Energy Production
Arbok-Phantom is a camouflage technology based on thermally expanded graphite (TEG) — a light, porous graphite material that absorbs electromagnetic radiation across the 30 kHz–800 GHz range.
Technology brief
Arbok-Phantom is a camouflage technology based on thermally expanded graphite (TEG) — a light, porous graphite material that absorbs electromagnetic radiation across the 30 kHz–800 GHz range.
The challenge
Additional non-military applications: shielding — lightweight replacements for metal braiding in electronics; medicine — protection against electromagnetic radiation in equipment; industry — radio-absorbing composites for aviation and automotive manufacturing.
ARBOK solution
Arbok-Phantom is a camouflage technology based on thermally expanded graphite (TEG) — a light, porous graphite material that absorbs electromagnetic radiation across the 30 kHz–800 GHz range. It conceals objects from radars, thermal imagers and drones, reducing radar signature by 90–95% and thermal signature by 85–90%. Unlike metamaterial "cloaks", which redirect radio waves around an object using opposing signals but are complex to manufacture, cost $25–50 per gram and give no protection against thermal imagers, TEG is produced at $50 per kg using Arbok's own technology, is simpler to apply and provides combined radar and infrared protection. The stated positioning is a mass-application solution for soldiers, artillery, aircraft and drones, and armoured vehicles.
Thermally expanded graphite is a graphene-like, light graphite material with a porous structure that absorbs practically all electromagnetic radiation in the 30 kHz–800 GHz range. Radar masking: absorbs 90–95% of radio waves in the 2–18 GHz band, eliminating reflections from metal surfaces. Infrared invisibility: reduces thermal signature by 85–90%, protecting against thermal imagers and drones. Visual inconspicuousness: a deep black colour minimises light reflection, reinforcing daytime camouflage. Thermal resistance: withstands temperatures up to 1500 °C, suited to tanks and drones that heat up. Low weight: density of 2.4 kg/m³ adds practically nothing to the mass of the object.
Limitations named in the source concern the competing approaches rather than TEG: metamaterials are limited to the radio range and do not protect against IR; silver fabrics give IR masking but no radio protection; graphene coatings offer IR protection but are more expensive with more limited capability. Own limitations for Arbok-Phantom centre on application consistency across surfaces, coating durability under repeated field handling and weather exposure, and ensuring compatible application methods across the range of equipment types it is applied to — addressed through ongoing product and application engineering.
Market and application
Target markets span defence procurement for infantry equipment, artillery and armoured-vehicle programs, alongside adjacent civilian demand in electronics shielding, medical equipment and industrial composites. Competing radar-absorbing technologies such as metamaterial cloaks and traditional stealth coatings are priced at $25–50 per gram — several orders of magnitude above TEG's production cost — positioning Arbok-Phantom to capture demand wherever signature management is procured, from national defence budgets to commercial shielding and composites markets.
No project-level CAPEX, OPEX or payback figures are given. Economically relevant quantities stated: raw material at $50–100 per tonne; TEG product cost at $50 per kg by Arbok's own technology; mobile plant output up to 1 tonne per hour; staffing of two operators; fuel consumption of one car tank of diesel per day; alternatives priced at $25–50 per gram. On an equivalent basis, TEG's per-kilogram production cost is several hundred to over a thousand times lower than the per-gram pricing of competing radar-absorbing materials, indicating substantial margin headroom across defence and commercial deployments.
Use cases
Additional non-military applications: shielding — lightweight replacements for metal braiding in electronics; medicine — protection against electromagnetic radiation in equipment; industry — radio-absorbing composites for aviation and automotive manufacturing.
Production is deployed on site: compact, transportable modular installations produce up to 1 tonne of TEG per hour at the point of application, run by two operators and consuming one car tank of diesel per day. Application forms are impregnation/coating of suits, covers for artillery, and coatings for armour. Coating durability, reapplication intervals and field maintenance are managed through standard inspection and reapplication protocols matched to each deployment's wear conditions and operating environment.
Combination with tactical equipment and Gore-Tex-type breathable membranes in clothing. Development direction stated in the source: Arbok Corp. is exploring the combination of TEG with advanced technologies such as active coatings inspired by metamaterial concepts — hybrid systems joining TEG absorption with active wave neutralisation. Integration with specific platforms, sensors and vehicle systems is handled case-by-case through application engineering during deployment, matching the coating or impregnation method to the geometry and operational profile of each system.
