UK reveals plans to buy new N-POD floating offboard decoy for soft-kill defence

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has disclosed plans to procure a new passive offboard decoy system to provide soft-kill anti-ship missile defence for Royal Navy (RN) ships.

The Outfit DLF(3b) countermeasure payload associated with Outfit DLF (3b) deploys an inflatable floating corner reflector decoy producing a large radar cross section. (IrvinGQ)

Known as the Naval Passive Off-Board Decoy (N-POD) system, the new equipment is intended to replace the current Outfit DLF(3b) system in RN service. Outfit DLF(3b) is a passive radio frequency (RF) countermeasure using a floating inflatable corner reflector.

In a prior information notice issued on 18 February, the Maritime Combat Systems team within the MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation advised that it was “considering replacing the current floating offboard decoy system (DLF[3b]) with a similar system”, adding that the N-POD requirement had been classified UK secret – UK eyes only and would therefore not be advertised in the EU.

It is currently anticipated that a pre-qualification questionnaire will be issued in June 2019, with an invitation to negotiate following in October 2019. A contract award is anticipated in May 2020. The contract is expected to be a Design, Development, Demonstration, and Manufacture contract with up to a five-year support contract.

The target in-service date for N-POD is anticipated to be 2023. A full operating capability is planned for 2025.

Outfit DLF(3b) launch tubes seen fitted on board the RN Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke. (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX)