November 8, 2018 | International, Land

More than meets the eye: Army selects next-gen camouflage system

The Army has finally selected a company to provide it with the next generation of ultra light-weight, general-purpose camouflage.

The Army's Ultra-Light Camouflage Netting System, or ULCANS, will be an all-weather, state-of-the-art signature concealment system that provides multi-spectral protection for troops and equipment.

The program aims to replace the legacy woodland and desert camouflage variants developed in the 1990s, and will be developed in light and dark woodland, snow and alpine, desert, and urban variants.

The Army hopes ULCANS will better conceal the signatures of troops and equipment from high-end sensor threats on the battlefield.

The contract to produce the next-generation camouflage was awarded to Fibrotex USA Inc., according to a company statement provided to Army Times. The contract is a 10-year, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity award, with a total value of $480 million.

Fibrotex is expected to begin full-rate production in early 2019, according to the company.

ULCANS is the result of nearly two years of testing, trials and data collection conducted by the U.S. Army's Natick Soldier Systems Center in Massachusetts. Natick tested camouflage technologies from major global manufacturers against the Army's most advanced battlefield surveillance sensors.

Many of the technologies underpinning ULCANS are based on developments by Fibrotex's Israel-based parent company over the last two decades, but have been specially modified for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Fibrotex system will provide multi-spectral camouflage, which conceals objects from detection across several portions of the electromagnetic spectrum at the same time. Traditional military camouflage simply hides an object in the visible spectrum, but the multi-spectral design obscures detection in the infrared, thermal and radar spectrum as well.

“Today more than ever, military forces and opposition groups are using night vision sensors and thermal devices against our troops, but by using Fibrotex's camouflage, concealment and deception solutions, we make them undetectable again, allowing them to continue keeping us safe," said Eyal Malleron, CEO of Fibrotex USA.

Fibrotex will also deliver the ULCANS material in reversible designs — allowing for the first time a different pattern and capability on each side, enabling soldiers, vehicles and systems to disappear into light or dark woodland, snow or alpine and desert or urban environments in any operational theater.

“We have more than 50 years of experience, with thousands of hours in the field and a deep understanding of conventional and asymmetric warfare," Malleron said. "The U.S. Army tested our best camouflage solutions, and the camouflage repeatedly demonstrated the ability to defeat all sensors known to be operating in the battlefield and throughout the electromagnetic spectrum.”

ULCANS will also be manufactured stateside, in a new state-of-the-art facility in McCreary County, Kentucky, creating hundreds of new skilled American jobs over the next decade, according to Fibrotex.

“I firmly believe we have the best workforce in the country, and that their hard work and dedication has earned these new jobs, helping deliver a vital new military contract from McCreary County," Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., said in a press statement. "I take great pride in knowing that our people are crafting these products to keep our warfighters and allies safe, giving them an edge on the battlefield.”

The new facility is being established next to Outdoor Venture Corporation, which is a strategic partner to Fibrotex USA and already designs modular personnel tents and command post tents for the Army.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/11/07/more-than-meets-the-eye-army-selects-next-gen-camouflage-system

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October 25, 2018 | International, Naval

