Boats of the Ukrainian Navy received “dazzling camouflage”

28 November, 2024 A Ukrainian Small Armored Artillery Boat (SAB) in the "dazzle camouflage" livery.

2024, Ukraine. Photo credits: Ukrainian Navy Ukrainian warships were covered with "dazzling camouflage" to disguise them from enemy visual observation.

The Ukrainian Navy posted photos of the equipment. The new camouflage was applied to small armored artillery boats (SABs) and Island-class patrol boats. The fleet command decided to use the "dazzle camouflage" livery for painting.

Dazzling camouflage is a bright, deformable camouflage scheme that aims to make it difficult to assess a ship's shape and, consequently, its course and speed.

A Ukrainian Small Armored Artillery Boat (SAB) in the "dazzle camouflage" livery.

2024, Ukraine. Photo credits: Ukrainian Navy

Different shapes, angles, and colors are intended to confuse the enemy fleet, making it difficult to identify at first and then confusing calculations of the target's speed and direction. In the last century, this was done primarily against submarines, which could enter inaccurate data through camouflage and launch a torpedo inaccurately.

The British Admiralty was the first to use ship camouflage on a large scale during World War I. Recently, one of the fleet's River II ships was also painted in the "dazzle camouflage" livery in the UK. Ukrainian small armored artillery boats are used for patrolling, escorting, and performing other tasks in coastal waters.

Ukrainian Island-class patrol boat in "dazzle camouflage" livery.

2024, Ukraine. Photo: Ukrainian Navy

For their part, Island-class patrol boats are also designed for patrolling and search and rescue operations.

The Ukrainian Navy received these patrol boats from the United States.

In 2023, it was reported that SAFE Boats would purchase weapons for the Ukrainian Navy's Island-class boats.