DSEi 2011: Stealth poncho will make Italian soldiers invisible
A stealth poncho designed to reduce the IR and radar signature of snipers in the field is on display at the DSEi exhibition in London.
The poncho is part of a new military clothing range designed and manufactured by Aero Sekur for the Italian MoD’s Forza NEC, or Future Soldier project.
The poncho is designed to virtually eliminate the heat signature of the soldier wearing it. Produced out of a combination of several different fabrics, the poncho can be quickly tucked in to a pocket when not needed.
Mark Butler, CEO at Aero Sekur, told Shephard: ‘Soldiers with all the radio equipment and systems they carry these days means they are the source of EM emissions. Wearing the poncho reduces his risk of detection.’
Aero Sekur has also developed new CBRN suits and gas masks as well as a new combat suit which is both light weight and rip-proof. Rather than separating the elements like body armour and utility pockets, the Aero Sekur solution combines both elements reducing the weight carried by the infantryman as well as giving him freer arm movement to use his weapon.
The company is also developing a series of micro sensors for what the company calls ‘body mapping.’
The sensors would mean that commanders would not only know where their soldiers were in the battlespace but also get an impression of their condition through the monitoring of heart-rate and other functions.
Other sensors could be attached to the soldier’s uniform and measure levels of radioactivity, bio-hazards or gas and warn the soldier to don his CBRN suit.
‘Today’s modern soldier is an expensive asset,’ said Butler, ‘They are highly trained and highly mobile and with the public acceptance of casualties these days it is essential to give them best equipment and technology possible.’
The company is also working on an inflatable enclosure system which will form part of the ‘fly-away’ maintenance package for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The system is being designed to give engineers access to different parts of the aircraft.
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![Front-line support: how UK industry is helping tackle Ukraine’s landmine challenges]()
Front-line support: how UK industry is helping tackle Ukraine’s landmine challenges
Pearson Engineering has provided equipment and engineering expertise to the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. The British company is now working to deepen engagement with the Ukrainian defence industry, expanding its support for the country’s population and laying the foundations for future technological innovation.
-
![AUSA 2026: companies adapt munitions and missiles for greater effect at lower costs]()
AUSA 2026: companies adapt munitions and missiles for greater effect at lower costs
Rather than developing entirely new weapons, defence companies are looking to build on existing weapons and systems to deliver greater capability, control costs and accelerate fielding.
-
![AUSA 2026: industry looks to make commercial platforms a military reality]()
AUSA 2026: industry looks to make commercial platforms a military reality
With a production rate of more than 10 million vehicles annually, the US commercial car and vehicle manufacturing base is second only to China. Defence companies are looking at how the vehicles, technology and manufacturing capability can support programmes.
-
![With changing patterns in Middle Eastern procurement, is Europe missing out?]()
With changing patterns in Middle Eastern procurement, is Europe missing out?
Traditional suppliers are struggling to meet the Middle East’s armoured vehicle modernisation needs, creating opportunities for South Korean manufacturers and regional defence industries.
-
![AUSA 2026: CUAS market expands as suppliers target new threats and operational requirements]()
AUSA 2026: CUAS market expands as suppliers target new threats and operational requirements
New developments from MARSS, MyDefence, Mountain Horse Solutions and Rafael suggest that future counter-drone protection will increasingly depend on combining advanced detection, rapid interception and integrated defensive networks.
-
![US Army seeks CAML-Lite autonomous launcher prototypes for 2027 live-fire trials]()
US Army seeks CAML-Lite autonomous launcher prototypes for 2027 live-fire trials
The optionally crewed, C-130-transportable platforms would combine modular offensive and defensive fires with autonomous resupply, with demonstrations planned for Talisman Sabre 2027.
