Switzerland picks three European suppliers for new multispectral camouflage on vehicles.

Switzerland has awarded fourteen lots for multispectral camouflage systems to SSZ Camouflage AG, Saro GmbH, and Saab Barracuda AB to protect vehicles, infrastructure, and positions against modern ISR sensors. The move ties camouflage procurement directly to the Federal Council’s armament strategy and reflects how drone, infrared, and radar threats are reshaping European land warfare.

Faced with the spread of cheap drones, thermal imagers, and high-resolution radar, Switzerland has locked in a new generation of camouflage for its army. The Federal Office for Defence Procurement, armasuisse, confirmed on 10 November that it will contract three European suppliers to deliver multispectral camouflage systems, known as MSTS, that are designed to suppress signatures in the visual, infrared, and radar bands across vehicles, semi-fixed infrastructure, and field positions. The decision, which follows summer trials at the Thun and Bure training areas, gives work to Swiss firm SSZ Camouflage AG alongside Germany’s Saro GmbH and Sweden’s Saab Barracuda AB, a split that balances performance, industrial policy, and supply security.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Switzerland selects SSZ, Saro, and Saab Barracuda to supply multispectral camouflage systems that cut thermal and radar signatures of its vehicles and bases. (Picture source: Armassuisse)

The decision taken by armasuisse stems from a structured selection procedure in which performance, integration into the armed forces, logistics, and cost weigh as much as industrial origin. The fourteen lots make it possible to adjust the choice of supplier to each requirement: some configurations are designed for armoured vehicles, others for fixed positions, and others for depots or temporary shelters. The solutions offered by SSZ Camouflage AG focus on configurations adapted to alpine landscapes and urban terrain, which are widely present in Switzerland, while Saro and Saab provide more modular nets and coverings already deployed in other European armed forces. Taken together, these elements form a coherent portfolio rather than a single system imposed on all use cases.

The trials carried out between July and September on the Thun and Bure training areas under the authority of armasuisse involve Joint Operations Command, the Air Force, the Land Forces, the Armed Forces Staff, and the logistics organisation. This evaluation setup shows that camouflage is no longer treated as a marginal topic for dismounted infantry alone, but as part of operational preparation for all components. Teams test the systems under different light conditions, temperatures, and ground types in order to measure how the camouflage performs against optical, infrared, and radar sensors. The final decision is based on this feedback, matching each family of products to the employment where it delivers the most appropriate results.

Multispectral camouflage systems (MSTS) act on several portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. They reduce the visual signature by breaking up outlines and reproducing terrain patterns, but more importantly, they change the way the object reflects short, mediu,m and long-wave infrared radiation. This modification of the thermal gradient makes it harder for infrared sensors on drones or observation cameras to distinguish a military target from its background. At the same time, specific material layers are designed to alter the backscatter of microwaves used by radar, which can reduce the range and accuracy of detection when an antenna scans a vehicle column or a logistics site.

At the tactical level, these systems are designed for an environment where medium altitude long endurance (MALE) drones provide continuous surveillance, while small quadcopters are widespread near the front line. MSTS makes it harder to establish a broad Recognised Maritime Picture / Common Operational Picture (RMP/COP) in which headquarters aggregate data from multiple sensors to track opposing forces. By creating uncertainty around the coordinates of a vehicle park, obscuring the real extent of a logistics area, or delaying confirmation of an observation post, camouflage increases the interval between detection and the decision to engage. Combined with strict Emission Control (EMCON) and dispersal measures, it helps reduce the number of valid targets available for precision fires or loitering munitions.

This configuration also creates room for manoeuvre in terms of interoperability. By selecting systems similar to those in service with several European partners, Bern facilitates joint exercises, shared training, and participation in multinational frameworks without doctrinal divergence on signature management. Common standards for camouflage, as for sensors, make it easier to align EMCON procedures and to exchange data within a COP, including for a state that cooperates militarily while remaining politically neutral, such as Switzerland. Technical convergence on MSTS therefore, contributes in a discreet but concrete way to the ability to operate with others in a crisis.

The Swiss decision reflects a broader trend in European armed forces as they adjust to a battlespace dense with drones, synthetic aperture radar, and passive sensors. Neutral status does not shield a country from intelligence flows crossing borders or from indirect effects of high-intensity conflict in nearby regions. By investing in multispectral camouflage, Bern seeks to maintain a credible territorial defence posture while reducing the exposure of its forces to continuous tracking by airborne or space-based assets. This development fits within a wider pattern in which signature management becomes one of the pillars of deterrence and resilience in Europe, alongside the modernisation of fires and command networks.