Out of Sight, Ahead of the Fight: Inside Saab’s Barracuda System
Modern conflict has entered a new era.
Peer-to-peer threats are rising in Europe, and the battlefield is increasingly dominated by advanced, multi-spectral sensors - not just visual and UV but also near-, and shortwave infrared, thermal and radar. Detection now often means destruction as drones are increasingly weaponised, leading to a Transparent and more lethal Battlefield.
In places like Ukraine, we’ve seen how massing forces can have immediate, deadly consequences. The need to survive and retain freedom to manoeuvre in this sensor-rich environment is urgent. To stay protected, armed forces must rethink camouflage - not as visual concealment, but as signature management across the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Operational Edge
Military forces operate across diverse environments- forest, arctic regions, urban, and deserts areas - each with its own unique challenges. Across all these settings, the critical need is to conceal intentions by masking formations, units, equipment, and installations from enemy observation. Remaining hidden is essential not only to protect forces but also to maintain the element of surprise.
As forces engage closely with the enemy, delaying detection becomes vital to survival and effectiveness, especially in high-stakes peer-on-peer conflicts where the first to act often gains a decisive advantage.
What is Barracuda?
Barracuda is a family of advanced camouflage and signature management products designed to keep soldiers, vehicles, and installations hidden from detection and identification.
It includes:
- Mobile Camouflage Systems (MCS) for vehicles and platforms on the move
- Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Screens (ULCAS) for static positions and equipment
- Dismounted solutions like Personal Nets and Soldier Systems for troops on foot
What sets Barracuda apart is its multispectral performance — protecting across UV, visual, Near- and Shortwave infrared, thermal, and even radar spectrums. Modular, mission-tailored, and built for real operations, it helps users to survive and remain combat effective.
Signature Management — A Technical Advantage
Modern camouflage needs to excel in all detection bands of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously without hindering its users’ ability to fight. This level of protection only comes from a deep understanding of the technology of effective camouflage and from its pragmatic application, honed by many years of working closely with western Armed Forces, and most recently, on the battlefields of Ukraine. This is what has made Barracuda products world-leading.
Barracuda leads the way by using advanced, multi-layered materials engineered to tackle spectrum management challenges. It dramatically reduces thermal and radar signatures, helping equipment blend seamlessly into the environment. Designed to integrate with platforms, it allows soldiers to maintain full operational freedom, making the battlefield opaque once again.
Barracuda seamlessly integrates with both next-generation and legacy military platforms, including main battle tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) like the CV90 and Ajax. Developed closely with end users, it preserves freedom of action whilst countering modern sensor threats. Designed for real-world combat conditions, Barracuda offers practical, sustainable solutions that perform under the pressure of combat. Barracuda’s continuous evolution ensures it keeps pace with rapidly advancing sensor technologies, maintaining a critical edge on the battlefield both now and into the future.
Redefining Deception capabilities for tomorrow’s battlefield
The rise of the transparent battlefield has made it harder than ever for armed forces to operate without being seen or targeted. Barracuda resolves this challenge by restoring concealment across the electromagnetic spectrum, helping forces stay undetected, unpredictable, and protected. It redefines survivability, not through armour alone, but through deception — delaying detection, masking intent, and enabling the critical advantage to strike first.
Saab UK is committed to supporting forces with battlefield-proven, cutting-edge tech, both now and in the future.
Written by James Scott, Head of Barracuda, Land Systems, Saab UK
