Digital camo for Jordanian F-16s

[CouchCommando]

Is this the first? Cant be too easy to paint that on.

Visual Stealth for F-16?
HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp / Canada

After two years of development of digital camouflage pattern application for military aircraft HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp\ is now ready to apply the KA2 camouflage scheme on an F-16 fighter. According to HyperStealth’s President and CEO, Guy Cramer, the application will be painted on the Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16 fighters, following successful testing on Blackhawk helicopters. The test will be conducted as part of a comprehensive camouflage program commissioned by His Majesty, King Abdullah II of Jordan (shown on the right, wearing the new uniform in the picture below).

Under this program, advanced digital KA2 camouflage patterns were developed for the Jordan Armed Forces, Police, Customs and Counter Terrorism Battalion. The KA2 camouflage pattern uses digital fractal patterns which were proven to be more difficult to detect than traditional (analog) camouflage patterns. KA2 design are already used with combat uniform issued to Jordanian troops (shown below). Similar patterns were also tested on weapons, complementing a complete set of urban camouflage suit. Other tests were carried out with vehicle camouflage, using vehicle wrap technology developed by 3M Commercial Graphics division. Similar materials were used to wrap UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. The complex KA2 pattern is now considered for the F-16 fighter making the Kingdom of Jordan the first in the world to use this advanced visual mitigation method.

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5773/f16ka21qn.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6216/4768i5ly.jpg
King of Jordan in the right wearing the new army camo

Article stolen from: www.defense-update.com (http://www.defense-update.com/products/f/f-16-camo.htm)

[ArmyJonHall]

Everyone's going digi-cam these days. It's all the rage.

[Kalahari Illegal]

Can I ask what's so great about digital camoflauge? I think it looks ugly as ****.

[stuntman]

That camo on the f16 is awsome, but one day they will invent some kind of radio that bounces signals off metal objects almost like sonar and it will make this camo thing obsolete! you'll see....

[Munchies]

its not a tuxedo its not suposed to be pretty. it works great
what would your soldiers be wearing armani? gucci?

[Munchies]

imagine this: an alarm sounds, technitians prepare the F-16 for takeoff, the pilots put on their suits and run to the bus which speeds them to their aircraft, the pilots get off the bus and start frantically running from side to side, looking around with a slight panic on their faces "Dude where's my plane?!"

[mobius06]

the USMC painted one too
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/mobius06/DSC01269.jpg

[CouchCommando]

That camo on the f16 is awsome, but one day they will invent some kind of radio that bounces signals off metal objects almost like sonar and it will make this camo thing obsolete! you'll see....
You have to admit that it does make the planes a lot harder to spot from the air when they are parked on the ground. I dont know how Jordanians have planned to use their af, but if its anything similar to the finnish/swedish/swiss doctrine of lots of small hard to detect dispersed bases all over the highway network it does make sense to give them the best camo possible.

[CouchCommando]

the USMC painted one too
I think that was just some sort of a pr stunt.

[CouchCommando]

Can I ask what's so great about digital camoflauge? I think it looks ugly as ****. It does what its suppossed to do a lot better than non digital, i'd say thats pretty great. Dont you think p-)

[budgie]

It does what its suppossed to do a lot better than non digital, i'd say thats pretty great. Dont you think p-)

Doesn't matter whether it's pretty or not. It's such an eyesore that it makes it hard to focus on even a still pic, let alone a moving one. Take a look at this Czech one as well:

(http://www.amv83.net/asm/Sig/europe/easteurope/Mikoyan-Gourevitch%20Mig-21Czech.jpg)

It won't hide it anyware exept in a mrshmallow factory; it won't fool radars; but any ground gunner or enemy pilot trying to make a visual lock is going to get a headache!

