Ukraine to get inflatable F-16 decoys to deceive Russian military jets, drones

The F-16 decoy has been revealed by the Czech company Inflatech, which has supplied various types of decoys to Ukraine in the past.

Therefore, it is highly likely that the advanced fighter’s decoys will soon arrive in Ukraine and serve their intended purpose—fooling the Russian forces.

However, there have been unconfirmed reports that the United States has also supplied F-16 decoys to Kyiv, and the country is also building its own versions in workshops around the country.

In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, there have been several first-person views (FPV) of drones and missile attacks on air bases and military installations with the goal of destroying aircraft and other equipment while they are not actively flying or in action.

F-16s arrive in Ukraine

The arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Kyiv was hailed as a big boost to Ukraine’s resistance and offensive efforts. The first report of the F-16s’ arrival came out in July 2024.

This was followed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declaring that his country had received the jets and thanking NATO allies for their help.

During the speech, two F-16 fighter jets sporting Ukraine’s trident insignia on their tails and draped in camouflage netting were parked behind Zelenskyy while two others took to the skies to fly in formation.

The arrival of the jets in Ukraine was being hailed as a game-changer for Kyiv and its resistance efforts.

Zelenskyy stated during his speech on August 5 that his country’s pilots are learning their way around the fighter jet and they will soon see action.

Although the number of F-16s Kyiv has to date is not clear, the NATO allies have committed to providing the country with over 60.

Inflatech’s decoys

Inflatech has been making decoys for a long time now and its military offerings range from decoys for several types of tanks, missile launchers, radar systems, fighter jets, military trucks, and even naval targets.

They can be set up quite easily within minutes and just require a couple of people to make them stand on the ground.

The company says it produces life-size decoys which are of the perfect shape and are lightweight. Furthermore, it also says that its products carry a radar signature generator and an integrated thermal system management system.

These features allow for more effective fooling and can be quite handy in saving the real assets from the enemy’s eyes and attacks. The use of decoys in warfare has been documented since days, and with the advent of drones and long-distance attack-capable weapons, it is only going to get more relevant.

The US-made Fighting Falcon

The F-16 Fighting Falcon was originally developed by General Dynamics for the US Air Force. Touted as an air superiority day fighter in 1976, it later evolved into a multi-role aircraft and has since been one of the most talked-about fighters around the globe.

Multiple US allies, and NATO countries use and operate the fighter today. Today, the fighter jet is made by Lockheed Martin, which had purchased General Dynamics’ aircraft manufacturing business, only for export.

Capable of reaching supersonic speeds, the fighter has a single engine and can carry a number of payloads depending on the mission and requirements. It can carry out air-to-air combat and also air-to-ground missions with ease.