BAE Systems has designed an advanced “stealth overcoat” capable of shielding military vehicles from radar and thermal imaging devices.
The stealthy camouflage comprises various radar absorbent material and infrared radiation dampening technology to help keep equipment hidden from hostile medium-and-long-range detection techniques.
“All vehicles give off a specific heat and radar signature. By distorting these signatures we can make vehicles considerably more difficult to detect via the detection equipment available to a potential adversary,” explained BAE spokesperson Steve Elwell.
“We believe the stealth overcoat could dramatically reduce a vehicle’s infrared signature and significantly reduce its radar footprint to a degree that confuses detection systems. Crucially for soldiers in the field, the covering is lightweight and ultra-thin and can be fitted to a vehicle in minutes.”
According to Elwell, the stealth “overcoat” is easy to manufacture and can be produced in a range of camouflage patterns to ensure the vehicle blends into its surroundings.
“The material is also tough enough to withstand harsh combat conditions. [And] to make life more comfortable for operators, the material is resistant to ‘solar loading’ – the build-up of heat that occurs in vehicles sitting in the sunlight,” he added.
