Stealth snowmobiles?

[Dr Mordrid]

Wired....

The Canadian government wants a stealth snowmobile. Just, apparently, because.

It’s not as if Canada has any alpine enemies to sneak up on with shadowy, frigid cavalry. But that’s not going to stop the Canadian Department of National Defence from spending a half million dollars on a prototype.

The secret to the intended stealth capabilities of the snowmobile: a hybrid engine and a quieter electric motor. According to a solicitation from the department, the vehicle has to be able to travel 15 kilometers in its electric mode at an average speed of 20 kilometers per hour. Alas, hybrid snowmobiles aren’t commercially available yet, but the department wants a prototype model by March 31.

Why Canada needs a stealth snowmobile is a question best not asked. The solicitation laments that current snowmobile engines are too loud for “missions where covertness may be required,” but doesn’t bother to list any.

Maybe it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Canadian government has been bolstering its military strength in its arctic regions — which must come as a jarring contrast for Canadian veterans of Afghanistan. While there’s been breathless media hype about a Coming Arctic War, that hypothetical conflict is a naval struggle borne of new northern sea lanes, created by global warming. Snowmobiles need not apply.
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[UtwigMU]

It's probably a way of laundering taxpayer's money through contractors. Recently it has been reported billions from Pentagon are unaccounted for.

And top secret military programs are best for this: everything is secret, everyone is under NDA and then money just arrives to the person who granted it.

[Elie]

I want a stealth car Why can't they make one? All I need is non reflective paint, the body will have angles just like the F117A and we're good!

[UtwigMU]

There are radar jammers and radar detectors. You can stealth them in the bumpers if they're illegal where you reside.

[Evildead666]

Do that and you will have your car confiscated instead of just the devices.

[Evildead666]

Radar detectors are legal in the UK, but illegal in France.
many users have a bit of velcro on the dashboard to attach the device to, so they can take it off.

I know of people who got a fine for the velcro on the dashboard, even though they didn't bring the detector with them on holiday!!!

Even if the device is attached with one screw, the French Police can seize the vehicle, since the illegal device it 'attached to it'.

Hence the new found popularity of radar detectors that go in your shirt pocket.

If you want a really stealth car, the way to combat laser-based guns is to change your number plate.
Playing with my laser pointer at night, its the only surface that reflects omni-directionally.
The law here states that the number plate has to have a certain font for the text, and the text be a certain size. No mention of its reflectivity afaik.

[KRSESQ]

The most invisible car I ever had was a baby blue '79 Chevy Malibu 4-door sedan. I could cruise past police cars in broad daylight at 15-20 mph over the limit and they never looked twice.

Wasn't invisible to radar, though. :P

[Evildead666]

One of the Ferrari's the F50 or the one named after the creator ( I forget) was impossible to catch with laser guns.
The angle of the front body was so low that none of the light got reflected back, and I think the number plate was a sticker or something.
It was tested (with a lot of other happy car enthusiasts) on an unopened motorway, where they got to go almost as fast as they could. Must have been fun

[Evildead666]

The most invisible car I ever had was a baby blue '79 Chevy Malibu 4-door sedan. I could cruise past police cars in broad daylight at 15-20 mph over the limit and they never looked twice.

Wasn't invisible to radar, though. :P

I drove a Renault 4 that was overheating and spewing oil out from under the bonnet on both wings, and blue smoke, past a Police checkpoint, and the 3 Policemen turned round and literally looked the other way while I was stopped at the lights.