US Army swaps steel for wood as mock tanks hit Hawaii training floors

The US Army recently employed plywood "wooden tanks" during a major training exercise in Hawaii, specifically the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) Rotation 26-01 at Schofield Barracks. These mock tanks, constructed from plywood and basic framing materials mounted on pickup trucks, served as low-cost, realistic decoys to simulate armored threats. Their use allowed soldiers to practice reconnaissance, tactics, and engagement procedures against mechanized threats without the expense and wear associated with operating actual armored vehicles. This approach also enabled training planners to field larger and more diverse opposing forces, creating more complex and unpredictable combat scenarios. This method of using wooden or inflatable decoys is a long-standing practice adopted by militaries worldwide to simulate enemy armor and other systems during exercises. Similar plywood tanks have been used by US troops in Europe, including joint drills with Ukrainian forces, where they serve as full-scale targets for drone reconnaissance and targeting practice. Ukrainian forces have also utilized such decoys operationally to