page_title: Battlefield illumination
section_title: Theory
hierarchical_section_title: Battlefield illumination / Theory
caption_attribution_description: English: Participants in the Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition fire at targets as the night sky is illuminated with simulated munitions, adding a breath of realism to the night-fire event. The competition was held at Fort Lee, Va.
context_page_description: Battlefield illumination is technology that improves visibility for military forces operating in difficult light conditions. The risks and dangers to armies fighting in poor light have been known since Ancient Chinese times. Prior to the advent of the electrical age, fire was used to improve visibility on the battlefield.
  Modern armies use a variety of equipment and discharge devices to create artificial light. If natural light is not present searchlights, whether using visible light or infrared, and flares can be used. As light can be detected electronically, modern warfare has accordingly seen increased use of night vision through the use of infrared cameras and image intensifiers.
context_section_description: Ancient military strategists knew that natural light created shadows that can hide form while bright areas would expose a military force's size and number of a military force. Ancient armies would always prefer to fight with the Sun behind them in order to use the visual glare to partially blind an opposing enemy. Backlight would also obscure movement and numbers making it more difficult for an enemy to react quickly to any tactical assault.
  Adverse weather such as fog, rain and snow reduce both visibility and the usefulness of illumination. Enemy action in the form of smoke and shellfire, and the dust and smoke created by battle generally, further limit the effectiveness of illumination. Thermal imaging devices (using infrared) can however to some extent penetrate these obstacles.
caption: Flares in an exercise
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