This picture proves the importance of fighter jets camouflage schemes for survival

Although the majority of modern combat planes sport overall grey color schemes, there are still some scenarios where (pretty cool) camouflage color schemes are still important for survival.

Look at the following picture.

Taken on May 1, 2012, it shows a pair of Israeli Air Force F-16s flying over Masada, a famous Israel’s archaeological site.

To be honest, when I first saw the photograph on the IDF photostream I had not noticed the two planes.

Obviously, camouflage becomes particularly important during Within Visual Range engagements, when the color scheme can render the plane almost invisible from distance.

It’s for this reason, and to emulate enemy’s liveries that U.S. Aggressors’ F-16s and F-15s are painted with colourful camouflage schemes (click on the links below for some interesting examples).

Image credit: Israel Defense Forces

About David Cenciotti
David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.