View source for Mark 36 SRBOC

{{Short description|American short-range decoy launching system}}
[[Image:MK36 SRBOC USS Wisconsin (BB-64).jpg|thumb|374x374px|Two Mark 36 Mod 7 SRBOC launchers aboard the battleship {{USS|Wisconsin|BB-64|6}} during [[Gulf War|Operation Desert Storm]].]]
The [[BAE Systems Land and Armaments|BAE Systems]] '''Mark 36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures Chaff and Decoy Launching System''' (abbreviated as '''SRBOC''' or "Super-arboc") is an American short-range decoy launching system (DLS) that launches [[chaff (radar countermeasure)|radar]] or [[infrared]] decoys from [[navy|naval]] vessels to foil incoming [[anti-ship missile]]s. The decoys present false signals and interference to the attacking missiles' guidance and fire-control systems.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=MK 36 SRBOC |url=https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-36.htm |access-date=3 November 2022 |website=man.fas.org}}</ref>

== Description ==
The Mark 36 SRBOC uses the Mark 137 launcher, which has six fixed 130&nbsp;mm mortar tubes arranged in two parallel rows. One row is set at 45 degrees and the other is set at 60 degrees, providing a spread of the launched decoys. Firing circuits use electromagnetic induction to set off the propelling charges in the decoy cartridges.<ref name=":0" /> They are launched at a speed of 75 m/s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Mk 36 SRBOC Chaff and Decoy Launching System |url=https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk36-srboc.pdf |access-date=3 November 2022 |website=man.fas.org |publisher=United Defense}}</ref> 

Each launcher holds 12–36 rounds, depending on variant. The number and arrangement of Mk 36 launchers installed depends on the size of the ship, ranging from two launchers on a small combatant to as many as eight on an aircraft carrier.<ref name=":1" />

To complement conventional ballistic decoys, the [[Naval Research Laboratory Flyrt|FLYRT]] (FLYing Radar Target) decoy had been developed in the 1990s.<ref>''Naval Research Laboratory Review'', 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Zd9HAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Naval+Research+Laboratory%22+Flyrt p.106].</ref> It had rocket propulsion and flew at a ship-like speed in an attempt to present itself as a surface target. However, FLYRT did not undergo production.<ref name="DS">Parsch 2006.</ref> Instead, a modified version of the Mark 36 SRBOC, redesignated as the Mark 53 decoy launching system, was created to use the newer [[Nulka]] active radar decoy. Nulka hovers in the air and emits radiofrequency energy to lure the seekers of anti-ship missiles.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=MK 137 SRBOC |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/mk-137.htm |access-date=3 November 2022 |website=www.globalsecurity.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MK 53 - Decoy Launching System (Nulka) |url=https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2167877/mk-53-decoy-launching-system-nulka/https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2167877/mk-53-decoy-launching-system-nulka/ |access-date=3 November 2022 |website=www.navy.mil |language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The Mark 36 is interfaced with the [[AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite]]. The SLQ-32 (with the exception of the (V)4 variant) can automatically fire decoys from the Mark 36 SRBOCs when it detects an anti-ship missile attack.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare (EW) system |url=https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/an-slq-32.htm |access-date=3 November 2022 |website=man.fas.org}}</ref>

The Mark 36 SRBOC is similar to the [[Seagnat|Sea Gnat]] decoy system.<ref name=":0" />

== Components ==
The decoy launching system consists of:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

* Mark 137 launcher
* Mark 158 Mod 1/2 master launcher control - located in the [[Combat information center|Combat Information Center]]. This is the primary means of operating the system.
* Mark 164 Mod 1/2 [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]] launcher control - gives the bridge the capability to also control the system.
* Mark 160 Mod 1 power supply (one for each launcher) below deck - the power supplies operate from the onboard single-phase network 440 V, 60 Hz and supply launchers with a constant voltage of 28 V. In the event of a lack of voltage in the on-board network, they are capable of delivering 24 V from emergency batteries for 5–8 hours.
* Ready service lockers with Mark 5 Mod 2 or Mark 6 Mod 0 rounds - located near each launcher, they enable quick reloading of the decoy launching systems.
[[File:Combat systems of the FFG-7 class.png|thumb|300px|right|The SRBOC was part of the combat systems of the [[Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate|''Oliver Hazard Perry''-class frigate]].]]

== Ammunition ==
The Mark 36 can be equipped with and fire the following decoys:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

* Mark 182 Mod 1/2 seduction chaff decoy
* Mark 214 Mod 0 Sea Gnat seduction chaff decoy
* Mark 216 Mod 0 Sea Gnat distraction chaff decoy
* Mark 186 TORCH infrared decoy
* Mark 245 GIANT infrared decoy
* [[C-GEM]] Active Offboard Decoy
[[File:Mark 36 SRBOC on USS Stout.jpg|thumb|239x239px|Mark 36 SRBOC fires a chaff decoy from [[USS Stout|USS ''Stout'']].]]

== Variants ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Mod
!Total # of Rounds in Launchers (# of Launchers)
!# of Ready Service Rounds (# of Lockers)
|-
|1 and 5
|12 (2 launchers)
|40 (2 lockers)
|-
|2, 6, and 9
|24 (4 launchers)
|80 (4 lockers)
|-
|8
|48 (8 launchers)
|160 (8 lockers)
|-
|10
|36 (6 launchers)
|120 (6 lockers)
|-
|11
|24 (4 launchers)
|140 (4 lockers)
|-
|12
|36 (6 launchers)
|210 (6 lockers)
|}
Table reference:<ref name=":1" />
[[File:Mark 36 Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaff explodes over the North Sea on 28 May 2020 (200528-N-RG482-0611).JPG|thumb|249x249px|Mark 36 SRBOC chaff decoy explodes.]]

== Operators ==
As of 2010, over 1,000 Mark 36 SRBOC systems are in use by the fleets of at least 19 countries, including:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mk 36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures (SRBOC) Chaff and Decoy Launching System |url=https://www.baesystems.com/en/product/mk-36-super-rapid-bloom-offboard-countermeasures-srboc-chaff-and-decoy-launching-system |access-date=3 November 2022 |website=BAE Systems {{!}} International |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dranidis |first=Dimitris |title=MK182 SRBOC Chaff |url=http://www.harpoondatabases.com/weapon.aspx?DB=5&ID=7 |url-status=dead |access-date=23 April 2008 |website=www.harpoondatabases.com |archive-date=7 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807185630/http://www.harpoondatabases.com/weapon.aspx?DB=5&ID=7 }}</ref>

* {{AUS}}
* {{BEL}}
* {{BRA}}
* {{CAN}}
* {{CHL}}
* {{DEU}}
* {{GRC}}
* {{ITA}}
* {{JPN}}
* {{NLD}}
* {{NOR}}
* {{PHI}}
* {{PRT}}
* {{SAU}}
* {{KOR}}
* {{ESP}}
* {{TUR}}
* {{UAE}}
* {{GBR}}
* {{USA}}
* {{ROC}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/flyrt.html|title=Naval Research Lab Flyrt|last=Parsch|first=Andreas|date=7 February 2006|website=Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4: Undesignated Vehicles|publisher=Designation-Systems|accessdate=2017-12-10}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==

*[http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-36.htm Federation of American Scientists page]
* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk36-srboc.pdf SRBOC Factsheet]

[[Category:Naval warfare]]
[[Category:Electronic warfare]]
[[Category:Missile countermeasures]]
[[Category:Equipment of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Electronic warfare equipment]]