Invisible Tanks, Planes and Armor Could Hit Battlefields in 5 Years

[Growler]

It doesn't have to be truly "invisible" to work - all it has to do is delay detection long enough to take the initiative away - in a modern combat environment where he who gets the first shot off wins, that delay in identification could make a big difference.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Growler

It doesn't have to be truly "invisible" to work - all it has to do is delay detection long enough to take the initiative away - in a modern combat environment where he who gets the first shot off wins, that delay in identification could make a big difference.

But with heat signature sensor and radar signature sensor visual camouflage is getting more and more less important to worth a technological pursuit such as this. Unless you're talking about being totally transparent. Now that's being invisible.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by Castout

But with heat signature sensor and radar signature sensor visual camouflage is getting more and more less important to worth a technological pursuit such as this. Unless you're talking about being totally transparent. Now that's being invisible.

Well, Castout, I'm sort of specifically talking about MBTs/AFVs, where combat usually boils down to, "You have to see it to hit/kill it." I probably could have said it better than I did. Even with ATGMs like Javelin, you have to be able to at least see the target well enough to get that shot off.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Growler

Well, Castout, I'm sort of specifically talking about MBTs/AFVs, where combat usually boils down to, "You have to see it to hit/kill it." I probably could have said it better than I did. Even with ATGMs like Javelin, you have to be able to at least see the target well enough to get that shot off.

I think very soon we will see portable ISAR sets at least on vehicles if not man portable. Which would mean visual masking isn't very important unless you are fighting the low tech Taliban or what not and even then its kinda obvious who you are.

Honestly I see this tech as a real money hole.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

I think very soon we will see portable ISAR sets at least on vehicles if not man portable. Which would mean visual masking isn't very important unless you are fighting the low tech Taliban or what not and even then its kinda obvious who you are.

Honestly I see this tech as a real money hole.

Think of it this way: If we could install this kind of tech on a Stryker or HMMWV, and it worked - would you say that it would make it harder for someone to command-detonate an IED, for instance? As a scout, I would have LOVED tech that made me harder to spot.

Money hole? Oh, heck yeah. Somebody in an R&D lab is laughing all the way to the bank, for sure.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Growler

Think of it this way: If we could install this kind of tech on a Stryker or HMMWV, and it worked - would you say that it would make it harder for someone to command-detonate an IED, for instance? As a scout, I would have LOVED tech that made me harder to spot.

Are they going to mask the engine noise too? What about the tires kicking up dust?

IF they could make it work on a trooper's BDUs (some sort of adaptive camouflage ghilie suit) then maybe it would be worth it since individual soldiers tend to be stealthy. But I don't see them making stealthy ground vehicles.

For a scout to be effective it must be one of two things, Fast (Like a recce aircraft), or Small (like a scout-sniper team). Ground vehicles are neither.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Growler

Well, Castout, I'm sort of specifically talking about MBTs/AFVs, where combat usually boils down to, "You have to see it to hit/kill it." I probably could have said it better than I did. Even with ATGMs like Javelin, you have to be able to at least see the target well enough to get that shot off.

On ground vehicles like MBTs and IFVs, targets within a 2000m range or so get detected with thermal displays first. And often you do not have longer lines of sight in terrain anyway, especially not in woods and hills. At ranges in excess of this, projected camera picture son hulls cannot be seen by the eye anyhow, so this new camouflage certainly is meant to be used at relatively short ranges. Interesting is the vehicle list they plan to equip with this camouflage. No heavy Chally-2 there, no heavy IFV there, if I get that right.

This camouflage probably is not meant for genertal use, but only for vehicles expected to be operating in scenarios/environments where there is no stiff resistence by MBTs and IFVs expected, but infantry/militia/guerilla/pickups/technicals not having NVGs and thermals in use.

I wonder if and how this camouflage works at night, and in heavy rain, and how it looks with NVGs.

[Betonov]

a simple shadow would give it away