Tender seeks a prototype decoy system, software and methodologies to strengthen optical and radio deception capabilities for future military operations.
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On 30th April 2026, the Czech Republic Ministry of Defence published the DECOY Systems Development contract notice. The project aims to deliver a prototype deception system, production documentation, software and methodology to enhance the Czech Armed Forces’ optical and radio deception capabilities. It is a clear signal that deception on the modern battlefield is being treated as a core capability, with industry asked to help turn concepts into deployable systems.
The ministry’s description is concise but revealing. At its heart is the development of a prototype DECOY system. Around that prototype sits a full package of supporting outputs: detailed production documentation, dedicated software and an accompanying methodology. Taken together, these elements point to a programme that is about more than experimental hardware; it is about defining a system that can be built, operated and embedded in armed forces practice.
The focus on “optical and radio deception” places the work squarely in the electromagnetic and visual domains. Optical measures are concerned with what can be seen, while radio deception affects what can be detected through radio-based systems. By targeting both, the project seeks to strengthen the Czech Armed Forces’ ability to mislead or confuse adversaries across more than one sensing channel, an increasingly important requirement as surveillance and targeting technologies become more sophisticated.
The inclusion of methodology as a deliverable is notable. Deception effects depend as much on how a system is used as on the hardware and software themselves. A defined methodology can cover concepts of operation, procedures and ways of integrating the decoy systems with wider forces and systems. Requiring such a methodology suggests the ministry wants a repeatable, documented approach to employing deception, not just a one-off technical experiment.
Production documentation is another key feature of the notice. It implies the buyer does not want only a demonstrator, but also the technical information needed to reproduce the system. That can include designs, specifications and other material that would allow future manufacturing or adaptation. For industry, this shifts the task from building a unique prototype to developing something that can be industrialised, maintained and supported over time.
The requirement for bespoke software underlines that this is a system-level undertaking. Modern defence projects increasingly depend on tightly integrated software, whether for system control, configuration, data handling or simulation. Here, software is listed alongside hardware and documentation as a core output, rather than an afterthought. That mirrors a broader pattern in public procurement where digital components and lifecycle support are built into the requirement from the outset.
Across the Czech public sector, similar expectations are visible in non-defence projects. In December 2025, České dráhy, a.s. went to market for an electronic document management system that includes delivery, implementation, operational maintenance, support and software development. On 28th April 2026, Pardubice Region Hospital launched a procurement to acquire and expand software and services for its human resources and payroll information system, again with ongoing support. In December 2025, the Digital Information Agency sought continuous management, development and operation of the gov.cz design system. These examples show buyers moving away from stand-alone products towards systems that must be documented, maintained and evolved – the same mindset now applied to the decoy capability.
The DECOY Systems project also sits within a wider shift towards advanced sensing and counter-sensing technologies. In March 2026, Public Services and Procurement Canada issued the Electro-Optical Warfare Solutions contract notice. That project covers specialised testing, analysis and development services for electro-optical guidance systems, including laser and imaging techniques, at the Valcartier Research Center. While it focuses on guidance rather than deception, it reflects the same concern with how light and imaging can be used – or contested – in conflict.
In February 2026, the United States DEPT OF DEFENSE published a notice seeking potential vendors for a ground-based tactical system designed to meet defined performance objectives in complex operational environments. The wording is broad, but it underlines a demand for ground systems that can operate reliably amid cluttered, contested conditions – the kind of settings where tactical deception systems would be expected to perform.
In January 2026, another defence buyer, the Ministry of Defence, launched the Project GOSHAWK Interceptor Development competition. That programme seeks suppliers to develop and trial a cost-effective interceptor optimised for drones and missiles, with clear technical and security entry requirements. Where GOSHAWK concentrates on defeating aerial threats, the Czech DECOY Systems project focuses on deceiving them. Together, they illustrate different but complementary strands of modern defence investment: hard-kill interception and soft-kill deception.
Alongside kinetic and electromagnetic capabilities, information security is attracting sustained attention across Czech public bodies. In November 2025, Centrum dopravního výzkumu, v. v. i. tendered for the Expansion and Security of CDV Systems, seeking hardware and software to enhance the cybersecurity of its communication systems. In February 2026, the town of Valašské Klobouky launched a Cybersecurity Enhancement Project aimed at strengthening its information systems in line with cybersecurity legislation.
In March 2026, the Ministry for Regional Development issued a notice for Penetration Testing Services covering publicly accessible components of its DSŘ and NGÚP systems. Two days later, on 18th March 2026, the National Library of the Czech Republic followed with a procurement to enhance its cybersecurity, including data storage, network switches and tools to automate cybersecurity processes and correlate security events. These projects point to a system-wide effort to secure data, networks and critical services.
The same demand for advanced software and analytical capability is visible in specialist domains. On 13th January 2026, the Ministry of the Interior advertised a contract for analytical software for the Czech Police in the field of genetics. In November 2025, the Czech Environment Inspectorate sought hardware and various software for processing multispectral and RGB images, with an emphasis on compatibility and standardised workflows. Against that backdrop, it is significant that the DECOY Systems project explicitly calls for software and methodology alongside the physical prototype. Defence deception capabilities now sit within a broader public-sector push towards sophisticated, software-rich systems.
Public buyers are also investing in specialised platforms that bridge research and operational needs. In March 2026, Politechnika Wrocławska launched an Autonomous Robot Delivery for Safety Project, covering an autonomous robot for composite production to support innovative research in structural safety as part of the Public Safety Technology Center project. Here, a university is acquiring a highly specialised tool to push forward safety research – a reminder that advanced platforms are central to experimentation as well as field deployment.
Other notices underline how demanding these systems can be. In December 2025, the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic sought a mobile high-capacity X-ray system compliant with local vehicle regulations. On 7th January 2026, Kyjov Hospital went to market for a hybrid imaging system SPECT/CT with advanced features and compliance with Czech law. Both procurements show public bodies setting out precise requirements for complex, high-value systems that must meet strict technical and regulatory standards.
Within this landscape, the Czech Ministry of Defence’s DECOY Systems project can be seen as part of a broader shift towards sophisticated, tightly specified technologies. The combination of a new prototype, full production documentation, software and methodology reflects the complexity of modern defence systems and the expectation that suppliers deliver complete, coherent solutions.
The DECOY Systems Development notice is brief, but its structure is clear. The Czech Armed Forces are looking not just for a piece of hardware but for a defined, reproducible deception capability in the optical and radio domains. How industry responds – in terms of technical concepts, system integration and supporting software – will determine how quickly that capability can move from prototype to operational use.
More widely, the notice adds to a growing list of procurements that blend advanced sensors, electronic effects, software and cyber resilience. It will be worth watching whether follow-on competitions emerge for further iterations, production runs or integration with other systems, and how this decoy work aligns with allied investments in electro-optical warfare and air defence. For now, the message is that deception is being treated as a capability in its own right, with public procurement used as the tool to develop it.
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