European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday july 27, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 3 Abrams tank goes for better cover for a amps 29th army support group the camouflage system is deployed in a Field setting in testing on the Abrams. More tests Are scheduled in August. Improved Security goal of 2 systems slated for testing by Peggy Davidson and Janet Howells Tierney Staft writers two systems designed to conceal an Abrams tank from unfriendly eyes will be tested by . Army Europe tank Crews next month. One was developed by the army a Belvoir research development and engineering Center at fort Belvoir va., arid covers Only the tanks Turret. The other was designed by Jerry Boggess the material officer for the general support Center in Kaiserslautern Germany and covers the entire tank. About 65 soldiers from the 1st brigade 1st army div in Vilseck will  two camouflage systems in mid August at the combat Man Euver training Center in Hohenfels Germany. They have been asked for example to determine How much time is needed to employ each system and whether vehicles using the systems Are visible to other Crews. Fourteen prototypes of the Belvoir Green Woodland Turret camouflage will be tested at Hohenfels said Jose a. Rivera Cotto of the centers counter surveillance deception and Topographic division. That design hides Only the Abrams Turret and gun barrel which Are exposed to enemy fire when the tank is in a defensive or foxhole position. The design is similar to that sent to tank units deployed to saudi Arabia Rivera Cotto said. A we sent 888 of the desert version of the Turret camouflage system to units in saudi Arabia Early this year a he said. Rivera Cotto doubts that the netting was used during the persian Gulf War because tank Crews were on the offensive. The camouflage is made from polyester with a polyvinyl Chloride coating Rivera Boggess Cotto said. The material is resistant to mildew and fire and reduces the possibility of detection by infrared electro optical or radar devices. It takes less than five minutes for a Crew to set up the cover which weighs 108 pounds and is 10.8 cubic feet in area Rivera Cotto said. The camouflage once in place will allow for movement of the tank the Turret or the gun tube he said. Each of the Belvoir design sets includes shape disrupter Cones that change the signature shape of the siae rails and gun tube. The desert versions of the Abrams tank Camou Flage Cost $1,000 each. The Woodland version eventually should Cost about the same Rivera Cotto said. Boggess designed what he Calls the Quick camouflage system in three Days. The tank can to be driven with Boggess system in place but the Cannon can still be fired. The system consists of Metal poles bolted onto the tank and a cover of radar scattering net. A in 30 seconds to a minute you can deploy it a Boggess said. The Metal poles Are turned at right angles to the tank and braced against the ground. The netting is then unfurled and draped Over the tank and poles changing the outline of the tank. The netting can be rolled Back up and stowed around the Turret in the same Quick time. Its held in Glace by Parachute straps which allow for Quick re ase Boggess said. Boggess s system includes a a Duck Blind shelter to cover the turrets distinctive outline but does not interfere with the tanks antennae. The netting is non flammable so it will not catch fire when the tanks main gun is fired said Dennis Heath science advisor for the 21st theater army area come. He has been overseeing Boggess work. Heath said the project began when Gen. Crosbie e. Saint . Army Europe commander saw a camouflage system on a Swiss tank. He asked the research staff at the 21st to take a shot at creating something similar. Boggess had to stay within special limitations when he designed the system. A i was hindered by the fact that i  modify the tank  Drill  Weld a Boggess said. A i had to use existing holes and  other limitations caused More problems for Boggess. A i had Little time and no Money a he said. Boggess found the material he needed by searching through the Supply centers 720 acres. A i know where the stuff is a he said with a laugh. Boggess estimates that the system costs around $1,50 j using existing supplies and manpower. It weighs 368 pounds and a it s All bolted or winged so the whole system can be removed for maintenance of the tank a Boggess said. Fourteen sets of Boggess system have been built and will be tested at Hohenfels. Five prototypes of a Belvoir Woodland camouflage for Bradley fighting vehicles will also be tested next month. Task Force to have turkish . Generals by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a the new . Commander of the combined task Force for operation provide Comfort will be a a accompanied in his duties by a turkish officer of equal rank and status Pentagon officials said thursday. But Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams stopped Short of calling the two generals co commanders of the ongoing operation. He said he could not describe the ultimate lines of decision making and command for the revamped task Force because those issues Are still under discussion. . Maj. Gen. James l. Jamerson will a consult and coordinate with maj. Gen. Doralis Uyanik logistics chief of the turkish air Force on All matters affecting the operation Williams said at a news briefing. At the briefing Williams also gave More details than the . Has issued to Date of the makeup of the task Force intended to deter iraqi president Saddam Hussein from cracking Down on his people now that the allies have withdrawn from iraqi soil. The Force will total about 5,000 troops from at least sue nations with an air component headquartered at in Ciurlik a Turkey a support element based at Batman Turkey and a combined forces ground element at silo i Turkey about 10 Miles Northwest of the iraqi Border. No figure was available thursday for the number of . Personnel in the air element but . Army col. . A a Butch Whitehead commander of the ground units said his is a 2,500-member Force from six nations. All land based elements will be supported by the aircraft Carrier Forrestal and its Carrier Battle group. The aircraft Carrier is now moving toward the Eastern rim of the Mediterranean. The ground component will include about 1,500 . Troops according to the details released thursday by Williams. The sue nations represented so far in the ground element Are the United states the United kingdom Turkey France Italy and the Netherlands. Belgium has also announced it will Send 100 troops. A other nations Are evaluating their participation and May decide to Send forces a Williams said. The air component will be composed predominantly of . Aircraft. The task Force will also gain a search and Rescue capability provided by a company from the 2nd in 10th special forces group from fort Devens mass., and elements of the air forces 39th special operations Wing from Rhein main a Germany and Raf Wood Bridge England. Some of the Neucom units named tuesday by the Pentagon to join the task Force Are already in the Region. Some units already near the turkish iraqi Border will leave when the other Neucom units arrive although it probably will not be a precise unit for unit replacement Williams said. A the Mission remains the same As its been All along a to ensure the continued Success of humanitarian Aid to kurdish and other iraqi refugees a Williams said