Advancement in UV-Visible-IR camouflage textiles for concealment of defence surveillance against multidimensional combat backgrounds

Abstract

Target detection of defence technologies is being rapidly upgraded with modern surveillance technologies. The latest techniques of surveillance are already being implemented for defence applications. Self-protection and hiding from opposing forces are the key principles for the protection of special team in defence. Camouflage textiles aim to create confusing objects for target detection of military personnel. These textiles are applied for military protection such as clothing, weapons, vehicles and location hiding nets/tents. The urgent need for camouflage textiles has been formulated with a technical solution and implementation of the right camouflage materials for concealment of defence target signature against dry leaves, green leaves and tree bark-woodland combat background; water-marine combat background; sand-desertland combat background; stone-stoneland combat background; snow-snowland combat background; sky combat background; ice-iceland combat background; and concrete-concreteland combat background (DGTWSICB) in ultraviolet–visible-infrared (UV–Vis-IR) spectrums. This hypothesis of optical and surveillance engineering, digital imaging and hyperspectral imaging has been coalesced for the advancement of UV–Vis-IR-DGTWSICB camouflage textile technology. The principle of camouflage engineering has been approached by broader spectrum probes in UV–Vis-IR rather than Vis ranges only. Furthermore, camouflage materials, camouflage weapon designs, and formulations of camouflage textiles have been proposed for multidimensional CBs-DGTWSICB. The electromagnetic spectrum, reflection, electron energy, photonic signal and imaging mechanism in UV–Vis-IR have been presented for optical engineering of concealment, detection, recognition and identification of target signature against DGTWSICB. The spectrum relationship of camouflage materials and DGTWSICB materials has been illustrated and compared in UV–Vis-IR spectrums. Camouflage material design, method design and spectral design; textile colorants and technologies; adaptive camouflage; techniques for camouflage textile assessment for digital camera and hyperspectral camera imaging; image processing techniques; and a hierarchical model have been demonstrated for augmentation of camouflage textiles in UV–Vis-IR illumination. Therefore, the anticipated design of camouflage textiles may enhance high-performance innovation for modern surveillance of military protection related to digital camera, hyperspectral camera and radar. This hypothesis includes advanced guidelines for the advanced design of camouflage textiles for multidimensional CBs-DGTWSICB. The challenges, limitations, innovation and defence applications of camouflage engineering for multidimensional combat backgrounds have been coalesced for concealment, detection, recognition and identification of defence target signature.