There has been a great deal of industry interest in USSOCOM’s recent call for winter/snow camo examples through their Program Manager-Special Operations Forces Survival, Support & Equipment Systems (PM-SOF SSES) office at Natick. Since releasing the Sources Sought Notice last week they have changed the request to industry slightly. But those few changes make for big differences.
Two really stand out.
First, rather than just providing visual camouflage, the patterns must now also provide IR concealment which makes total sense.
The camouflage pattern should be designed to provide concealment in alpine to sub-alpine environments, where snow, ice and rocks are the primary environmental features. The camouflage patterns should provide concealment in both the visual and near infrared ranges.
Camouflage patterns submitted to this sources sought solicitation must be beyond the development phase, and be printable on lightweight synthetic materials.
Second, the option of submitting three patterns per company has unexpectedly been curtailed to one. Naturally, this doesn’t preclude a company from working through a partner to submit additional patterns.
Interested companies may submit one camouflage pattern which meets the description above for this solicitation.
You can read the updates at www.fbo.gov.
Hmm, Someone realized current camo patterns may not work that great in North Korea?
Typical Natick fashion. Oh hey we want a female purple unicorn and we need it by yesterday. Thanks