Can Thermal-Reflective Camo Coating Fool Advanced Night Vision and Thermal Imaging Tech

How do thermal-reflective camo coatings function?

When soldiers need to slink away from enemies in the middle of the night, they typically rely on camouflage, too. But modern camouflage may not be as effective against night vision devices. Which is where thermal-reflective camo coatings come in.

These unique coatings actually reflect heat, so this helps to hide the wearer’s heat signature when viewed through thermal imaging technology. That means someone in a thermal-reflective camo coating might go unnoticed by the eye, but could register on a thermal imaging screen.

THERMAL REFLECTIVE CAMO COATING TESTING

Researchers also did some tests to figure out how easily these coatings can fool the technology used in night vision. They studied individuals donning thermal-reflective camo coatings, from the vantage point of thermal imaging equipment.

The results were surprising. Though the camo coatings worked to help the wearers disappear into the background, they were not invisible. At other times, the coatings weren’t effective at masking the heat emitted by a wearer’s body, rendering the wearers detectable from thermal imaging devices sometimes.

Is it possible that these coatings are sufficiently deceptive to fool night vision systems?

While thermal-reflective camo coatings have their limits, researchers believe that with some additional development, such coatings could get better at hiding from night vision systems. ” If the material and design can be improved, it might be possible to create a camo coating that is virtually undetectable to thermal imaging devices.

Advantages Of Thermal-Reflective Camo Coatings

One major advantage of these coatings is that they can be used during both day and night. Unlike traditional camouflage that works some of the time, thermal-reflective coatings work all of the time. That’s in stark contrast to the situation soldiers in the field currently face, where they would have to change their camouflage when the sun set.

The next generation camo coatings which reflect body heat

Thermal-reflective camo coatings have the potential to be a significant way to hide from NV tech, but aren’t foolproof. Further studies are necessary to develop these coatings to make them completely invisible on thermal imaging instruments.