U.S. Marines train to detect and defeat S-300 during drills

Full-scale mock-ups of foreign-made air defense systems resembling the S-300 and HQ-9 were seen during the Resolute Hunter 26-1 exercise at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, on November 10, 2025.

The decoys appeared in desert-pattern camouflage commonly associated with Iranian forces.

According to a statement: “During Resolute Hunter, 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, certified Marines in the performance of mission-essential tasks, tested emerging capabilities and concepts, and collaborated with joint and allied partners.”

American forces continue to employ realistic replicas of Chinese and Russian air defense systems, as well as other foreign military hardware, to prepare crews for future conflicts that may involve near-peer threats. The Department of War and other services have steadily expanded their use of these surrogates to match evolving radar signatures, sensor data, and operational tactics seen in overseas systems.

As noted by U.S. training officials in past briefings, these decoys give Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force units a way to rehearse detection, targeting, and engagement workflows against systems that mirror the radar, visual, and electromagnetic patterns of foreign equipment. While the systems at Fallon are not functional weapons, they are engineered to reproduce the appearance and sensor profile of platforms that U.S. forces may encounter in a future conflict.

The replicas used at Resolute Hunter are part of a growing inventory of foreign-system mock-ups designed for electronic warfare teams and intelligence units. These surrogates allow operators to train on data feeds and tactical cues taken from real-world platforms. For example, crews can practice identifying emissions, correlating threat behavior, and working through engagement cycles that resemble those used by Russian or Chinese air defenses.

Training officials say the replicas also help U.S. forces refine how they integrate multi-domain intelligence. According to previous publicly released material from related exercises, radio battalions and electronic warfare specialists use such assets to rehearse cooperation with airborne platforms, space-based sensors, and joint partners. Resolute Hunter traditionally focuses on fusing intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting processes across the services.

Past iterations of the drill have featured a mix of surrogate systems and contracted opposing-force elements. By integrating lifelike air defense replicas into the environment, the Department of War aims to prepare units for operations against countries that operate long-range surface-to-air missiles, advanced radar arrays, and distributed air defense networks.

The appearance of S-300- and HQ-9-type replicas in Iranian-style camouflage suggests that scenario planners are incorporating a wide range of potential adversaries. These systems are operated by several countries, and the mock-ups enable U.S. forces to study how different camouflage patterns and deployment methods influence detection and targeting.