  Quantum illumination uses quantum correlations to enhance the detection of an
object in the presence of background noise. This advantage has been shown to
exist even if one uses non-optimal direct measurements on the two correlated
modes. Here we present a protocol that mimics the behaviour of quantum
illumination, but does not use correlated or entangled modes. Instead, the
protocol uses coherent (or phase-randomized coherent) pulses with randomly
chosen intensities. The intensities are drawn from a distribution such that the
average state looks thermal. Under appropriate conditions, the mimic protocol
can perform similarly to quantum illumination schemes that use direct
measurements. This holds even for a reflectance as low as $10^{-7}$. We also
present an analytic condition which allows one to determine the sets of
parameters in which each protocol works best.
