Blow-up copies of 9K33 Osa, 2K12 Kub mobile surface-to-air missile systems and a commercial truck fitted with a visual modification kit to resemble Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense system were spotted at the military range in the Negev desert in Israel.
Published by the unofficial ‘rambo54’ account on 11 November, is showing imitation copies of Russian-made air defense systems used for realistic training to Israeli troops in a desert environment.
A complete inflatable version of an Osa and Kub systems with Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile battery similar to that spends in Syrian Armed Forces.
Inflatable targets and copies are being used to give aircrew on exercise a sense of realism when identifying potential targets on the ground.
Israel Defense Forces officials, however, declined to comment on the released photos and don’t confirm them.
Since 2000, Israel has been annual discreetly training and testing maneuvers designed to defeat missile systems Russia has deployed in the Middle East. The Israeli Air Force has used jointly military exercises with Greece and Bulgaria to prepare for a potential situation where it will have to perform missions against the S-300 surface-to-air missile system.
According to the i24news.tv, the exercises were used to test how the S-300 system locks onto targets, gather data on its tracking radar and to see if the system could be blinded or tricked.
The Aviationist also noted that thanks to the exercise in Greece, the Israeli Air Force has gathered important data about the Russian SAM system and had the opportunity to test and improve evasion tactics during simulated attacks against ground targets protected by S-300 batteries.
didn’t know that – beside Russia – Israel is using inflatable SAM dummy’s too!
SA-8 & SA-6 seen at a test range in the Negev.
Together with a truck dressed up as a Pantsir 🙂
Wonder why they are doing this in times when you aim at such stuff with stand of weapons… pic.twitter.com/j75icCAFvg— rambo54 (@reutersanders) 11 November 2018