In an era where the skies are dominated by advanced radars and long-range missiles, survival in aerial combat depends not only on speed and firepower but on intelligence, timing, and deception. India’s Rafale fighter jets, known for their agility and precision, carry with them a silent force multiplier: X-Guard, a fibre optic towed decoy that plays a critical role in protecting both pilot and mission.
Part of the Rafale’s electronic warfare suite, X-Guard is designed to mislead radar-guided threats particularly enemy missiles and surface-to-air systems. The concept is simple, but the execution is deeply sophisticated. Once deployed, the decoy trails behind the aircraft, replicating its radar signature and mimicking its motion with astonishing fidelity. Enemy radars are tricked into locking onto the decoy, believing it to be the real jet.
What sets X-Guard apart is its speed and precision. It activates in just two seconds and emits a 500-watt jamming signal in all directions. This rapid deployment window is crucial when every second counts whether dodging a radar lock-on or outmanoeuvring an incoming missile. Unlike traditional countermeasures, X-Guard doesn’t just confuse it convincingly impersonates, buying critical time for the Rafale to evade or strike.
This capability isn’t just theoretical. During recent high-stakes missions, X-Guard played a decisive role in ensuring the safety of Indian pilots. In encounters where adversaries deployed advanced platforms like the J-10C and PL-15E missiles are supported by powerful radar systems such as the Chinese-made KLJ-7A AESA. India’s Rafales successfully avoided detection and targeting, in part due to the X-Guard’s protection.
These real-world results matter. They represent modern air warfare, where survivability is not solely a matter of flying fast or high, but flying smart. X-Guard enables that smartness silently, efficiently, and without needing to fire a single shot.
The success of systems like X-Guard is a reminder that behind every powerful platform is a network of innovation where engineering meets purpose, and technology which is ready to serve the people who are flying into danger. As India continues to modernize its air fleet, it’s systems like these born from strategic foresight and operational necessity that ensure our pilots stay one step ahead.
In the skies of tomorrow, being unseen is often more powerful than being feared — and X-Guard proves that true strength often lies in silence.
