During World War II, various deception campaigns were used to make the enemy believe that the enemy’s military force was greater.
The most famous was the creation by the Allies of a ghost army “outfitted” with inflatable tanks and other vehicles that looked real from the air. Similar tactics were later employed when the Allies liberated France and Western Europe.
What worked for the Generation of Greats in WWII is now being tried again by fighters in Ukraine, and probably with the help of a Czech Republic-based company that makes fake inflatable weapons that can be used as decoys.
The Inflatech company currently manufactures over 30 different inflatable military decoys ranging from tanks and armored vehicles to planes and howitzers.
The company even produces dummy models of high-value targets for the Russian military, like the T-72 main battle tank and the HIMARS mobile rocket launcher built in the United States.
However, the company has not confirmed that Ukraine is the destination for its products. Originally developed for training, these inflatable vehicles have no doubt found another use to fool the Russian military.
Exploit military equipment
Each decoy is made of synthetic silk and can be packed into sacks that can carry two to four soldiers, deployed on the ground, and inflated in 10 minutes. Also, lures can be fitted with a heat generator to create a thermal footprint and even appear on the radar.
However, they are not exactly light. Even without the heat generator and inflator, a full-size tank lure can weigh about 43 kg or close to 100 pounds. However, they are highly detailed, and even on the ground, they look quite convincing at close range.
These inflatable decoys can cost between $10,000 and $100,000 and could be used to fool the enemy into spending an even more expensive missile to attempt an attack. It can also help protect high-value equipment, like the HIMARS, which costs about $5 million per launcher and carrier.
“If I force the enemy to destroy one of my things using something that costs four times as much, but could actually be 20 times more expensive, then you are the winner financially,” Inflatech CEO Vojtech Fresser told reporters. Who added that he would prefer to make children’s toys, but the lures could help make the world, including Ukraine, safe for children again.
Inflatech, which is based in the northern city of Decin, has been making lures for years, but last year saw its business soar after Russia invaded Ukraine, though the company won’t confirm any went to the front. The company produces up to 50 lures a month and has sold its products to several NATO member countries.
All its exports need the approval of the Czech government. However, it’s hard not to hope these are already deployed in Ukraine. Maybe soon, we’ll see a Russian drone try to destroy one of the decoys.
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