The enigma surrounding the Russian plane with tire coverings appears to have been resolved.
Last year, military aircraft in Russia had rubber tires on their wings, leaving experts puzzled. Recently, a senior military officer from the United States has added to the discussion. According to Schuyler Moore, the Technical Director at CENTCOM, the move seems to be aimed at complicating the identification of the aircraft as a target by modern weaponry systems.
During a discourse at the CSIS think tank, Moore pointed out that this tactic makes it challenging for several computer vision models to distinguish the aircraft due to the tires on the wings.
Modern guided missiles frequently come armed with seekers that compare the target image with a preloaded database. Any optical alterations to the target might cause the system to be misled. So, advocating for continuous AI training of seekers to adapt to these changes is Moore's recommendation.
Maxar Technologies, an American firm, had released satellite photos of the Engels military airport in Russia back in September, showing two Tu-95 bombers with their wings covered in rubber tires. Some analysts then suggested that the tires may offer an additional layer of protection against drone assaults, as the airport had experienced Ukrainian attacks before that.
"We suspect it's for drone defense," a NATO official had told CNN at that point. However, it was uncertain whether the measure had any impact.
Satellite image of the southern Russian military airport Engels with two Tu-95 bombers covered in rubber tires
CSIS discussion video 1
CSIS discussion video 2
In light of the satellite images showing rubber tires on Tu-95 bombers at the Engels military airport in Russia, the recent attack on Ukraine has sparked discussions about potential strategies to conceal military aircraft as targets.
Given the unparalleled modern guided missiles that rely on optical comparisons, the unusual tire placement on Russian aircraft could indeed complicate the identification process, as suggested by Schuyler Moore during the CSIS think tank discourse.
