Inflatable mock-up of a tank designed to deceive the enemy from great distances or heights
Despite the proliferation of sensors on the networked battlefield, the use of camouflage techniques can nevertheless give the military a tactical advantage
Modern military forces are equipped with advanced technology sensors and systems that can detect, identify and provide target information for weapons systems capable of striking with unerring accuracy.
Here it may seem that covering your units and their weapons with camouflage is a useless exercise. But life and practical experience have repeatedly confirmed the ability of the armed forces to effectively use various methods of camouflage and deception in order to confuse and achieve a tactical and operational advantage even over an opponent who is superior from a technological point of view.
During the Vietnam War, the successes of the northerners, moving supplies along the Ho Chi Minh trail despite sustained airstrikes by American aircraft, were due (at least in part) to a strict discipline of camouflage. And after a few decades, during the Gulf War, coalition pilots often admitted that they attacked the false positions of Iraqi missiles and artillery.
Correct use
Properly applied camouflage, camouflage and deception can add "confusion to the combat situation" and can be of great benefit. Not necessarily the goal is to completely disable the enemy's observation and target designation systems; it is enough to increase the level of uncertainty, which makes it difficult for the opponent to make a full assessment of the battlefield.
Misleading the attacker can force him to open fire on the wrong positions or launch an attack either too early or too late. In each case, the initiative can go to the one who was able to deceive the opponent.
Going unnoticed for a short time, even for a few seconds, can make a drastic difference, forcing the attacker to fight at a shorter distance than he would like, or at a distance more suitable for the defender.
There are also special requirements for camouflage. For example, concealment systems for towed artillery should be able to maintain guns and fire, while at an airfield the goal is to make aircraft, equipment or structures less visible, including by combining with false objects that are deliberately placed openly.
Much attention, of course, is paid to survivability. All efforts are aimed at reducing the likelihood of penetration and maintaining the mobility or operating condition of the vehicle or weapon system.
But survivability also means hit prevention in the first place. If the system remains hidden and undetected, then it will not be invaded and can begin what is known as a defeat sequence.
If the emphasis is on protecting the car, then not everything is clear. Additional armor increases the total mass, which reduces the effectiveness of the mobile platform and forces the crew to defend against more powerful and effective weapons.
The Adaptiv camouflage system uses an array of hexagonal Peltier plates that, when energized, can quickly heat up or cool down, creating specific images on the body.
Multispectrality
Since the 50s, the Swedish company Saab has been a leader in this technology. It has developed many innovative technologies for camouflage and deception systems, including camouflage in multiple spectral regions simultaneously.
Saab Dynamics Marketing Director Niklas Elound said that its modular camouflage system MCS (Modular Camouflage System) “adapts to all types of platforms (vehicles, fixed systems, artillery, etc.) using a basic multispectral protective coating that does not interferes with platform maintenance and protects against known detection sensors."
MCS is actually a combination of components. A non-gloss 3D surface is attached to the machine, which helps to blend in with the environment and impedes visual detection. The parameters of this surface, the colors, the NIR region of the spectrum and the graphic templates, are similar to the parameters of the area of operation. The system also includes form-deforming elements.
Norwegian Leopard 2A4NO tanks covered with Saab Barracuda MCS camouflage
In addition, static camouflage nets can be removed and stretched from storage boxes to further reshape vehicles. Camouflage material MCS contains fibers that trap up to 80% of the radiated heat energy, as well as woven fabrics that absorb and dissipate generated heat, reducing thermal signatures.
The elements of the MCS system are configured for the technique, tasks, external conditions and threat. The newest option is the urban warfare configuration, which is specially manufactured with colors, patterns and properties optimized for the characteristics and regular structure of cities and built-up areas.
The Polish company Miranda also developed the Berberys-R multispectral protective material, which was adopted by the Polish army, including variants for the Leopard tank and the Rosomak infantry fighting vehicle.
Worldwide recognition
The armies of many countries around the world are increasingly recognizing the need to counter multiple sensors. This was illustrated in October 2015, when the Malaysian army announced the deployment of a multispectral camouflage network from local NH Global for its PT-91M tanks. Mesh structures are integrated into the mesh fabric, which reproduce the natural reflection of foliage in the infrared spectrum, and also scatter radar signals.
Reducing heat signatures is more challenging because machines and humans generate more heat than plants, and thermal imagers are sensitive to heat levels from various objects.
The German company Blucher Systems presented a material in which metal fibers are used to reduce the visibility in front of thermal imagers and thermal sensors. The Ghost woven fabric can be used to weave nets, sheaths or uniforms to reduce the heat signature of what is underneath. The material significantly reduces the signature in the ultraviolet, near-infrared, and thermal infrared regions of the spectrum (3-5μm / 8-12μm), making the protected object less pronounced compared to its surroundings.
Demonstration of anti-thermal material from Blucher Systems
Camouflage effectiveness is a combination of many factors, not just the stretching of the mesh over the vehicle or gun position. A command post or artillery battery located in the middle of an open field, even if covered by the most advanced camouflage system, will still stand out.
To be successful, combat units and their commanders must be aware of the impact of their actions and dispositions on reducing or increasing visibility. To a certain extent, the Western armed forces have become much less concerned about their "tactical signature". This could be greatly influenced by the significant airspace superiority of nearly all post-World War II conflicts. The emergence of UAVs, including small and relatively inexpensive systems, could well change this state of affairs, since even less advanced opponents are able to use such devices.
Methods to mislead the enemy
Another tool that adds "ambiguity" to the combat situation is to mislead the enemy. Inflatable decoys are easy to transport and deploy, plus they can be relatively inexpensive. Inflatech from the Czech Republic offers various high-fidelity mockups: aircraft, armored vehicles, missile launchers, radars and other equipment and weapons. An Inflatech spokesman said that "the set of sensors that need to be deceived today requires the development of decoys that also reproduce IR, thermal and radar signatures." The dummies can be easily moved and installed by several soldiers in a few minutes by filling them with air from high-pressure cylinders or compressors.
The American company Interactive Inflatables supplies its mock-ups with low-power generators that mimic the engine's heat and gas emissions. The fidelity of these mock-ups can be such that it is almost impossible to distinguish them from real equipment, even when viewed from just a few hundred meters.
Samples of products of the American company Interactive Inflatables
Another interesting product in this area is worth noting. The Adaptiv system, developed under contract with the Swedish Defense Procurement Authority by BAE Systems, is designed to trick thermal sensors. The system uses an array of hexagonal Peltier tiles, which, when energized, can be heated and cooled to form specific images.
An interesting camouflage solution for Adaptive military equipment from BAE Systems
The Adaptiv project manager explained that “the system copies rather than masks. It either dissolves the car by copying its external environment (background), or it can take on the image of a completely different object. " He noted that an additional advantage of the Adaptiv system is its ability to deceive not only infrared seeker heads, but also "smart" seeker, distinguishing the image and attacking targets of a particular type.
Future accent
With the proliferation of air sensors, air superiority no longer guarantees that you will not be monitored. In addition, the accuracy and lethality of not only direct fire, but also mortars, artillery and guided missiles increases the likelihood that if you are detected and identified, you could be killed.
There is reason to believe that camouflage, camouflage and deception of the enemy should receive the same high priority as armor and active defense systems. Recognizing the capabilities of these tools and mastering them can greatly influence the success and failure of future combat operations.
