A SOLDIER-LED SOLUTION
it was an essential starting point for the project.
As young intellectuals in a creative learn- ing environment, “they think outside the box,” said Lopez. By collaborating with universities like UF, the Army can see a more rapid rate of innovation. Soldiers were then able to take the prototype developed by these students and adapt it to mount on an armored ground vehi- cle. After going through several iterations of prototypes, the Marne Innovation Center worked with the 1-41 Field Artil- lery Battalion to conduct field tests. Twelve mounts were used on two Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles, with six mounts along either side of the vehicles. Te first field test of their proof of concept was
conducted at the Army’s National Train- ing Center in July 2024.
THE FINAL PROTOTYPE Te final prototype, called the Vehicle- Integrated Camouflage System (VICS), consists of five individual pieces of metal welded together. Tis forms a bracket that can be bolted onto the vehicle using existing holes on the vehicle’s exterior. Poles with the camo netting attached are inserted into this bracket to enable concealment. Each of these mounts cost approximately $40, according to the Marne Innovation Center, making the switch to the VICS a cost-effective choice. All the tools needed to set up this system can be found within the vehicle. Since no permanent modifications are required for
the system to be mounted to the vehicle, it can also be easily removed for rail and air load operations.
With these improvements, the new system cuts down the amount of time and manpower used for setup by half. Now, two Soldiers can conceal a vehicle in less than 15 minutes. Instead of taking down the camo net each time the vehicle is moved, this invention allows the net to stay in place. Tis means that the ability to camouflage a vehicle is no longer terrain- dependent.
“As long as the vehicle can make it there, we have the ability to camouflage it,” said Lopez. “We are now giving Soldiers the ability to quickly protect and hide their position.” Innovations such as these are crucial to a Soldier’s survivability in the field, where target recognition software can be used to track and threaten an armored formation’s position.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS With a final prototype in hand, the team presented their invention at the XVIII Airborne Corp’s annual Dragon’s Lair competition in Stuttgart, Germany, in September 2024. After pitching their camo net solution to a board of military and tech experts across the field, the inven- tion was selected as the best submission.
“I realized that the product is great, but the story of supporting the Soldiers really connected with the panel. Every Soldier has dealt with this issue,” said Lopez. “I was told that the first Dragon’s Lair competition had to do with camo net employment, so it felt like everything was brought full circle.”
A SIMPLE SOLUTION
The new mounts consist of five metal pieces welded together. These mounts are bolted into already existing holes in the vehicle using tools found in the vehicle.
Since the competition, the team has garnered interest in their invention across the field and has been working with part- ners like the Army Combat Capabilities
34 Army AL&T Magazine Winter 2025
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