Military camouflage first came into being sometime in the 19th century. Weapons had gotten to the point where they could fire and hit targets from farther distances, and it immediately became necessary to solve for this — especially if you were the one in the crosshairs. As the years went by, the camo got better and better, with major advancements seen during World War I, and then into World War II, either through crypsis (making people or things more difficult to see) or mimesis (making them seem as though they are what they are not).

While radar has made finding aircraft easier, and camo useless in this instance, dressing up in patterns has never been able to confuse or hide soldiers when enemy soldiers are trying to hunt them down using night vision goggles.

Until now.

The Germans have, reportedly, figured it out (pictured below).

camo for night vision goggles

The Bundeswehr Scientific Institute (Wiweb) has tailored a number for the Bundeswehr (the German army) that will eventually replace the old trusted Flecktarn pattern — according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) Tuesday.

This from The Local:

With a larger percentage of the surface devoted to sand colors, the new pattern – which is designed to be used in all kinds of different environments – is more useful in desert areas like Afghanistan, where more than 800 German troops are deployed.

Developer Alexander Dietel told the SZ that he saw his job as one of creating the best “protective work clothing” for the soldiers.

“It’s no different from the fire service. You adapt the clothing to the requirements,” he said.

Dietel’s new design is influenced by other nations’ camouflage, as well as photos of natural environments which he experimented with in Photoshop.

Squared and pixelated patterns – such as those used by parts of the US military – were discarded in favor of one that more closely resembles past German uniforms.

“Every country has its own camouflage philosophy,” Dietel told the SZ. “Every pattern has a certain recognition value. You can see straight away that it’s a British or a German soldier. And that’s how people want it.”

The best part of it, though? It’s better in the dark. It’s harder for someone to see someone who’s wearing the camo while peering through an instrument that uses infra-red wavelengths (and “light-amplification”) to process images.

They won’t completely be hidden, however. A person’s body heat can’t totally be disguised.

So how did Dietel and the German army accomplish such an impressive feat?

They’re sticking their proverbial tongues out, and not telling (for national security reasons, they say).