It may be the case that sympathizers with Ukraine are able to get physically close to Russian equipment, but not for such long times that they could sabotage it. For those individuals this device would offer an alternative. This marker round could be activated and then covertly directly stuck on, thrown onto, or shot at a piece of equipment. For example someone in a crowd a tank is going through might slap it on, especially if the crown is rowdy. The device would generally do nothing but force the owner of said equipment to perform sweeps for it. But on a preset schedule it would start emitting an unmistakable radio signal for precision munitions to home in on. The signal could be changed on a rotating basis to avoid replication. To prevent incoming round spoofing it may also be possible for the device to accept a secured signal to respond to from its own small onboard one time pad. Limitations in size and weight are obvious, and of course it would be extremely dangerous to be caught carrying one. But it's less risky than being caught with a wrench under a T-90.
-- Voice, Sep 15 2024

Greedy teens https://youtu.be/4J...si=8GyuwUTK6wg8cjXf
Stupid sabotage, but no MI-8. [minoradjustments, Sep 15 2024]

Bluetooth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth
[Voice, Sep 16 2024]

Evidently all you need to sabotage aircraft are a couple of crazy teenagers.

IR emitters are already used for targeting purposed. I suppose you could set a delay and hide or camo it. Snipers use preset IR points for reference.
-- minoradjustments, Sep 15 2024


What's the range of "ping" for an AirTag (or similar)?
-- neutrinos_shadow, Sep 15 2024


Airtag uses Bluetooth which is both short range and trivial to find. Anything with a constant broadcast on a known wavelength will be easily found. Airtag also relies on nearby devices repeating the signal and/or sending it back to Apple's servers which is difficult and unwise in this case. Now one or two actual airtags may be useful in very isolated cases, since it wouldn't be worth the Russian military's trouble to deal with it. But more than a few and they'll just forbid airtags near Russian equipment and start tracing any such signals.
-- Voice, Sep 16 2024


Thanks, [Voice]. Good points!
(I was just thinking "would easily-available tech work?" but it's TOO available...)
-- neutrinos_shadow, Sep 16 2024



random, halfbakery