“Friendly forces must be able to disguise actions and intentions, as well as deceive the enemy, through the use of decoys, signature management, and signature reduction.” The 2016 Marine Corps Operating Concept was even more succinct: “To be detected is to be targeted is to be killed.”

Decoys are not a one trick pony; they can be employed to achieve several different effects on enemy forces. Commanders might drop decoys away from their forces as an electromagnetic feint or as bait to lure enemy artillery to expose themselves.