Multispectral camouflage system will mask US Army soldiers, vehicles and installations from EO sensors & radars

Saab has received an order to deliver Ultra Lightweight Camouflage Net Systems (ULCANS) for use by the US Army. The order value is approximately U$66 million (approximately SEK586 million). Deliveries are expected to take place in 2019-2020.

The new order, comprised of both woodland and desert camouflage systems, will ensure that US soldiers are equipped with an advanced signature management system. Production of the new systems will take place at Saab Defense and Security USA’s business unit Saab Barracuda, based in Lillington, North Carolina, USA.

This order is for the current generation of ULCANS, produced only by Saab in the US. It is completely separate from the ULCANS Increment 1 contract recently awarded to Fibrotex USA.

The US Army on 30 March 2018 awarded three contracts as part of its ULCANS increment 1 programme. HDT Expeditionary Systems, Saab Barracuda and Fibrotex USA were awarded ID/IQ firm-fixed price contracts. Five bids were received and work is expected to be complete by 30 April 2028. Upon completion of competitive prototyping, the army downselected to one vendor who will move into the developmental test phase, this being Firbotex USA. Full story here. 

The current generation of Saab ULCANS has been in service with the US Armed Forces since 2002 and is an effective, combat proven product providing outstanding multispectral protection against multiple threat types to the users. The ULCANS Increment 1 award can be seen, at least at present, as an R&D effort to develop a new generation of camouflage net systems. 

“Saab is a recognised world leader in the development and production of signature management solutions. ULCANS provides outperforming multispectral capabilities while it remains lightweight and easy-to-handle,” says Görgen Johansson, Senior Vice President and head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

Saab’s ULCANS is an all-weather, state-of-the-art, signature management concealment system designed for ease of use and high reliability for the users and is the only signature management solution designed and developed entirely in the US specifically to meet the needs of the US Army.

“Saab’s camouflage systems provide the US Army with a state of the art signature management capability for its land forces including exceptional levels of multispectral protection against any possible sensor threat available today,” concludes Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab Defense and Security USA.

Saab draws on more than 60 years of experience designing, developing, and producing signature management solutions for the US military and defence customers in more than 50 nations. Saab’s Signature Management product range currently has a customer base of more than 60 countries worldwide. These customer relations have been built up during more than 50 years of dedicated development in camouflage and deception.