转向更可持续的伪装
Could Barracuda static camouflage nets deliver the same high level of protection if they were made using recycled materials or plant-based fibres? 我们的研发团队正在研究这种可能性.
可持续性 has been one of the major trends within the global manufacturing sector in recent years. The realisation that the Earth has a finite supply of natural resources has prompted many companies to look for more planet-friendly raw materials when manufacturing products for customers.
但这种方法在国防领域是否可行, where the reliability of end products often means the difference between life and death? Could “greener” materials be introduced into products without sacrificing the key properties that enable users to defeat the enemy? It’s a question that intrigues our research and development team at Saab's business unit, Barracuda.
While our camouflage solutions deliver industry-leading performance in defeating enemy sensors, using sustainably-sourced materials has not traditionally been a central focus for us during their manufacture. 甚至
虽然我们还没有看到客户对更可持续的网有很高的需求, 我们希望在这种需求出现时做好准备.
星际网赌导航加入了联合国的零排放运动 to achieve Net Zero by 2050 and is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
In an effort to investigate the potential for using more sustainable materials and approaches in manufacturing our solutions, 我们的R&D系最近启动了一个有两个关键流的重大研究项目. Our static nets are made largely from virgin polyester, therefore, the first part of our
项目是调查再生聚酯的潜在用途. Our hope is that this might provide a relatively simple and easy way to improve product 可持续性. 但是，一定不能影响可靠性.
The second part of our project involves taking a much wider view and investigating the use of alternative fibres, 比如从植物中提取的. 此外，我们正在研究是否可取等问题
让蚊帐最终被生物降解.
再生聚酯的潜在用途
我们项目的第一步是寻找合适等级的回收材料
聚酯——一开始在紧张的全球市场证明具有挑战性. 在2023年，这种回收材料将被纳入我们的R&D瑞典实验室. Tests will then assess characteristics such as durability and effectiveness at managing signatures.
研究替代纤维
我们项目的第二阶段, 该项目也将于2023年开始, will involve assessing the suitability of a range of alternative fibres for use in our nets. 纤维素纤维，如棉花、亚麻、大麻、竹、剑麻中的纤维素纤维
and jute, are increasingly being used in non-defence products and may have some potential. Work will involve examining the availability of certain candidate fibres and then assessing their performance with regard to factors such as fire resistance, 耐久性和与各种颜料和涂料的相容性. Attention will also be paid to how close to our production facility the candidate fibres are located – a factor in reducing our carbon footprint.
“解决方案可能是具有不同可持续性水平的伪装网, 取决于客户的需要和要求.”
A key consideration is that alternative fibres should not in any way compromise the integrity of our camouflage systems. In the best-case scenario, a candidate fibre might even be able to bring new, desirable
伪装网的特性. 例如, with sensors increasingly able to distinguish between natural and synthetic materials, 有一天，基于植物的网络可能会提供更高级别的签名管理.
伪装网应该是可生物降解的吗
作为我们项目第二阶段的一部分, 迷彩网的使用寿命也受到关注, 符合终身的方法来
可持续性. 我们的R&D team will examine what happens to camouflage nets that are left on the battlefield and whether these should quickly biodegrade.
蚊帐是否应该生物降解是一个复杂的问题. In the field, camouflage users may be forced to leave their nets behindas a battle unfolds. 有些顾客可能更喜欢, 在这种情况下, 会很快分解成自然状态吗. 可以使用某些线程来实现这一点. But other customers might be more interested in a camouflage product that has a very long shelf life and is still in perfect condition 10 years after being put into storage. So, 解决方案可能是具有不同可持续性的伪装网, 取决于客户的需要和要求.
关注整个生命周期
思想也被投入到蚊帐寿命结束时的再利用中. 我们正在研究材料的选择如何影响整个生命周期. 例如，网在使用寿命结束时是否可以重复使用? 能不能用它做成另一张网，结束这个循环? Or can an open-loop strategy work, where an old net is used to create a completely new product?
虽然工作仍处于早期阶段, we are hopeful that we will be able to offer customers more sustainable solutions as early as 2024. It is a continuation of the work we have been doing toward more sustainable operations for many years. 我们的目标是到2050年实现净零排放, 遵循以科学为基础的目标, and we believe that more sustainable camouflage has the potential to contribute further to these efforts.
阅读更多关于我们的伪装...
文章作者
Ann-Sofie Olovsson
开发工程师是专门研究化学的吗. After several years of experience within the coating industry, she joined Saab in 2014. 在星际网赌导航，她在R公司工作&D with focus on new materials and coatings for adjusting signature in the electromagnetic spectra. The work in the laboratory gives her the possibility to create new camouflage and at the same time improve and optimize the products on the market. 她还担任了开发新型伪装系统的项目负责人.