How effective are "deception tactics"?

The unconventional tactic of the Russian military to protect bombers and other aircraft with a layer of rubber tires has sparked discussions about how this tactic impacts the target identification systems used by the Ukrainian armed forces.

According to Schuyler Moore, Director of Engineering at the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), this tactic confuses missile guidance systems and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/drone systems, which rely on comparing images to built-in databases.

"By covering the aircraft's wings with rubber tires, many computer vision models would have difficulty recognizing it as an airplane," Moore further explained while speaking at an AI conference organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

A close-up of a Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber with tires on its wings and fuselage, at Engels-2 Air Base, photographed on August 28, 2023. Photo: Maxar Technologies/Yahoo!News

Satellite imagery from late August last year first revealed this tactic being used at Russia's Engels Air Base – 700 km from the border with Ukraine – in which Tu-95 and Tu-160 heavy bombers were seen covering their fuselages and wings with rubber tires.

This unusual method appears to be a "diversionary tactic" to protect these expensive bombers from cheap Ukrainian drone attacks, which have previously successfully targeted other key military assets on Russian territory.

On September 7th last year, a photo of a Su-34 frontline bomber covered in car tires appeared on Russian social media, demonstrating that this unique defensive tactic is used even with smaller, more agile aircraft models. The image quickly attracted attention.

At the same time, it became clear that Ukrainian forces had begun deploying infrared-guided Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles against ground targets. Previously, the Ukrainian Air Force had received Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles, which also use infrared guidance to lock onto targets.

These navigation systems scan for potential targets based on a pre-loaded data library. The "magical" coating of rubber tires hindered the system's ability to accurately identify the target.

Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers are covered with tires at Engels-2 Air Base in Russia in 2023. Photo: Planet Labs/Yahoo!News

As Ms. Moore of CENTCOM pointed out, to break through the "deception," combat systems operators need to update their databases. And this is the key to why rubber tire coatings are actually effective.

"If it takes you six months to update the new data library from the developer, then the opponent also has plenty of time to adjust their tactics. If the tires are no longer effective, they can simply replace them with something else," a CENTCOM official explained.

According to her, this tactic is not limited to rubber tires; the enemy could also extend it to many other materials to create "unconventional camouflage" for their equipment. American media outlets have highlighted several tricks that Russia is believed to have used to deceive computer vision, including "creating shadows" for aircraft at air bases or submarines at naval bases.

The use of decoy tactics, such as drawing shadows of military assets, became particularly prominent during the 2023 Russia-Ukraine conflict. The first recorded incident occurred last August, when the Russian side created a shadow of a Tu-95MS bomber on the runway at Engels Air Base, aiming to deceive enemy missile systems and even satellite surveillance systems.

In early 2024, a surprising tactic emerged in Russian naval operations. British intelligence captured images from Novorossiysk showing the painted silhouette of a Varshavyanka-class submarine on a pier, positioned next to a real submarine. This was the first time Russia had employed this decoy strategy in its navy.

By modifying the submarine's visual shape, this effort aims to deceive drones. However, experts point out that these measures are largely ineffective against advanced radar or thermal detection technologies.

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Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/bao-ve-oanh-tac-co-bang-lop-xe-ke-nghi-binh-hieu-qua-den-dau-204240917153339408.htm