The British army could deploy inflatable tanks rather than real ones in a bid to confuse enemies on the battlefield, it was claimed today.
Blow-up models of the fighting machines could be used as decoys against enemy surveillance by satellite or drones.
The bizarre move is the recommendation of an official study that contemplated how to deal with’lack of mass’ in UK forces.
Britain now has just 227 ageing Challenger 2 tanks after cuts were ordered in the 2010 defence review. By contrast, Russia is thought to have 2,700 frontline tanks.
Britain now has just 227 ageing Challenger 2 tanks (pictured) after cuts were ordered in the 2010 defence review. By contrast, Russia is thought to have 2,700 frontline tanks
Analysis conducted in Germany this month involved 65 senior British officers, and was led by Lieutenant-General Patrick Sanders, according to the Sunday Times.
Officers considered what warfare capabilities the UK would need by 2035.
One finding of the group was that there would be a requirement for ‘lots of soldiers’ for urban conflicts.
However, the army is currently the smallest it has been since Napoleonic times with barely 77,000 regular troops.
Wendy Eagle, a warrant officer in the Royal Logistic Corps who who took part in the urban study, said last week that deception was ‘absolutely necessary’ to make up for the military’s lack of scale.
Speaking at the Land Warfare Conference, run by the Royal United Services Institute, she said the army needed to make enemies ‘spend time working out what is real’.
Ms Eagle suggested that alongside inflatable vehicles generators could be used to give off heat, confusing drones using thermal cameras.
Mobile transmitters broadcasting fake radio signals could cause confusion about placement of UK forces.
The proposal has emerged as Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson launches a push for a big increase in funding for the military
Dummy tanks were used during the Second World War, when they were positioned in southern England to make it appear that the D-Day landings would take place near Calais rather than Normandy.
Both Russia and America have developed life-size inflatable tanks that are intended to fool enemy surveillance.
The proposal has emerged as Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson launches a push for a big increase in funding for the military.
MPs have warned that up to £20billion a year more is needed to avoid Britain’s capabilities falling dramatically behind other nations such as Russia.