The UK army is testing secret technology which can make tanks and troops appear invisible, it announced today.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) revealed it is testing new technology using light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to vehicles which allows them to project the background image onto the viewed side of the vehicle.
Results have proved successful in disguising certain angles of view to visible wavelengths, with more tests being carried out to investigate other modelled techniques such as light refraction.
"We're researching new technologies to help disguise vehicles, and we’ve already had some results in making them ‘appear’ invisible. It’s still early days,” a spokeswoman for the MOD says.
The MOD says it is still researching and examining all areas of technology with specific details remaining classified.
The technology is not however useful in current conflict situations such as in Afghanistan where much of the UK armed forces are fast moving in a highly dusty environment.
The issue of “invisibility” is somewhat negated if you have a highly visible dust cloud around you, says the MOD.
By Ozge Ibrahim
