The Nippon Aircraft Supply Co (NAS) told ESD at DSEI Japan 2025, which took place from 21 to 23 May at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, that it has started supplying the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) with ULCANS camouflage nets manufactured by Israeli firm Fibrotex. The nets have also been formally adopted by the US Army.
The ULCANS nets will replace the JGSDF’s Saab Barracuda nets, which are produced under licence by Taiyo Kogyo Corporation to camouflage equipment and military vehicles.
The JGSDF issued a request for information (RFI) for new camouflage in 2016, to which more than 10 companies responded. Three companies – Fibrotex, Saab and SSZ (Switzerland) – were downselected, after which four months of trials in 2018 led to Fibrotex’s product being formally selected in October that year. Subsequently the camouflage underwent three years of testing before being procured since Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 under the name ‘Multiple Electromagnetic Disguise Net Set (MEDS)’.
MEDS is capable of preventing detection by radar and across the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums as well as in visible light.
MEDS employs camouflage patterns designed to match the vegetation in Japan. The nets are reversible and come in three types: forest and urban environment, desert gravel and urban environment, and desert gravel and snow-covered environment. Five different sizes have been adopted, ranging from 6.8 m2 to 20.4×17 m. The contract value was approximately JPY 500 million (EUR 3 million) in FY2023 and around JPY 9.2 billion in FY2024.
Currently, NAS imports fabrics from Fibrotex and produces the finished products at its own factory. However, it is considering producing the fabrics under licence in future.
NAS is currently proposing to the JGSDF a personal camouflage poncho made from the same material. The JGSDF’s Fuji School and the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade are evaluating this product.
