The US has deployed mock-ups of Russian armored vehicles in Germany to train Ukrainian soldiers.
Modified Humvee and Stryker vehicles were spotted at the port of Bremerhaven in northern Germany, according to a report by military news outlet Defence Blog.
The American-made vehicles were reconfigured and repainted to look like Russian GAZ Tigr light utility vehicles and BTR-87 armored personnel carriers.
Washington reportedly needed to accurately copy every detail of Russian-made armored vehicles to create realistic training scenarios.
The move will help the US provide better skills training to Kyiv’s forces in Berlin to hone their combat capabilities.
Investments in Mock-Up Systems
The US has been investing in various mock-up systems to assist in the military training of its soldiers and allies.
In 2019, the US Air Force issued a solicitation for full-size mock-ups of the Russian S-300PMU air defense system.
The surrogates will provide a less expensive, signature representative target to live aircrews during exercises.
The US Army is also believed to be using a mock-up of the modern Chinese Type 99A main battle tank for training.
Analysts said the system’s primary role is to resemble the size and appearance of the actual tank to simulate enemy vehicles.
Expanded Training
Earlier this year, the US began expanded combat training of Ukrainian soldiers to counter Russia’s continuing aggression.
The initiative aimed to get a battalion of about 500 well-trained troops back on the battlefield within five to eight weeks.
In the training, soldiers were taught how to move and coordinate with combined artillery, armor, and ground forces.
“This support is really important for Ukraine to be able to defend itself,” Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Mark Milley said. “And we’re hoping to be able to pull this together here in short order.”