A SOLDIER-LED SOLUTION

It’s the Soldier in the field that experiences firsthand the benefits and challenges of the Army’s modernization efforts. The process for camouflaging large combat vehicles highlights just one of the challenges a Soldier encounters on the ground.

Currently, setting up a camo net to conceal a combat vehicle takes approximately 30 minutes, according to 1st Lt. Mallory Moore, an innovations officer at the Marne Innovation Center. Four Soldiers are required to set up this camo net, which is supported by several large poles staked into the ground around the vehicle. Not only does this hinder the mobility of the vehicle under camouflage, but the setup also requires more solid terrain conducive to supporting these tent-like poles. Because of these challenges, forward-thinking crews must position camo nets on top of their vehicles, even as many other crews may decide to abandon the task altogether to dedicate time and manpower towards other mission-relevant tasks.

To search for a solution to this challenge, a group of Soldiers from the 10th Brigade Engineer Battalion presented the problem at the Marne Innovation Challenge in 2022. During this challenge, teams from across the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) provided a five-minute presentation to a panel of judges consisting of leaders and experts across the defense industry, academia and government. These presentations opened the door for Soldiers to collaborate with the Marne Innovation and Technology Center and its partners for solutions to today’s challenges on the battlefield. From here, the idea of a new camo net variety started to become a reality.

THE INNOVATION TEAM

The Marne Innovation Center at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is an innovation cell at 3ID. The center supports 3ID, as well as the XVIII Airborne Corps, by giving Soldiers the opportunity to identify capability gaps in the field and design and prototype solutions to these problems. In essence, the program functions as a bottom-up process for innovation.

“Everything here is created by the Soldier,” said Moore. Inventions developed by the center include a range of technology, such as 3D printers, a plasma cutter and a Computer Numerical Control mill and lathe machines. At the helm of these projects is a collaborative team of eight Soldiers and three civilians from the nonprofit Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2), including Moore and the non-commissioned officer in charge, Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Lopez. When Soldiers, such as those who presented the camo net challenge, approach the center for a solution, this team of 11 helps train and guide them. The center also facilitates partnerships with the defense community and universities to develop the inventions.

In February 2023, the Marne Innovation Center partnered with the University of Florida (UF) to develop a new camo net invention that supports the deployment of the Army’s latest camouflage technology, the Ultra-light Camouflage Netting System (ULCANS). As part of a capstone program, students in the spring and summer semesters at UF spent their time researching new designs, and by the end of the 2023 fall semester, the first prototype—an adaptive ground-based mount—was built. Although it wasn’t yet the final prototype presented in the future Dragon’s Lair competition, it was an essential starting point for the project.

As young intellectuals in a creative learning 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 vehicle. After going through several iterations of prototypes, the Marne Innovation Center worked with the 1-41 Field Artillery Battalion to conduct field tests. Twelve mounts were used on two Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPV), with six mounts along either side of the vehicles. The first field test of their proof of concept was conducted at the Army’s National Training Center in July 2024.

THE FINAL PROTOTYPE

The final prototype, called the Vehicle-Integrated Camouflage System (VICS), consists of five individual pieces of metal welded together. This 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. This 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 invention 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.”

Since the competition, the team has garnered interest in their invention across the field and has been working with partners like the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) to further develop it. By working with DEVCOM, the team can enable production of the system across 3ID and other Army platforms. The two are now working to test and field the system on various combat vehicles, in addition to the AMPV. “We’re being deliberate in our actions to ensure we’re going about this in the proper manner,” said Lopez.

CONCLUSION

According to Lopez and his team, the mission of the center is focused on developing ideas by the Soldier, for the Soldier. Inventions like VICS are vital solutions to the real-world challenges Soldiers face on the ground, and the Marne Innovation Center plays a key role in ensuring Soldiers have a place to voice their ideas.

“Seeing what Soldiers come up with is amazing,” said Lopez. “The capabilities they bring to our Army is incredible, and our goal is to enable the Soldiers to get after innovation and help their day-to-day lives. We’re giving the Soldier the ability to create a solution today to directly influence the field tomorrow.”

For more information on the Marne Innovation and Technology Center, go to https://home.army.mil/stewart/contact/marne-innovations.

BRIANNA CLAY is a public affairs specialist at the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center. She holds an M.S. in international affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.A. in international affairs from the University of North Georgia.