UK supplies Ukraine with IKEA-style military decoys
The United Kingdom, in addition to supplying weapons, is providing Ukraine with numerous DIY kits reminiscent of IKEA furniture. We explain the importance of fake tanks, howitzers, and anti-aircraft systems.
According to the portal The Times, the United Kingdom is supplying Ukraine with a significant number of "do it yourself" kits. Commander of the RAF squadron, Lowri Simner, explained that although the UK has not supplied Ukraine with a significant amount of equipment, any measures that help create the impression of greater support on the front line are advantageous.
Armoured replicas from the UK like IKEA furniture
We are primarily discussing Challenger 2 tanks, AS90 howitzers AS90, and anti-aircraft systems based on ASRAAM missiles. Furthermore, Simner mentioned that a Ministry of Defence team named "Taskforce Kindred" was tasked with developing better new-generation replicas that could deceive satellites, as the inflatable tanks from the Second World War period are no longer effective.
The "Taskforce Kindred" team first creates digital scans of the equipment, then produces replicas using 3D printing. Subsequently, the packages of Challenger 2 tank replicas, styled like IKEA furniture, are assembled on-site in Ukraine. The models, which take at most a few hours to assemble, are practically indistinguishable from the originals from a distance of up to 27 yards.
Additionally, Simner noted that for every five real tanks supplied, there could be up to 30 decoys, and the delivery of replicas is still ongoing.
Replicas in war: Saving lives and equipment worth millions
The situation in Ukraine is a continuation of the history of conflicts showing that replicas still play a very important role. Ukrainians are extensively using wooden replicas that closely resemble real systems, which is an effective method against drones equipped with daytime cameras. Russians have often wasted valuable weapons on replicas of the IRIS-T SLM system, AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar, or F-16 planes, thereby keeping the originals safe.
A particular challenge for Ukrainians is the threat from Iskander-M ballistic missiles and Kh-22 supersonic cruise missiles, against which only medium-range anti-aircraft systems offer protection. Ukraine has too few of these systems to protect key sites. In such circumstances, replicas that force the Russians to use missiles, which they also produce in insufficient quantities, make a great deal of sense.
Moreover, Ukrainians sometimes add, for example, barrels of fuel to the replicas to enhance the impression of a successful attack among Russians in case of a hit. This has led to Russian reports of the destruction of M142 HIMARS systems in numbers exceeding all the units delivered to Ukraine.
