Rocket Force Annual Launch Site Deception Project

A specialized camouflage operation was executed for a Rocket Force missile brigade’s annual exercise. The task was to mask both the actual launch vehicles and decoy targets on a desert terrain launch pad. Engineers began by digging launch vehicles into trenches so they sat below ground level. Over the entire area they draped multiple layers of desert-pattern camouflage netting, chosen for its dual-band (radar and infrared) attenuation properties. In addition, a thermal-insulating layer (a heat-shield liner) was placed directly above each launcher. This two-layer approach prevented heat signatures from appearing in infrared scans.

Alongside the real vehicles, full-scale inflatable missile decoys were set up. Each dummy was fully covered with the same netting system. One layer of net disguised the overall shape, and the outer heat shield masked temperature differences. Care was taken to position the decoys in plausible launch positions, with hoses and antennas mimicked in form but hidden under the nets.

The camouflage net was secured with tensioning ropes and local sandbags to keep it taut. Small slits were cut for necessary vents, but these were angled and covered with extra mesh so they wouldn’t betray hot spots. After deployment, aerial reconnaissance (including satellite passes) overflew the area. The results showed a uniform camouflaged surface, with no obvious bright spots or metal glints. The real launchers and decoys appeared visually identical under the nets.

This deception project effectively confused external observers. The layering made it difficult for opponents to distinguish actual launchers from decoys. Ground teams reported that neither visible nor IR sensors could isolate the position of live vehicles. By blending the site into the desert landscape, the operation achieved full-spectrum concealment of strategic assets.