Euronaval 2026: France takes next steps on DAUPHIN offboard active decoy project

The DAUPHIN active decoy technology demonstration effort is integrating a Thales-developed jammer payload with a multi-copter flight vehicle provided by Lacroix Defense. (Lacroix)

France's Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) is moving forward with efforts to de-risk and demonstrate a new offboard active decoy (OBAD) designed to improve the anti-ship missile defence capability of French Navy warships.

Now into its second phase, the so-called DAUPHIN (Drone d'Autoprotection Projeté et Héliporté d'Interception Navale)technology demonstration effort is integrating a Thales-developed radio frequency (RF) jammer payload with a multi-copter flight vehicle provided by Lacroix Defense. Details of the project were publicised by Thales and Lacroix for the first time on 3 November at the Euronaval 2026 exhibition, held in Paris from 3-6 November. The DGA had previously provided a background briefing to media on 7 October.

DAUPHIN is a DGA project intended to mature critical technology building blocks in order to establish the basis for an OBAD production and fielding programme in the medium term. An OBAD is a soft-kill decoy device that uses a jammer to seduce the radar seeker head of an inbound anti-ship missile threat away from its intended ship target. This type of active decoy is designed to complement traditional ‘passive' RF decoys – expendables such as corner reflectors and chaff - and afford improved protection against incoming seekers with complex discrimination logic.

Lacroix's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been developed in cooperation with specialist UAV house Aviation Design. Having been fired from the ship to a set range, the vehicle deploys six rotor arms, transitions to controlled flight, and manoeuvres to the most advantageous point in time and space for the jammer payload to effect a seduction ploy.