The pattern first appeared in 2017, when HN’s staff painted and tested for a period of one year a La Combattante III/IIIB-type FAC. Now it seems that the camouflage is being adapted by the rest of the FAC and “gunboats”. The Hellenic Navy currently operates a fleet of 9 La Combattante III/IIIB-type FACs.
In the closed Aegean Sea, with the numerous islands, islets and rock islands, FAC captains have many natural hiding spots, close to the shores, where electro-magnetic detection due to clutter becomes more difficult. That allows them to remain hidden while waiting for their targets to close in, before launching their missiles.
The paint used for the camouflage is probably not anti-IR, therefore it can only provide reduced visibility on common day cameras and optical recognition. However, considering that the Hellenic Army has used locally manufactured anti-IR coatings to paint its armour, it is highly probable that the HN could easily adapt similar paints to enhance the anti-IR protection of its surface units.
