Invisibility cloak: Ukraine’s Defense Ministry tests new invention

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is testing anti-thermal cloaks. The invention is designed to camouflage Ukrainian defenders and military equipment from Russian thermal imagers and night vision devices, according to the Defense Express publication.

Currently, five samples of cloaks are being tested. “We need to create a material that absorbs infrared radiation and has low thermal conductivity. Our goal is to camouflage military personnel and equipment from the enemy as reliably as possible,” said Deputy Minister of Defense Vitalii Polovenko.

The cloak’s material must be flexible and durable under real combat conditions, withstanding and not losing its properties in wet conditions, not fading in the sun, and providing camouflage in thermal imaging and the regular optical range.

“The Ukrainian Defense Ministry also has a very important asset – the best samples of similar camouflage means from NATO countries. Western examples primarily refer to Barracuda from Saab, with samples of armored vehicles received from Sweden. This multispectral camouflage works not only in the optical and infrared spectra but also in the ultraviolet range and against radar detection devices in variants for armored vehicles,” writes Defense Express.

The weight of an individual Barracuda cloak from Saab, measuring 2×2 meters, is only 600 grams. Soldiers wearing such equipment become almost invisible in thermal imaging. Therefore, experts suggest that comparisons of the new Ukrainian developments can be made with such Western samples.

The Russians currently use cloaks made on the principle of a “thermos,” where two layers with high reflectivity and low infrared emission are placed between synthetic padding or something similar. “But they prevent any heat leakage from the body, which is quite critical, especially in the summer,” writes Defense Express.