Mark 36 SRBOC

The BAE Systems Mark 36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures Chaff and Decoy Launching System (abbreviated as SRBOC or "Super-arboc") is an American short-range decoy launching system (DLS) that launches radar or infrared decoys from naval vessels to foil incoming anti-ship missiles. The decoys present false signals and interference to the attacking missiles' guidance and fire-control systems. The Mark 36 SRBOC is similar to the Sea Gnat decoy system.

The Mark 36 SRBOC uses the Mark 137 launcher, which has six fixed 130 mm mortar tubes arranged in two parallel rows. One row is set at 45 degrees and the other is set at 60 degrees, providing a spread of the launched decoys. Firing circuits use electromagnetic induction to set off the propelling charges in the decoy cartridges. They are launched at a speed of 75 m/s.

Each launcher holds 12–36 rounds, depending on variant. The number and arrangement of Mk 36 launchers installed depends on the size of the ship, ranging from two launchers on a small combatant to as many as eight on an aircraft carrier.

In addition to conventional ballistic decoys, the FLYRT (FLYing Radar Target) decoy was developed in the 1990s. It features rocket propulsion and flies at a ship-like speed in an attempt to present itself as a surface target. FLYRT complements the newer 21st-century Nulka active radar decoy, which actively emits radiofrequency energy to lure passive seekers on anti-ship missiles while hovering in the air. A modified version of the Mark 36 SRBOC, redesignated as the Mark 53 decoy launching system, was created to use the Nulka decoy.

The Mark 36 is interfaced with the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite. The SLQ-32 (with the exception of the (V)4 variant) can automatically fire decoys from the Mark 36 SRBOCs when it detects an anti-ship missile attack.

Components

The decoy launching system consists of:

* Mark 137 launcher
* Mark 158 Mod 1/2 master launcher control, located in the Combat Information Center. This is the primary means of operating the system.
* Mark 164 Mod 1/2 bridge launcher control; gives the bridge the capability to also control the system.
* Mark 160 Mod 1 power supply (one for each launcher) below deck. The power supplies operate from the onboard single-phase network 440 V, 60 Hz and supply launchers with a constant voltage of 28 V. In the event of a lack of voltage in the on-board network, they are capable of delivering 24 V from emergency batteries for 5–8 hours.
* Ready service lockers with Mark 5 Mod 2 or Mark 6 Mod 0 rounds. Located near each launcher, they enable quick reloading of the decoy launching systems.

Ammunition

The Mark 36 can be equipped with and fire the following decoys:

* Mark 182 Mod 1/2 seduction chaff decoy
* Mark 214 Mod 0 Sea Gnat seduction chaff decoy
* Mark 216 Mod 0 Sea Gnat distraction chaff decoy
* Mark 186 TORCH infrared decoy
* Mark 245 GIANT infrared decoy
* FLYRT (FLYing Radar Target)

Variants

Table reference:

Operators

As of 2010, over 1,000 Mark 36 SRBOC systems are in use by the fleets of at least 19 countries, including:

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References

Naval warfare
Electronic warfare
Missile countermeasures
Equipment of the United States Navy
Electronic warfare equipment

External links

Federation of American Scientists page

SRBOC Factsheet