French using virtual AIS targets...

[Channel Ribs]

Has anyone heard of the French, or other coastguards, using AIS to place a virtual beacon over a stricken vessel?

Yesterday evening a boat was towed in from the NE traffic lane, but there was a corresponding navaid with the name of the vessel and MMSI 992276102.

I have heard this technique talked about, but not known it to be used before.

[martini]

Interesting, was it a commercial vessel with it's own ais transponder I wonder? I don't see why a vessel needs to have it's mmsi replaced with another?

The prefix number, or MID (Maritime Identification Digits) 992 refer to an "Aid to Navigation" for anyone that didn't know.