Ukraine adopts 'World War I camouflage' for naval ships

The Ukrainian Navy has just released images of warships covered in a new paint scheme, which is said to make it difficult for opponents to see and sense.

The images posted by Ukraine show the warship covered in a layer of paint with alternating color patches and a dominant gray tone. Military experts say this type of paint can fool the eyes of opponents observing from a distance, making it difficult for them to predict the speed and direction of the ship.

Business Insider on November 30 quoted Mr. Sidharth Kaushal, a sea power expert at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), based in London, saying that the above warship could apply "dazzle camouflage", a tactic widely used in World War I.

Ukrainian armored gunboats are painted to enhance camouflage

PHOTO: UKRAINE NAVY

Accordingly, ships would be painted in contrasting and alternating colors, making it difficult for opponents to judge the distance, speed and direction of the ship, thereby reducing the ability to aim torpedoes. At the time of World War I, guided weapons had not been developed.

Mr. Kaushal said that this type of painting tactic can currently counter optical sensors commonly equipped on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) but will not bring much value when confronting radar-guided weapons.

The Ukrainian Navy said the ships were wearing “camouflage” paint when they were shown to naval experts from Denmark. MilitaryNYI reported that at least one small armored gunboat and one Ukrainian patrol boat were wearing the new paint.

In July 2023, Russia also applied a similar tactic, painting the bows of its ships black to make them look smaller, thereby making it more difficult for opponents to aim accurately.

Ukraine does not have many large warships in its navy, instead relying mainly on small patrol boats equipped with guns, like the ones shown in the images above.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ukraine-apply-kieu-nguy-trang-thoi-the-chien-1-cho-tau-hai-quan-185241201074121839.htm