All about Camouflage & BCU (inc cartoons)

[Fuchs]

some more:

http://soldiersystems.net/?s=scorpion

http://www.kamouflage.net/country/00181.php


The chest rigs and other pouches reduce the relevance of the pattern itself to the arms, legs and helmet cover anyway. All other surfaces will be disrupted by pouches et cetera, with plenty shadows.

I suppose combat and recce troops should not rely on a camo pattern on these surfaces, but apply 3D camouflage (anything from vegetation over ghillie suits to this
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V7Ehj7eG65...00/13rdp22.jpg

It should be possible to have an overgarment for the arms only that applies such (spray paint-adapted) camo - and it should be reversible (greenish and yellowish for summer, greenish and brownish for autumn).

[JMA]

What about the weapon?

some more:

http://soldiersystems.net/?s=scorpion

http://www.kamouflage.net/country/00181.php


The chest rigs and other pouches reduce the relevance of the pattern itself to the arms, legs and helmet cover anyway. All other surfaces will be disrupted by pouches et cetera, with plenty shadows.

I suppose combat and recce troops should not rely on a camo pattern on these surfaces, but apply 3D camouflage (anything from vegetation over ghillie suits to this
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V7Ehj7eG65...00/13rdp22.jpg

It should be possible to have an overgarment for the arms only that applies such (spray paint-adapted) camo - and it should be reversible (greenish and yellowish for summer, greenish and brownish for autumn).

[Fuchs]

Weapons aren't clothing.
The considerations are very different regarding weapons and munitions, so it's a very different topic.

[jcustis]

The US Army has been issuing articles of equipment (packs, webbing, etc.) in the Multicam pattern for years now, and it will most likely follow the same pattern with this new (well, actually 10 years+ old) camouflage. I watched pallets of deployer bags and packs dropped off in Manas once as a battalion was flowing into theater, all in what was then referred to as the OCP (Objective Camouflage Pattern).

There are directives which govern the use of paint and various tapes to camouflage individual weapons.

The pattern is pretty much relevant to everything. The USMC has not followed the same logic.

[JMA]

Weapons aren't clothing.

Why the need to state the obvious?

The considerations are very different regarding weapons and munitions, so it's a very different topic.

At a personal level? Not sure about that... You can substantiate that statement?

[Fuchs]

At a personal level? Not sure about that... You can substantiate that statement?

Different printing technology.

Emission of infrared radiation (energy) due to firing rather than due to body heat.

Munitions (such as rifle grenades, hand grenades, LAW) may be hidden behind textiles most of the time, only exposed during use.

Camouflage (such as netting) must not obstruct interface or operation of rifle (no problem with arms, for example).

Firing signatures are more important than weapon/munition visuals themselves.

[Fuchs]

At a personal level? Not sure about that... You can substantiate that statement?

Different printing technology.

Emission of infrared radiation (energy) due to firing rather than due to body heat.

Munitions (such as rifle grenades, hand grenades, LAW) may be hidden behind textiles most of the time, only exposed during use.

Camouflage (such as netting) must not obstruct interface or operation of rifle (no problem with arms, for example).

Firing signatures are more important than weapon/munition visuals themselves.

[Firn]

Just some minor observations on animal 'camouflage', for example tiger stripes and leopard spots, and why they should be use with carefully as a specific example.*

A great shot of a leopard which gets widely published is usually one in relative bright, low-angle light of the animal out in the open not actively stalking or hunting seen by us humans through a camera lens. It is bit like a soldier standing to attention during a ceremony on the parade ground as seen by a (enemy?) crow overlooking the scene.

1) For a leopard's prey, a deer, orange or reddish tones don't stand out of green and brown ones of similar brightness.

2) The colour spectrum of the predator, prey and habitat during it's prime hunting periods over the 24 h cycle is is different from the one observed during day time. Leopars tend to spent most of the day hidden and resting, investing their energy ressources when their chances are relatively high. Too much activity also tends to spook the jungle.

3) Cats see better at night then primates while their sight is more accute then deer prey. Truth be told I don't know how much light they gather relative to deer, but in general a stalk is easier in during a time full of long shadows, low light and coarse vision resolution.

4) Their coloration, patter and counter-shadowing works in conjunction with 1-3 plus the their often amazing fieldcraft in stalking, using terrain, vegation and shadows.

There is obviously not only the prey-predator relationship but also the role of competitors (bears, some birds), potential predators (tigers) and other jungle folk. For example some birds and monkeys are know to be keen spotters (generally in good light conditions) of the cats and sound loud warnings.

*There are of course many valid tendencies to be gained by close study.

It is overall a vast and rich topic with deep ties to other threads like animal vision and many others. So much to learn and understand and so little time. A nice primer on animal eyes by a lecture of Gresham university. New insights in Deer vision is of particular interest for hunters and other predators, showing also the evolutionary response of the prey's eye sight. You learn a great deal IMHO from different sources like Corbett books and Peterson Reference Guide to the Behavior of North American Mammals and from your personal experience out in the woods, up the mountains facing some animal stare.

[ganulv]

2) The colour spectrum of the predator, prey and habitat during it's prime hunting periods over the 24 h cycle is is different from the one observed during day time.

3) Cats see better at night then primates while their sight is more accute then deer prey. Truth be told I don't know how much light they gather relative to deer, but in general a stalk is easier in during a time full of long shadows, low light and coarse vision resolution.

This is related to the fact that they are dichromats, yes?

For example some birds and monkeys are know to be keen spotters (generally in good light conditions) of the cats and sound loud warnings.

By the same token, this is related to the fact that primates are trichromats, right? And I believe that it has been suggested that some birds possess superior color vision to humans.