bestest camo or what? image - Aircraft Lovers Group

Well maybe it wasn't meant as a camouflage, maybe it's just a paint decoration for the plane.

Granted, it won't be a huge difference, but it's not necessarily useless. For instance, if the plane is on the ground at an airfield, camouflage will play a factor in concealing the plane since radar and other traditional sensors any enemy aircraft are using will have much more difficulty differentiating it from its surroundings then they normally would were the aircraft in the air.

placing camo on the planes goes back to world war 1 to help the bombers and recon planes from being spotted by the enemy. Its just tradition.

you still need to identify the plane with your own eyes (thats why you need to have perfect eyesight to be a combat pilot in the US air force). those guided missiles dont give a **** who they're firing at, so you gotta know what you're locking on to.

radar helps but its not like you can be certain, especially in a situation where aircraft of your side and the enemies are near together.

in the end though, the camo is just awesome, though its not functional, but for different reasons than stated (both sides have a reason to shoot at that plane in a conflict since nobody can identify it easily)

this one is used to take down other planes right? if enemy plane is above, he wouldnt notice this plane as easey. and fighter jets arnt equipped with long range IR, satelites and radar, right?

sure, up close its pretty useless, but then again, arnt all camo? :P

radar and IR sensors are not limited in range you know :/ so even at long distance this plane like any other 3rd and 4th gen fighter is easy to track and find.

The camo was most likely intended to hind the plane on the ground when its landed on improvised airfields like a highway or 2-4 lane road with trees on both sides for example. The camo would help hide the plane it self when it on the ground from air recon. and in some cases even enemy ground forces.

Then I have a question for you - do you have green surface on your airfield? Well, we have not. Imagination of green plane on gray asphalt make me laugh... Of course, our L39 have green camo, but it's over 40 years old plane which has not radar and when they train dogfight, they really have to rely on their eyes, but it's just training jet not a real fighter.

their is a reason i said improvised air field using a 2-4 lane road. The planes would be sitting on the sides of the road near a wooded area under a camo. netting. It kinda makes sense to hide your planes when they are on the ground refueling and or re arming and they are at their most vulnerable.

that's not arguing, that's just thinking about

Phenixtri, if you take camo net over plane, it would be difficult to refuel and rearm. You know that there should be no wooded area near airbase. I really wouldn't try to get plane like this to grass, you can damage it with muck, or it can just be drowned there. It can really stand only on asphalt, or in hangar. Anyway, the plane is visible with IR sensors and even with just targeting camera of laser guided bombs. It's magnifying so the bomb guy can recognize the net. But you would not destroy one plane this time, you will bomb the runway to eliminate all plane starts.