Stealth has been one of the defining aspects of modern warfare for more than a century. Being able to hide from enemies, or at least introduce a strong element of suspicion into their minds, gives combat troops a distinct advantage, which can range from the invisibility of a submarine to simply breaking the silhouette of a soldier against the background. However, sometimes being invisible can backfire. One example is a recent trend that caused problems with the original version of Saab's ULCAS camouflage net because it was too well made.
ULCAS features a colorful pattern and 3D surface structure that allows a team of soldiers beneath it to blend into the woods, while also blocking infrared light to thwart heat-seeking sensors. Interestingly, the material and its lattice pattern are designed to absorb and attenuate radar signals from ground, air and space-based systems, making it more difficult to detect or identify objects under the network.
But this shielding net also blocks GPS and radio communication systems. This means that if the team wants to find out its location or receive orders from headquarters, they have to install antennas outside the network. In radar terms, this is as strong as a reflection in a mirror.
To overcome this problem, at the request of potential customers, Saab's Barracuda business unit modified the ULCAS network and created the ULCAS Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) system. It uses a new lattice pattern that focuses on the high end of the electromagnetic spectrum to attenuate high-frequency radar signals in the 1 to 100GHz range but allow low-frequency signals from GPS and radio to pass through.
Saab said the technology can be modified to suit specific applications, including reversing the effects of attenuation to allow radar signals to pass through but not radio signals, so the network could be used to hide radar and air defense systems.
The video below introduces ULCASFSS.
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