Does every army in every country have a different uniform? Or do they all wear camouflaged suits or something.
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Besides modern IFF systems that large countries use, electronic systems in airplanes and vehicles, a lot of time is dedicated to being able to visually identify friendly’s. If you are on a ship you’re going to be trained in what the silhouettes of different ships look like and how to identify enemy planes versus friendly planes visually. On the battlefield you might have a call and response system, a code word that you’re given in case you’re challenged by a soldier. You might put different patches or symbols on the back of your helmet so that you aren’t shot in the back by your friendlies. You can also have an IR strobe on you That can be identified through the use of night vision goggles. You’ll do the same thing with the vehicles you’re driving, or the ships you’re sailing.
Even with all these precautions friendly fire does happen frequently in war. You might think a Japanese zero might look completely different from a P-40, but in World War II friendly fire was a big problem. German planes used to protect airfields would color their airplanes very uniquely in order to not be shot out by friendly AAA guns. Similarly during D-Day, Allied transport aircrafts also painted “invasion stripes” on their airplanes so that friendlies wouldn’t shoot them down.
At some point, If you’re a very powerful nation like the United States friendly fire starts to become the most dangerous aspect of war. In a modern war versus a country that can barely resist, you’re more likely to be killed by friendly fire or accidents rather than enemy fire.
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