blooming chaff, which, when deployed at optimum locations, create huge “targets” that should attract the missile seeker and deflect it away from the ship. The BT-4 short range rockets generate huge targets, many thousands of square meters in size, almost instantaneously. To become realistic and effective against heat seeking missiles, such targets should also include heat sources, which are provided by the Heatrap decoys, operating at very short ranges, from 50 to 600 meters.