How pixels could make tanks invisible

news.bbc.co.uk...

The military is often the first to get its hands on new technology. From GPS location to mobile communications, the armed forces use the latest innovations to get every tactical advantage they can.

Marc Cieslak looks at new technology that could allow tanks to become invisible to infra-red sensors at first, then the naked eye in a few years' time.

Interesting video regarding how a Tank can become a "Leafy Bug" (anyone seen I-Spy?), or a car, or a bit of brush...

MORE interesting, perhaps, to imagine the beJILLions of dollars being invested in this "invisibility" scheme.

A world war with INVISIBLE enemies encroaching? Now that, to me, is pretty scary.

How about spending all that money on alternative energy sources? On agricultural education in famine-stricken places? In tending to our water supply?

I mean -- if I had a Black Budget, I would NOT say "Hey! Let's make an invisible tank! Yeah! That will lead to world peace and reduce the global anxiety level! You bet! And then let's draft an IPO!!"

Ugh. Sadly, I don't think there's much hope that our version of "civilization" will ever see a time that War is a horrible thing of the past.

There are several threads about this, just search "invisible tank".

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by BlutAusNord


Well, there aren't any in this WW3 forum. It's alright to have a post in a different forum. Give the opportunity to discuss issues from various angles.

But whatever. Okay, hall monitor.

PS Those threads are way old. This just was on BBC this morning.

reply to post by wildtimes


Will this technology make the tanks /APC/Jeeps silent as well?

A tank engine and running gear is a pretty noisy beast...heavy, and leaves tracks and causes vibration.

A simple microphone 'net' and a few sensitive seismic sensors placed in strategic positions will allow these 'invisible' vehicles to be seen and targeted by both manual and automated systems.

But useful technology for civilian uses like disguising unsightly buildings or wind turbines...make them look like trees, then the complainers can shut up about ugly windfarms or gas works etc.

I wonder if this technology might have another application in personal disguises...a mask made from this tech would allow someone to look like someone else....or a burns victim or other disfigurement to be concealed.

reply to post by spikey


Very good question!!
And, what about the sense of touch? If they WERE to be made silent, they'd still be "solid" and if a person walked in front of one without seeing or hearing it, SQUISH.

Makes me imagine there are, naturally, already devices being invented to circumvent the "invisibility" factor.

reply to post by wildtimes


I've never understood why weapons designers insist on the cat and mouse game of ballistics vs armor. I can see the need for a new type of camouflage, but I can also see the whole thing being a waste of money after the first 6 months of service, when someone finds something to counter it.

Another thing that bothers me about this stuff, is that it only offers a small amount of actual protection for the tank crews. It isn't going to stop a tankers biggest fear, one well aimed high quality RPG. They say "trick the eye", but I have my doubts how effective it would be at that. It may scramble the infared sighting systems, but that's not what tankers are scared of, it's the RPG and IEDs.

reply to post by Evolutionsend


Exactly! SUCH a waste of money on future violence and counter-violence and destruction of lives and then more lives. Sickening.

Too bad the World Leaders can't just grow up and, like Eddie Izzard says to

the peacekeepers of the world. They should be parachuted in; whenever something breaks out, parachute [history's experienced warfaring cultures] in. They’ll go, "Look, we've done this before, we've done the killing. Hello! Take it from us, just chill out!" And then, they’d organize peace really quickly. "All right, peace, peace, peace, peace is organized!” It could be brilliant if they could do that. That's their destiny, man! Yeah.

...and there would be no more wars. NO MORE WARS.

reply to post by wildtimes


The first thread I indicated was started on 14-9-2011. Way old?
In the first replies of that same thread you can see the same issues you're raising in the first post pointed.

Hall monitor?
87 threads opened in 7 months. AW much? Carry on, I guess.

PS: wildtimes, I can't respond to PMs (lack of posts?). As a scholar and researcher and philosopher you are, you should have read those threads instead of jumping to name calling. I pointed to other threads, nothing more. Relax.

If you want to understand how tank warfare works and what they fear the most, I recommend the movie "The beast of war", sometimes referred to as "The beast". Aside from the psychopath commander, it shows how many tanks get put out of commission very well, and what they fear the most on the ground. It's not other armor.

Overall I think the whole thing is a publicity stunt, and has very little application on a real battlefield. Outfitting lightly armored recon vehicles with this, sounds like a great idea.

Doesn't matter if something is invisible, as long as it is solid its vulenrable lol, it would only take a person with a paintball gun to mark the vehicle. heck, i might buy shares in air-soft

Originally posted by spikey
reply to post by wildtimes

 

Will this technology make the tanks /APC/Jeeps silent as well?

A tank engine and running gear is a pretty noisy beast...heavy, and leaves tracks and causes vibration.

A simple microphone 'net' and a few sensitive seismic sensors placed in strategic positions will allow these 'invisible' vehicles to be seen and targeted by both manual and automated systems.

That's like saying "It might be bullet-proof, but that isn't much good if I drop a 2000lb bomb on it!"