HOW THEY’RE MADE
The decoy program begins with the battlefield — not the factory floor.
Ukrainian forces identify what types of equipment are needed based on what Russian forces are actively targeting and where decoys could have the most impact. Air defense systems, artillery, armored vehicles, radars, electronic warfare equipment, and other high-value assets are prioritized based on operational demand. These priorities are then translated into production requirements and coordinated with manufacturing partners to rapidly field decoys that reflect evolving battlefield conditions.
The manufacturing process is intentionally local. Spirit of America works with Ukrainian partners to identify and support the most capable factories across Ukraine that specialize in producing realistic military decoys at scale.
These decoys are designed and built in Ukraine, by Ukrainians, using local materials, engineering expertise, and manufacturing capacity. Depending on complexity, production cycles range from a matter of days to several months. Manufacturers use lightweight materials, detailed construction techniques, and realistic exterior finishes to make the decoys difficult to distinguish from real equipment. This model also supports Ukraine’s economy by creating work for Ukrainian factories and workers.
What makes the program unusually effective is its continuous design evolution. Teams continuously gather feedback from the field to improve the decoys. They review how the decoys performed, analyze strike results, and collect input from the soldiers using them. Manufacturers also study how Russian forces detect and target equipment — including reviewing strike footage and public commentary — to understand what stands out and refine future designs.
This iterative process has produced decoys that become lighter, easier to deploy, more convincing, and better adapted to changing battlefield conditions with each production cycle — allowing the deception effort to evolve as quickly as the conflict itself.
One of our manufacturing partners shared with us the assembly instructions for some of the decoy models they produce.
