The key facts

  • The inflatable Pantsir-S1 costs 1.25 million rubles and weighs about 240 kg when inflated
  • Manufacturer Kvadro Show also offers copies of the T-34, Su-57, Abrams, F-35 and other hardware
  • The company claims the model cannot guide a drone: that would require a radar or an imitation of a running engine

Inflatable copies of combat vehicles have gone on sale

The Russian company Kvadro Show, which produces inflatable figures, has posted an advertisement offering models of military hardware in dimensions matching real combat vehicles. As the company itself told the publication, such figures are intended for festive events, but anyone can buy one — both a legal entity and a private individual — and place it, for example, on a country plot.

Range and price

The range includes copies of the T-34 tank, the Su-57 aircraft, the military Kamaz-5350, the T-90 Armata tank, a fuel tanker, the Yak-9 aircraft, the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, the Abrams tank, the Mi-8 helicopter, the American F-35, the 2S7 Malka self-propelled gun, a Katyusha on a Studebaker chassis, the BMP-2 and the Pantsir-S1 air defense system. The inflatable Pantsir-S1 costs 1.25 million rubles. The model's description says that its detailed design, replicating the shape and proportions of the original combat vehicle, makes it 'an excellent choice for military-patriotic festivals, educational programs, vibrant celebrations and large-scale parades, for example in honor of Victory Day'.

Design and the drone question

According to the manufacturer, the model is made with a high level of detail and 'fully replicates the original': when inflated it weighs about 240 kg and comes in three carrying bags. The construction consists of airtight elements and trampoline material that holds its shape. The company assured buyers that they need not fear a drone attack after deploying the model: 'For the hardware to direct a drone, it needs to detect a radar. Or there must be an imitation of a running engine. But here it is simply fabric with an image of military hardware printed on it.' The manufacturers note demand for the figures from exhibitions and festive decoration, especially ahead of Victory Day: military equipment museums in Verkhnyaya Pyshma and Kaliningrad Region have purchased inflatable T-34 and T-90 tanks for off-site events.