Opinions on partially 'invisible' armor and structures? (Explanation inside)

[-=Grunt=- 10]

I just saw this video and thought... What if they cover armor and/or structures with that along with the other tech that alters thermal image? It could present a very high first-strike capability or hide structures from the naked eye at range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIGzpi9lCck&feature=related

What do you all think? Would it be too powerful to have partially invisible tanks and structures?

Me, I don't really think it would be 'too futuristic', we already have that tech now. It doesn't provide 'perfect invisibility to the eye' but it's a great type of 'camouflage' to blend into the environment. ArmA 3 is set in 2030, wouldn't the military consider such combined with the tech that alters the object's image on thermal cameras?

EDIT: Hopefully this fixes the video link...

[djfluffwug 10]

The problem is, what happens when the vehicle is shot? I would assume complete disabling of the vehicles 'invisibility'. I just don't think any military would consider it even in 2030. The world isn't going to change that much.

[max power 21]

I just saw this video and thought... What if they cover armor and/or structures with that along with the other tech that alters thermal image? It could present a very high first-strike capability or hide structures from the naked eye at range.

What do you all think? Would it be too powerful to have partially invisible tanks and structures?

Me, I don't really think it would be 'too futuristic', we already have that tech now. It doesn't provide 'perfect invisibility to the eye' but it's a great type of 'camouflage' to blend into the environment. ArmA 3 is set in 2030, wouldn't the military consider such combined with the tech that alters the object's image on thermal cameras?

EDIT: Hopefully this fixes the video link...

What they can't do with this is measure where the observer is situated, so this sort of thing would only be good at predetermined angles. Making something partially invisible would faaaaaar overestimate the capabilities of such a system. That's not what this sort of thing does. It measures light on the opposite side of the vehicle with a camera at a fixed angle and displayes that on the other side. This would make these things harder to spot than it would normally be at a certain distance, but it would be far from partially invisible.

[liquidpinky 11]

I thought they were already testing real tech like this on tanks?

Although like Max Power states it would be down to viewing angle as the system cant detect every single angle that someone is viewing it from.

The only workaround would be a spherical shaped object with multiples of angled displays that could almost give it a 360 degree cloak.

Like a massive spherical non-glasses 3DTV.

It would probably be easier to just create a hologram and make a tank look like a harmless farmhouse instead, more of a disguise than actual camouflage.

[-Coulum- 35]

Would be kind of neat but as max pOwer says it wouldn't be practically against all angles - but maybe on the roofs of tanks to hide them from air units...

Overally though, good camaflauge and concealment, would be more effective and coast efficient even in the future.

It would probably be easier to just create a hologram and make a tank look like a harmless farmhouse instead, more of a disguise than actual camouflage.

That would until the tank moved. Kind of off topic but is there holographic technologies strong enough to do this. Because if so there could be decoy tanks that are merely holograms to disorganize and spread the enemy before attacking. Might be an interesting feature.

[Sealife 22]

It will be at least possible in Arma3 i think but all the things mentioned above will make it maybe not so usefull

here is a quick 5 minute attempt in TOH

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hmm cant embed today

Edited March 8, 2012 by Thromp

[-=Grunt=- 10]

Hmm, I guess so. (Although it would be interesting on the under-side of planes, rendering the sky right above it)

@ The hologram idea

That sounds interesting, maybe a projector mounted onto armor?

[max power 21]

When you project something, you have to project it ONTO something, and you can only project in 2d. You can't just have 3d images floating around. It is physically impossible. You can have multiple beams of light meeting some place to make a brighter node, but the beams of light would only be visible if they were projected into some kind of reflecting or scattering medium, and even then you would see the light from the numerous projectors. There's no 'hologram' technology even close to good enough to make an image floating in space for the purposes of camouflage.

[sakura_chan 9]

this has already been applied to tanks

[paecmaker 23]

this has already been applied to tanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pftna34TbJU

That would be pretty good, can blend in if they stand still and if the enemy uses IR vision, however they are still 100% visible for the naked eye.

[antoineflemming 14]

That would be pretty good, can blend in if they stand still and if the enemy uses IR vision, however they are still 100% visible for the naked eye.

Would definitely work great for night time operations.

[Haystack15 10]

I love the idea of invisible vehicles and think it will make a great addition to my list of "101 ways to kill & p*ss me off while in a video game"

But I was more on the idea of using that technology as a large mobile video players. I like the rick roll people on the internet, and having this in Arma will take the enjoyment to a whole new level! :cc::cc:

But in all things serious, I think just the adaptive thermal camouflage feature is something I would like to see in the game.