Among all the stories about the Second World War, there are a few that stand out for the extraordinary nature of what happened. In this group there is no doubt what happened to the minesweeper HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen from the Netherlands, which managed to “escape” from the war in an unprecedented way: by disguising itself as an island. Ukraine “licensed” the idea of ​​”optical illusion” by sea, which has been used more than once.

It’s an age-old tactic. The Ukrainian navy adopted a historic strategy known as dazzle camouflage or camouflage. dazzling camouflageA technique developed during World War I to confuse enemies. The method, which consists of irregular and striking patterns, aims to mislead observers about the speed and direction of ships.

We now know this thanks to a series of new photos shared by the Ukrainian navy; one demonstrates these features in ships such as an armored battleship or an Ada-class patrol boat; both were used in a demonstration for Danish marine experts. Although it is not stated when the designs were implemented, their purpose in the middle of the conflict is clear: to hinder the visual identity of the Russians and improve their defensive tactics.

Purpose and limitations. As we said, the roots of dazzle camouflage date back to World War I, when it was used to protect ships from enemy submarines by making torpedoes harder to aim. In the current context, its effectiveness is perhaps somewhat more limited.

This tactic could be useful against Russian optical sensors such as drones, but has little relevance against more modern, radar-guided threats, according to naval force expert Sidharth Kaushal. As a result, its implementation demonstrates Ukraine’s wartime ingenuity and maximizes the resources of its modest fleet of primarily small ships.

One of the Ukrainian ships

modern examples. Dazzling camouflage has been used occasionally in the modern era. For example, in 2021, the British Royal Navy ship HMS Tamar was painted with this design to emphasize its identity on an international mission. More recently, in July 2023, Russia implemented a similar approach by painting black blocks on its ships to reduce their visibility and complicate Ukrainian missile attacks.

In the second case, the move was a direct response to Ukraine’s successful offensives in the Black Sea; This attack forced the Russian fleet to move from the strategic port of Sevastopol in Crimea to the safer port of Novorossiysk.

HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen case. We talked about this at the beginning, and this is probably the most impressive situation in a dispute. Dutch minesweeper of World War II managed to evade Japanese capture by pretending to be nothing more than an island. In 1942, as Japanese forces advanced across the Pacific, the ship, operating near the Dutch East Indies, faced the challenge of passing through enemy waters to reach Australia. The perfect plan? The crew cleverly covered the deck with tree branches and leaves to camouflage it as a small floating island.

Moreover, during the day they sailed close to the shore, moving slowly so that they resembled another island in the seascape, and at night they accelerated. This bold and ingenious disguise allowed Abraham Crijnssen to evade detection by enemy aircraft and ships, becoming one of, if not the, most notable examples of naval camouflage in history.

Sea state of Ukraine. As we explained, the Ukrainian navy, which does not have large active ships, relies mainly on small ships adapted to counter the superiority of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. In this context, Danish support has been vital since the beginning of the occupation.

In fact, the country announced a $340 million aid package in October that includes weapons, equipment and cooperation in key areas such as port protection, grain corridor security and demining. All initiatives aimed at modernizing Ukraine’s naval capabilities and strengthening its strategic position.

Be that as it may, Ukraine’s dazzling application of camouflage reflects this innovative approach and its ability to adapt to the constraints imposed by conflict. Although its effectiveness in modern warfare remains to be proven, this tactic underlines the country’s determination to maintain its maritime defense in a scenario of increasing complexity in the Black Sea.

Image | Ukrainian Navy, Edward Wadsworth

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