Fieldcraft Multispectral Camouflage - Hiding from Thermal

[Longshot231]

With all the festivities taking place in Ukraine, more attention has been placed on thermal imaging. Even though the technology has been around for many years, more interest has been generated in defeating or mitigating these optics. So here are some links on the subject:

russians Started Actively Use Thermal Camouflage Against Thermal Cameras: How the Suit Works and How Significant the Threat Is | Defense Express

The novelty that began to massively appear on Ukrainian frontlines is not an ultimate solution yet should not be underestimated

en.defence-ua.com

This video was embedded in the above article but I wanted to repeat it below. It's an 8 year old video and most of what we already know is presented here. What I want to draw attention to is his remarks at about the 17 minute mark. It's worth considering and sounds a little prophetic.



A long article that probably gives you enough information to make you think you're an expert on this stuff until you meet someone who really is an expert

Hiding in Plain Sight – Camouflage, Concealment and Deception in the EMS

www.jedonline.com

Science and capitalism go together like peas and carrots

Saab says it has solved a modern camouflage conundrum

The art of camouflage goes back over 100 years. A new solution tackles the problem of hiding from radar but still communicating by radio.

www.popsci.com

After reading the aforementioned articles I wondered where can I get this type of military clothing ensemble without making one myself. Again, another capitalist organization comes to the rescue to fill the need! I was almost giddy until I saw the price tag. Nevertheless, I will post this for the reader of means and lots of money to burn. Anyway it's great looking at this website, through it's kind of like getting the Cabela's catalog in the mail when I was younger. I could look but not afford the goodies.

HOME | ProApto | Waterproof, Lightweight, IR Ghillie Suits

Go unnoticed with ProApto breathable, customizable and multipurpose ghillie suits.

www.proapto-camouflage.com

Another interesting video for the DIY inventor.



With the rest of the world developing and producing multispectral camouflage; where do we stand? Warning to former jarheads, do not read this article unless you like getting angry.

Marine camouflage uniform shortage won’t be fixed until summer 2024

Marines’ camouflage uniforms are supposed to be difficult for enemy eyes to find. But these days, they’re difficult for even Marines to find.

www.marinecorpstimes.com

The above article doesn't mention multispectral camouflage but the fact that we are so far behind providing the marines with just basic camouflage is disheartening.

 

[Blue Sky Country]

I wonder how that POS Danelo Cavalcante evaded capture for almost 2 weeks. I am sure the Pennsylvania State Police and Border Patrol deployed every piece of technology they had at their disposal, for something like that also provides an opportunity for a real world live action testing ground for new military and LE tech. Thermals. Drones with thermal cameras. Ground based tracked/wheeled robots with thermal cameras, you name it. And then you also had many armed civilians looking for him as well. That is a pretty rural part of PA, and almost everybody shoots, hunts, fishes etc. and plenty of people own latest generation thermal devices as well.

Even DIY mylar ponchos, which a decade ago was one of the hot topics among the militia and wargaming sphere, were not really a way to escape thermal detection. In fact it is the opposite. Since mylar does not allow the emitting of anything shielded by it, one would show up in a thermal imager as a very dark silhouette among the background. So you would still be found if the viewer knows what they are seeing on their screens.

 

[Longshot231]

Even DIY mylar ponchos, which a decade ago was one of the hot topics among the militia and wargaming sphere, were not really a way to escape thermal detection. In fact it is the opposite. Since mylar does not allow the emitting of anything shielded by it, one would show up in a thermal imager as a very dark silhouette among the background. So you would still be found if the viewer knows what they are seeing on their screens.

Agreed. Even if you could shield your entire body from thermal, your foot prints could give you away, depending on the footwear and terrain.

I must confess a lot of ignorance on this subject but it would seem to me that the basic principle of camouflage is required.

in other words, the ability to blend in with the surroundings has always been the basic principle of camouflaging oneself from game animals or the enemy. I'm speaking in terms of trying to remain unseen in the visible light spectrum.

So in the visible light spectrum, the combination of patterns, colors and textures to match the surrounding terrain has always been used to fool the animal or human eye.

So let's talk about the thermal spectrum. Not only should the heat signature be reduced or completely eliminated but what is left over has to match the thermal patterns of the surrounding terrain to keep from looking like a suspicious blob that will draw unwanted attention.

 

[Oldloser]

Its just playing spectrum management games. It works until it does not.

Your CO2 from breathing is detectable with three types of sensing methods. Depending on weather conditions, the battlefield can become non permissible for air breathing machines and large mammals.

 

[MK20]

Your footprints last about 15 to 40 seconds in temperate conditions depending on the surface traversed. It's not like you leave a slug trail for hours behind you.

 

[Longshot231]

 

[MadDuner]

I wish he would have divulged their technique of camouflaging the face and heated breath that is exhausted.

 

[Longshot231]

Ukraine claims to have invented an 'invisibility cloak' to help its snipers and specialists evade detection from Russian troops

Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, said that the invention will "help our soldiers work effectively during the night."

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Longshot231]