DARPA releasing adaptive camouflage (invisibility cloak) to Police SWAT Teams

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been working on invisibility for decades. A few years back they made a major breakthrough in making invisibility suits a reality. These tactical adoptive camouflage suits have been in use by military Special Forces for years and will soon be in use by Police SWAT teams.

The system looks like any other tactical uniform. The only difference is the integrated battery packs built into the upper back of the shirt, and the power button tucked into the left collar. When activated the uniform changes from a black tactical uniform into a mimic of what ever the environment around it looks like.

A source inside DARPA told us that US Special Forces units have been using these uniforms for a few years now. The adaptive camouflage has one major limiting factor; the battery life is only about 35 minutes. The developers were hoping to make something useful for general infantry units. Unfortunately that 35-minute time limit makes the usefulness for an infantry unit very limited.

So to recoup development costs DARA decided to release the technology for use by SWAT Teams.

“The Special Forces teams have been in love with these. The units do not work for all operations, but for short fast missions this invisibility system have been game changers. I know of a number of hostage rescue type missions where the SEALs just walked in and took out the targets before anyone had a clue their perimeter was breached.”

DARPA feels that for many police SWAT teams have missions like Special Forces where a 35-Minute battery life will not be a hindrance. When serving a search warrants officers could walk right up to the front door like ghosts. Making the scene safer for all involved. Same with hostage taking standoffs. During the standoff, the officers behind cover would not need the camouflage. But when the order is given to advance on the hostage taker, the invisibility mode could be turned on and the hostage taker neutralized before he knows the officers are even walking up to him.

The ACLU has already expressed outrage over giving the police invisibility cloaks. They expressed fear that officers will don this camouflage technology to walk around conducting surveillance on citizens and even making warrantless entry into homes to peek around.

Law Enforcement officials counter that the short battery life makes any surveillance operations unlikely and dangerous for an officer.