Florence Parly lance le programme du futur porte-avions français, successeur du Charles-de-Gaulle
"Je suis fière de lancer officiellement le programme de renouvellement de notre porte-avions", a déclaré mardi Florence Parly au Bourget, lors du salon Euronaval. La ministre des Armées Florence Parly a annoncé mardi le lancement du programme du futur porte-avions de la France, qui succédera au Charles-de-Gaulle, avec une phase d'études de 18 mois, lors du salon du secteur naval de défense Euronaval. Première étape : la phase d'étude. "Le Charles de Gaulle aura besoin d'un successeur (...) C'est pourquoi je suis fière, aujourd'hui, ici, au Bourget, lors de ce salon Euronaval, de lancer officiellement le programme de renouvellement de notre porte-avions", a déclaré Florence Parly. Le montant du projet sera de 40 millions d'euros, a précisé une source gouvernementale. "Cette étape numéro un, qui se lance aujourd'hui, c'est la phase d'étude", a-t-elle précisé. Il s'agit de déterminer "ce que nous voulons et comment nous le voulons pour notre futur porte-avions". La fin du Charles-de-Gaulle prévue autour de 2040. La France dispose d'un unique porte-avions, le Charles-de-Gaulle, qui a vocation à terminer sa vie active autour de 2040. Il subit depuis début 2017 à Toulon une vaste rénovation longue de 18 mois, qui doit lui donner une seconde vie pour les 20 prochaines années. Le Charles-de-Gaulle reprendra ensuite la mer et doit se rendre dans l'océan Indien en 2019. Établir l'architecture du futur porte-avions. La phase d'étude, qui s'achèvera en 2020, doit permettre ensuite d'établir l'architecture du futur porte-avions et de poser les bases de l'organisation industrielle nécessaire pour le b'tir dans les délais et les coûts, a souligné Florence Parly. Cette phase servira à examiner les menaces que le futur porte-avion devra affronter et les missions qu'il devra accomplir, mais aussi son dimensionnement et notamment sa capacité d'accueillir l'avion de combat du futur, le Scaf, lancé en coopération avec l'Allemagne en 2017. La période d'étude permettra aussi d'étudier le mode de propulsion, nucléaire ou classique, de ce porte-avion de nouvelle génération, et les nouvelles technologies qu'il sera capable d'accueillir, notamment les catapultes électromagnétiques, déjà utilisés par la marine américaine. http://www.europe1.fr/politique/florence-parly-lance-le-programme-de-futur-porte-avions-francais-successeur-du-charles-de-gaulle-3785138
April 28, 2024 | International, Aerospace

Sierra Nevada wins $13B contract to build Air Force ‘doomsday plane’
The Air Force's E-4B, which the president would use to direct forces during nuclear war, is nearing the end of its life and will be replaced by the SAOC.
September 19, 2018 | International, Security

White House sets ‘new direction’ in biodefense strategy
By: Robert Burns, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Tuesday released a new biodefense strategy that it said takes a more comprehensive approach to preparing the nation for deliberate biological attacks and natural outbreaks of infectious disease. The goal of the strategy, which was required by Congress, is to more effectively prevent, prepare for and respond to biological threats, which the document said are "among the most serious threats" facing the U.S. and the world. "Biological threats emanate from many sources, and they know no borders," Trump said in a written statement. "They have great potential to disrupt the economy, exact a toll on human life, and tear at the very fabric of society." Trump said his administration's plan takes a "new direction" with a more coordinated, centralized approach based on lessons learned from past incidents such as the West Africa Ebola epidemic of 2014. The Department of Health and Human Services is designated as the lead agency in coordinating federal biodefense actions and assessing whether the plan is working. A privately sponsored group that has studied biodefense issues since 2014 applauded the White House's strategy. The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense has warned that the U.S. is dangerously vulnerable to a large-scale biological attack and has urged Washington to develop a more comprehensive strategy. "The White House made a great start with the implementation plan they included with the strategy," said Tom Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor who is co-chairman of the Blue Ribbon Study Panel. "We look forward to the White House assigning responsibilities for each element of this plan to specific federal departments and agencies, and establishing timelines for their completion." At a White House briefing, John Bolton, the president's national security adviser, told reporters there is "no particular immediate threat" of biological attack. Alex Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services, told reporters the threats are "very real and they're growing." He said the strategy is the first to include naturally occurring threats like the Ebola virus. Previous approaches focused on the threat of terrorists unleashing deadly germs or a nation such as North Korea launching a biological attack. https://www.federaltimes.com/management/2018/09/18/white-house-sets-new-direction-in-biodefense-strategy

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More than meets the eye: Army selects next-gen camouflage system

On the same subject

Sierra Nevada wins $13B contract to build Air Force ‘doomsday plane’ The Air Force's E-4B, which the president would use to direct forces during nuclear war, is nearing the end of its life and will be replaced by the SAOC.

Sierra Nevada wins $13B contract to build Air Force ‘doomsday plane’
The Air Force's E-4B, which the president would use to direct forces during nuclear war, is nearing the end of its life and will be replaced by the SAOC.