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In this paper, the design and preparation of infrared stealth coatings adapted to wear environments by multi-arc ion plating is researched. The coating has a micrometer and nanometer scale multilayer structure which has been verified by SEM and TEM. At the micrometer scale, the coating has a sandwich layer structure of nitrides/Cr/nitrides. At the nanometer scale, the nitride coating exhibits a nano-multilayer structure of (AlCrSiN/CrN) n. The modulation period of the (AlCrSiN/CrN) n /Cr/(AlCrSiN/CrN) n coating is adjusted by changing the substrate revolution speed (0.5–2.0 r/min) to optimize infrared stealth and wear resistance. At the revolution speed of 1.5 r/min, the XRD pattern indicates that the Al-Cr-N crystalline sizes of the (111) and (200) planes are the smallest (11.68 and 14.54 nm, respectively). When the cycle period n is set to 6 (r=1.5 r/min), HR-TEM shows that the AlCrSiN layer exhibits semi-coherent epitaxial growth with the CrN layer. The multiscale multilayer design results in the lowest infrared emissivity of the coating at wavelengths of 3–5 and 8–14 μm (0.235 and 0.133, respectively). Furthermore, the coating has excellent scratch and wear resistance (L c 3 =85.1 N, 25℃-2.42×10−6 mm3/(N·m), and 550 ℃-4.81×10−5 mm3/(N·m)). The design concepts of multilayer and multiscale provide a framework for the application of coatings in wear and infrared composite environments. [Display omitted] • Low infrared emissivity can be obtained by adjusting the modulation period of (AlCrSiN/CrN) n /Cr/(AlCrSiN/CrN) n coating. • The coating offers both wear resistance and excellent adhesive strength. • The coating has excellent wear resistance at 550 ℃, showing low friction coefficient and wear rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]