Blackout light

The Tarnlicht (designation in the army: Tarnkreis ) is part of the lighting system of military land vehicles. To opposing forces to offer no clues, the road vehicle lighting such as necklaces and wheeled vehicles at night can be replaced by the so-called Tarnlicht for driving under combat conditions. In Tarnlicht on, all the functions of the road driving lights are switched off. This is also true for directional signals as well as the normally activated automatically reversing light, the standard brake lights and the horn.

The Tarnlicht is the German Bundeswehr consists of four stages:

  • Level 0 = completely without light (no brake lights )
  • Level 1 = only Leitkreuz ( Tarnbremsleuchten in operation)
  • Level 2 = only front camouflage headlight ( no brake lights )
  • Level 3 = camouflage headlight, Leitkreuz, Tarnschlussleuchten, Tarnbremsleuchten in operation

A commonly used mnemonic for learning the stages as follows: stage 1, Ran to the enemy; Level 2, away from the enemy; Level 3 victory parade.

Construction

The Tarnlichtanlage consists of five segments:

You are on the front of your vehicle and are as low as possible, in trucks usually under the bumper mounted. Before the headlights a cover is mounted with slit diaphragm, reduces stray light. The power consumption of each headlamp shall be five watts, the beam width is between 1.50 and two meters.

They are usually integrated in the normal tail lights according to traffic regulations and consist only of one additional lamp with a power of four watts and a beam spot of about 1.5 cm in diameter. An exception was for example the VW 181 is who possessed separate cylindrical Tarnrücklichter.

Normally, two (at different vehicles eg Unimog 2 t even one ) separate cylindrical lights with a 1.5 inch by measuring light disc at the rear of the vehicle. Performance four watts. The truck 0,5 t Wolf has no additional brake lights, which are integrated into the normal Tarnbremsleuchten taillight.

It is located at the rear of the vehicle and is attached usually somewhat obscured. Since it is not possible to carry out at night in a high forest in complete darkness a column drive without light Leitkreuz is the minimum that is necessary to lighting.

Level 0 Turning clockwise: Level 1 = Parking lights, stage 2 = driving lights Unlocking by a slide Turn counterclockwise: Tarnlichtstufen 0-3

For security reasons, the indicator lamps can not be switched off on the dashboard, on the one hand, there is the possibility of light reduction with a blue plastic disc that is folded over the lights. On the other hand, the darkening can be intensified by the blue disc is obscured by another door. In this, only small holes are present on the control of major indicators ( brake pressure, engine temperature ) takes place. ( - Mounted individually - In the first-generation vehicles a perforated cover over the control light was turned. )

The system described in the article refers in the main to the vehicles used by the German Bundeswehr. Whether and how far the regulations of other countries deviate from them, has not been considered. It is likely, however, that from excess inventories gave away or sold vehicles ( the Baltic countries received 150 vehicles of the type VW Iltis, Finland, Poland and Spain ( among others) the Leopard 2 battle tank, Hungary bought 200 vehicles of the type Unimog L 1300 etc. ) have not been retrofitted and operated with the previous lighting system on.

Not all vehicles of the Bundeswehr are equipped with a Tarnlichtanlage. Commercially available (eg VW buses, vehicles of site management ) Vehicles and partially militarized (t- mil) vehicles of the older generation (MAN 22-240 6x4 10 t or 1017 MB 5 t) do not have this type of lighting, while parts the newer generation ( IVECO Eurotrakker 16t 6x4) are equipped with it. (The designation Commercially does not refer to the vehicles of the BW fleet service. )

For the battle- standard use of the older t -mil - generation canvas covers are held, with which the optical disks of the luminous body can be covered.

The vehicles of the ( existing in the 60s ) air protection Relief Service of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal Border were also mostly equipped with Tarnlicht.

Rides Tarnlicht are not allowed on public roads.

Tarn- brake light

Tarn- driving light

Tarn- driving lights on the tank

Light / Tarnlichtschalter

Tarn taillight

Leitkreuz

New light / Tarnlichtschalter

U.S. Tarnlicht

The U.S. Tarnlichtkreis ( the example of the HMMWV ) has 5 levels:

  • SERVICE DRIVE - Street Standard lighting driving lights
  • STOP LIGHT - street lighting standard
  • OFF - All lighting (equivalent German stage 0)
  • B.O. MARKER - Tarnleitkreuz and Tarnbremslicht in operation (equivalent to German Level 1), instrument lights off automatically - BO stands for Blackout, blackout.
  • B.O. DRIVE - camouflage headlight, Leitkreuz, Tarnschlussleuchten, Tarnbremsleuchten in operation (equivalent to German Level 3)

A lock prevents accidental switching between Tarn and standard circle. In addition Tarnkreis direction indicators, hazard warning lights and standard brake light and the horn is disabled. Another selector switch dims the instrument lighting, alternating between driving and parking light.

Bundesgrenzschutz Horn (acoustic)
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