The US Army’ 2nd Cavalry Unit stationed in Vilsek, southeast Germany is evaluating the Saab Barracuda Mobile Camouflage System (MCS) on its General Dynamics Stryker family eight-wheel drive armoured fighting vehicles.
The 60-day training and evaluation, conducted alongside other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) allies is in support of Operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE, a US-led initiative to strengthen NATO’s central European flank, and the Enhanced Forward Presence, which is a similar NATO-led effort, missions. This is the first field evaluation of the system conducted by the US Army.
The MCS provides vehicles with multi-spectral signature management properties that enables the platform to blend in with its environmental surroundings. It significantly reduces the probability of detection visually and by sensors such as near, short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave infrared and radar.
Each system is engineered to fit like a second skin to the vehicle and not interfere with operations, vehicle performance or maintenance. Easy application of the MCS allows soldiers to install the system in 8.5 hours and be operationally ready in less than 24 hours. Colour change of the material, which is manufactured in the US, is an available option. Saab has stated that the cost of the MCS is less than a vehicle repaint which can constitute up to 25 percent of the vehicle’s cost.
