Russia has devised a way to enlarge its army while saving money. It’s begun making large numbers of inflatable — and fake — tanks, radar stations, and trucks:
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.