On Monday, Inflatech, a Czech firm which manufactures inflatable decoy military weapons systems, including fake American HIMARS rocket launching systems and Abrams tanks, which are being used in Ukraine, announced their orders for units have increased dramatically.
According to the company, which has a lineup of over 30 different types of life-sized inflatable models of military equipment, business was up by 30% last year.
In a statement to the Associated Press, chief executive Vojtech Fresser said, he predicts growth will continue to grow by double digits for at least three to five years more.
Fresser refused to say whether or not Ukrainian forces were using the company’s decoys, however he did say, “I can imagine that if we want to support a partner country which is in trouble, we would send them inflatable decoys. Or it already has them, and if not, it will have them, for sure.”
Inflatech makes its decoys out of ultra-light materials, such as artificial silk. Because of that, their fake tank decoy can weigh just 100kg. A decoy reportedly takes ten minutes for four people to unwrap and inflate it.
The company’s products are used on the battlefield to divert enemy resources, by fooling them into attacking the decoys instead of the real weapons systems.
Fresser explained, “If I force the enemy to destroy a thing of mine by using something which is four times, but in reality it could be 20 times more expensive, then I’m the winner economically.”
The company presently manufactures as many as 50 decoys per month. They sell them to a number of countries, however any sales to a NATO state do require approval from the government.
The US Department of Defense had announced earlier this month, that a new military aid package, worth $400 million, was being sent to Ukraine, containing HIMARS rockets and artillery shells. It will be the 33rd tranche of military aid sent to Ukraine since August of 2021.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine last February, the United States has supplied Ukraine with more than $32 billion worth of weaponry. Russia has noted, the supply of arms will only prolong the fighting, and will not change the ultimate outcome of the conflict.
