American company Vigil Autonomy for first time presented its new Air Cover asset for camouflaging vehicles and infantry from enemy drones and satellites. Effectively this asset is a flying blanket that covers friendly target from above.
However main purpose of Air Cover is concealing targets not in visible spectrum, although it hides target even in that, but in infrared and radar spectra. Specifically from thermal imaging cameras and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipment that can be installed on reconnaissance drones and satellites.
Special cover has four drones built into its corners that hold and stretch it in air above target. In this mode company claims ability to provide concealment for 2 hours. Besides this Air Cover can also be deployed in stationary mode on several supports.
Apparently built-in drones are equipped with artificial intelligence that autonomously follows required friendly target even while moving. Other characteristics of this flying blanket are currently not disclosed, and development is apparently only in early stages.
Overall this Air Cover idea looks quite unique. However doubts remain regarding practicality of this concept in general. Point is Air Cover covers friendly target only from above, therefore it will work only against drones flying directly over target, or against satellites.
Besides this, questions arise about need to cover vehicles or infantry during missions from drones and satellites with synthetic aperture radar equipment. Usually it is used only for terrain mapping, but not at all for monitoring movement of infantry and vehicles on battlefield.
Flight duration of 2 hours will suffice only for cover during short mission or during certain segment of it. Then after batteries are depleted Air Cover will be carried on vehicles or carried by infantry as additional load.
Regarding concealment in infrared spectrum, Air Cover indeed makes more sense here. However this will only somewhat complicate detection and identification of target. If camera is looking at angle, it will still see target that Air Cover is trying to hide.
Much more practical and effective appears option of simply wrapping vehicles in special cover made from same material as Air Cover blanket, or in case of infantry using special cloaks. Although latter have already demonstrated their questionable effectiveness at front.
Therefore Air Cover concept looks interesting and unusual, but in practice on battlefield it may prove absolutely impractical and ineffective, or its use will be extremely situational and rare.
