MigBuster 2,861 Posted October 11, 2010 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11511886 Russia inflates its military with blow-up weapons By Steve Rosenberg BBC News, Moscow Blowing up Russia's inflatable army The Russian military has come up with an inventive way to deceive the enemy and save money at the same time: inflatable weapons. They look just like real ones: they are easy to transport and quick to deploy. You name it, the Russian army is blowing it up: from pretend tanks to entire radar stations. The decoys are a hundred times cheaper than the real thing, which means Moscow will save a lot of money by blowing up its own weapons. Continue reading the main story Related stories * Russia boosts military spending * Global military spending surges On the edge of Moscow, two men carry a black duffle bag into a field, then drop it on the ground. When they open the bag, they take out a large sheet of plastic. It looks like a tent or a tarpaulin. In fact, it's the Russian army's latest strategic weapon. It doesn't need ammunition - just air. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote I'm proud to be making entire rocket-launchers and tanks for our armed forces. When you finish sewing them and you watch them being filled with air, it's so satisfying” End Quote Lena, sewer On goes the pump, in goes the air and the plastic sheet begins to rise and take shape. A turret appears, then out pops a long plastic gun barrel. This is an inflatable Russian tank. State-of-the-art When the men pump up their next piece of plastic, this one expands into a S-300 rocket launcher, complete with giant truck and inflatable rockets. It is a cross between a ballistic missile and a bouncy castle. And waiting to be blown up are inflatable MiG fighter jets - even entire Russian radar stations. An inflatable missile-launcher in Russia The inflatables are stitched together at a former hot-air balloon factory These state-of-the-art stand-ins are among the most advanced military decoys in the world. What they lack in firepower, they make up for in flexibility: they are light and can be deployed quickly to deceive the enemy. They are also very realistic. They are made of a special material that tricks enemy radar and thermal imaging into thinking they are real weapons. The inflatables are stitched together at a former hot-air balloon factory. "I'm proud to be making entire rocket-launchers and tanks for our armed forces," says Lena, who is stitching a surface-to-air missile system. "When you finish sewing them and you watch them being filled with air, it's so satisfying." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FastCargo 412 Posted October 11, 2010 Well, to be fair, that's not really anything new...various armed forces have been using decoys for years...inflatable, radar and thermal correct, and otherwise. Still pretty interesting though. FC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GwynO 16 Posted October 11, 2010 They used to make them out of rubber. The meat and gravy for the SAS and SBS in the first Gulf War was hunting the real scuds down as from the air, the rubber ones looked and smelt like the real thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+allenjb42 4,114 Posted October 11, 2010 I think they used them in WW2. I seem to remember reading about blow-up Shermans at various bases around Southern England combined with fake radio traffic so the Germans wouldn't know which units were operating from where. My daughter thought the Russian tank on the BBC news this morning was a great alternative to a bouncy castle! Anyone know where I can hire one for her birthday party? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted October 11, 2010 Anyone know where I can hire one for her birthday party? Won't a blow-up radar dish make a better alternative? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Baltika 84 Posted October 11, 2010 (edited) "Churchill's Wizards" by Nicholas Rankin, essential reading on the history of military deception in all its guises:- http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/oct/04/history Rubber tanks were the least of it, and one can only imagine how Gen. Patton felt about being given a whole d**n army of them to command in the run up to D-Day Edited October 11, 2010 by Baltika Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GwynO 16 Posted October 11, 2010 ...one can only imagine how Gen. Patton felt about being given a whole d**n army of them to command in the run up to D-Day Perhaps he pondered if they weren't about as much use as a rubber c*** in a Nunnery Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
serverandenforcer 33 Posted October 11, 2010 In Russia, weapon blows up for you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lexx_Luthor 57 Posted October 12, 2010 Baltik, this is good...near the bottom...very classy! Thanks for the link. : : Rankin does note that the Luftwaffe once paid tribute to a dummy railhead in Egypt by dropping a wooden bomb on it. : : ~ http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/oct/04/history Love it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,318 Posted October 12, 2010 In Russia, the decoy blows YOU up...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lexx_Luthor 57 Posted October 14, 2010 Dave:: In Russia, the decoy blows YOU up...... hehe did you see this the other day in the red blob thread...? In Soviet Russia, Lake Contaminates You I thought it was a humorous title. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capitaine Vengeur 263 Posted October 15, 2010 The use of fake war machines is not new even to WW2. They were largely used during WW1, the first war which largely used kite balloons and observation planes. One can see in documentaries the pictures of soldiers carrying on their shoulders heavy gun tubes made out of balsa. During the American Civil War, the Confederates held Mcclellan's Federal army at bay for a month from their depleted "fortified" lines, garrisoned by tree trunks painted black in place of the heavy guns removed for long. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
