US Army tested SOM smokescreen blocking visual and radar sensors
The US Army tested in August 2026 a next-level smokescreen called the SOM (Millimeter Wave Screening Obscuration Module), designed to shield soldiers from visual inspection, night vision, infrared sensors, and radar beams alike.
Tested by DEVCOM CBC, this system uses special carbon fibers that mess with enemy sensors, making it much harder for them to spot anything through the smoke.
The tech was put through its paces at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, and it worked.
SOM transitioned to PME CBRND
During tests in August 2026, SOM's fiber cloud absorbed and scattered radar beams, seriously cutting down how easily targets could be tracked.
Engineer Michael Smith shared that as the smoke spread out, radar readings dropped off fast, proof that this could be a real game-changer for battlefield stealth.
The tech was officially transitioned to the Portfolio Management Executive for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (PME CBRND) after successful technical validation and will undergo a full toxicological evaluation before it's ready for action.