A defense official has explained the military’s camouflage patterns for its armored fighting vehicles, artillery, ships and aircraft.
Distinct schemes designed to blend into different environments are key, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Tactical markings are painted to aid in identification and for command and control, but with low visibility colors to decrease the chances of detection by the enemy, the official said.
Photo courtesy of Youth Daily News
The army’s ubiquitous green, brown and black camouflage pattern — applied to most weaponry, equipment and installations — is an offshoot of the US’ Woodland Pattern, he said.
The pattern was chosen as the service standard to streamline logistics and maintenance, he added.
One exception is the CM-32 “Clouded Leopard” developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, he said.
It has been painted in a new “digital” camouflage in light green, forest green, brown and black, except for those vehicles to be used by the army’s military police brigade, as such distinctive markings would be detrimental to one of its duties, presidential protection, the source said.
Another new four-color camouflage is being used on ground-based cruise missile launcher systems and other new pieces of equipment, he said.
Surface ships are painted gray, because the color hides the shape of the hull against the ocean, while submarines are painted black, because it obscures the silhouette of a submerged boat from observers above it, he said.
The air force also uses gray tones — or “air superiority camouflage” — for its fighters, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters, he said.
However, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules has a unique scheme with gray paint on top and earth colors on its belly, which optimize camouflage against ground-based and aerial observation respectively, he said.
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