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The decoy in war may ''for example'' be a wooden fake [[tank]], designed to be mistaken by [[bomber]] plane crews to be real, or a device that fools an automatic system such as a [[guided missile]], by simulating some physical properties of a real target.
The decoy in war may ''for example'' be a wooden fake [[tank]], designed to be mistaken by [[bomber]] plane crews to be real, or a device that fools an automatic system such as a [[guided missile]], by simulating some physical properties of a real target.


For a [[defense (military)|defence]] system, decoys and [[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|chaff]] for [[ICBM]]s would mainly work in midcourse: during the boost phase they would be inside the [[rocket]], because separate rockets for each of many decoys would not be practical, while at [[reentry]] light decoys and chaff considerably slow down and/or are destroyed in the [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]].
For a [[defense (military)|defence]] system, decoys and [[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|chaff]] for [[ICBM]]s are released from the rocket in midcourse after reentry. If released before reentry the decoys and chaff would burn up in [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]].


A '''decoy''' was originally a small pond with a long cone-shaped [[wickerwork]] tunnel, used to catch wild [[duck]]s. After the ducks settled, a small trained dog would herd the ducks into the tunnel. The catch was formerly sent to market for food, but now these are only used to catch ducks to be [[ring (identification)|ring]]ed and released: see [[ornithology]]. The word came from [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''eende kooi'' = "duck cage". As the above meaning of a person or device supplanted the original meaning as the most common, the latter acquired the [[retronym]] "decoy pool".
A '''decoy''' was originally a small pond with a long cone-shaped [[wickerwork]] tunnel, used to catch wild [[duck]]s. After the ducks settled, a small trained dog would herd the ducks into the tunnel. The catch was formerly sent to market for food, but now these are only used to catch ducks to be [[ring (identification)|ring]]ed and released: see [[ornithology]]. The word came from [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''eende kooi'' = "duck cage". As the above meaning of a person or device supplanted the original meaning as the most common, the latter acquired the [[retronym]] "decoy pool".

Revision as of 22:23, 22 August 2006

See Decoy (TV series) for the 1957 television series of this name.

A decoy is usually a person, device or event meant as a distraction to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for. Decoys have been used for centuries most notably in game hunting, but also in wartime and in the committing or resolving of crimes.

The decoy in war may for example be a wooden fake tank, designed to be mistaken by bomber plane crews to be real, or a device that fools an automatic system such as a guided missile, by simulating some physical properties of a real target.

For a defence system, decoys and chaff for ICBMs are released from the rocket in midcourse after reentry. If released before reentry the decoys and chaff would burn up in atmosphere.

A decoy was originally a small pond with a long cone-shaped wickerwork tunnel, used to catch wild ducks. After the ducks settled, a small trained dog would herd the ducks into the tunnel. The catch was formerly sent to market for food, but now these are only used to catch ducks to be ringed and released: see ornithology. The word came from Dutch eende kooi = "duck cage". As the above meaning of a person or device supplanted the original meaning as the most common, the latter acquired the retronym "decoy pool".

Duck decoy carving is considered a form of folk art. Collecting and selling decoys have become a lucrative industry. The world record was set in January of 2003 when a preening pintail drake (circa 1915) by A. Elmer Crowell of Harwell, MA sold for $801,500(US).

See also