[Frens]

Can I ask what's so great about digital camoflauge? I think it looks ugly as ****.

it works great

[CouchCommando]

Doesn't matter whether it's pretty or not. It's such an eyesore that it makes it hard to focus on even a still pic, let alone a moving one. Take a look at this Czech one as well:

(http://www.amv83.net/asm/Sig/europe/easteurope/Mikoyan-Gourevitch%20Mig-21Czech.jpg)

It won't hide it anyware exept in a mrshmallow factory; it won't fool radars; but any ground gunner or enemy pilot trying to make a visual lock is going to get a headache! Im not sure im getting what you are trying to say, but i wasnt talking about its looks, i was just saying that its a pretty effective pattern. And i dont think anyone is claiming that it'd work in the air, or that its supposed to.

[Jippo]

It should be much more difficult to spot plane like that flying low than a plane with normal uniform grey color. High up it would be the other way round.


-jippo

[budgie]

I don't think there's any pattern that actually blends into the sky - in most camera shots the plane stands out pretty well. However when i first looked at that MiG21 pattern which is similar but uses different colors, I thought - even in the air it would make it hard to focus on. Certainly gave me an eyesore just from the pic, lol

[CouchCommando]

It should be much more difficult to spot plane like that flying low than a plane with normal uniform grey color. High up it would be the other way round.
-jippoTrue, wich is why planes used to have lightly colored underside and a green/camo top.

[Roaming East]

rather since these bush painted things will be parked on an all gray tarmac id imagine enemy pilots would use a little self initiative to attack those odd plane shaped hedge growing on the runways...

[maple.leaf]

Doesn't matter whether it's pretty or not. It's such an eyesore that it makes it hard to focus on even a still pic, let alone a moving one. Take a look at this Czech one as well:

(http://www.amv83.net/asm/Sig/europe/easteurope/Mikoyan-Gourevitch%20Mig-21Czech.jpg)


That's not "digital" - its just an "analogue" splinter pattern.

[budgie]

Is that what it's called? I think it has a similar effect, though

[pretorian669]

Well Israeli Intelligence can let you know if it worksp-)

[maple.leaf]

Is that what it's called? I think it has a similar effect, though

Yes, its just a variation of an "old-fashioned" splinter pattern (like the WW2 German shelter quarters, the Swedish Viggen and BDU patterns, etc.).

"Digital" patterns work very differently - they are designed using complex algorithms to produce patterns that more effectively diffuse the outline and shape of the person, vehicle or aircraft you're trying to conceal. Most of them use a technique known as pixelation that breaks up the edges of the camo shapes from normal distances - this helps to defeat visual detection becuase it reduces the appearance of solid edges (which are a big give-away). Its kind of like the "bushy rags" of a ghillie suit.

If you're interested, here are a couple of more in-depth explanations:

http://www.hyperstealth.com/digital-design/index.htm

http://www.kamouflage.net/en_010400.php

[camerashy]

I think it looks awesome. I would love to see what a large pixelated object like that looks like from a sat. photo.

[perdurabo]

You have to admit that it does make the planes a lot harder to spot from the air when they are parked on the ground. I dont know how Jordanians have planned to use their af, but if its anything similar to the finnish/swedish/swiss doctrine of lots of small hard to detect dispersed bases all over the highway network it does make sense to give them the best camo possible.
thats why grippens are painted in grey? :>
cammo on planes just doesn't work anymore, there is enough advenced technologies to spot it one way or another...

[XxDrAg0nxX]

rather since these bush painted things will be parked on an all gray tarmac id imagine enemy pilots would use a little self initiative to attack those odd plane shaped hedge growing on the runways...

My sentiments exactally, espically when the patterns are so large and contrasting... White and Black?

[Kaplanr]

That's not "digital" - its just an "analogue" splinter pattern.

Looks like the German lozenge pattern of WWI.

[CONSERVATIVE53]

Another article.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/01/hyperstealths-fractal-camo-patterns-successfully-tested-for-aircraft/index.php

[maple.leaf]

And another thread:

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=68125

[TuNeRsHaRk]

thats pretty nifty