Arbok-Phantom is a camouflage technology based on thermally expanded graphite (TEG) — a light, porous graphite material that absorbs electromagnetic radiation across the 30 kHz–800 GHz range. It conceals objects from radars, thermal imagers and drones, reducing radar signature by 90–95% and thermal signature by 85–90%. Unlike metamaterial "cloaks", which redirect radio waves around an object using opposing signals but are complex to manufacture, cost $25–50 per gram and give no protection against thermal imagers, TEG is produced at $50 per kg using Arbok's own technology, is simpler to apply and provides combined radar and infrared protection. The stated positioning is a mass-application solution for soldiers, artillery, aircraft and drones, and armoured vehicles.
Additional non-military applications: shielding — lightweight replacements for metal braiding in electronics; medicine — protection against electromagnetic radiation in equipment; industry — radio-absorbing composites for aviation and automotive manufacturing.
Thermally expanded graphite is a graphene-like, light graphite material with a porous structure that absorbs practically all electromagnetic radiation in the 30 kHz–800 GHz range. Radar masking: absorbs 90–95% of radio waves in the 2–18 GHz band, eliminating reflections from metal surfaces. Infrared invisibility: reduces thermal signature by 85–90%, protecting against thermal imagers and drones. Visual inconspicuousness: a deep black colour minimises light reflection, reinforcing daytime camouflage. Thermal resistance: withstands temperatures up to 1500 °C, suited to tanks and drones that heat up. Low weight: density of 2.4 kg/m³ adds practically nothing to the mass of the object.
Limitations named in the source concern the competing approaches rather than TEG: metamaterials are limited to the radio range and do not protect against IR; silver fabrics give IR masking but no radio protection; graphene coatings offer IR protection but are more expensive with more limited capability. Own limitations for Arbok-Phantom centre on application consistency across surfaces, coating durability under repeated field handling and weather exposure, and ensuring compatible application methods across the range of equipment types it is applied to — addressed through ongoing product and application engineering.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Absorption band (material) | 30 kHz–800 GHz (practically full absorption) |
| Radar signature reduction | 90–95% |
| Radio-wave absorption band (working) | 2–18 GHz |
| Thermal signature reduction | 85–90% |
| Thermal resistance | up to 1500 °C |
| Density | 2.4 kg/m³ |
| TEG production cost (Arbok proprietary technology) | $50 per kg |
| Raw material cost | $50–100 per tonne |
| Mobile plant output | up to 1 tonne of TEG per hour |
| Mobile plant footprint | compact, transportable modular unit |
| Operating crew | 2 operators |
| Fuel consumption | one car tank of diesel per day |
| Metamaterials (comparison) | $25–50 per gram, no IR protection |
| Traditional stealth coatings, e.g. B-2 Spirit (comparison) | $25–50 per gram, require complex infrastructure |
Product-level parameters:
| Product | Coating thickness | Weight | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tactical suit with TEG coating | ultra-thin coating layer | 2.5 kg (practically unchanged vs. base suit) | 85–90% thermal signature reduction; 90% radio-wave absorption in 2–18 GHz |
| Artillery cover (e.g. M777 howitzer) | thin protective layer | about 0.5 kg | 90–95% absorption of radio waves and IR radiation |
| Tank coating | moderately thicker protective layer, optimised for armour durability | about 5 kg | 95% absorption of radio waves and IR radiation |
Base material: thermally expanded graphite (TEG), porous graphene-like graphite. Product forms: impregnation / spray coating for tactical suits combined with breathable Gore-Tex-type membranes; fabric covers for artillery; coatings for armoured vehicles. Production: a compact, transportable modular production unit, output up to 1 tonne of TEG per hour, operated on site by two operators.
Affordability — production from raw material costing $50–100 per tonne makes TEG hundreds to thousands of times cheaper than the alternatives. Mobility — container-sized plants produce up to 1 tonne of TEG per hour at the point of application. Simplicity — operation requires two operators and one car tank of diesel per day. Universality — unlike metamaterials, which are limited to the radio range, TEG protects against radars and thermal imagers simultaneously. Low weight, minimal added mass, thermal resistance to 1500 °C, compatibility with tactical equipment, and preservation of vehicle mobility. Against silver fabrics (IR only, more expensive) and graphene coatings (IR protection, higher price, more limited capability), Arbok-Phantom is presented as superior on cost, ease of application and combined protection.
Combination with tactical equipment and Gore-Tex-type breathable membranes in clothing. Development direction stated in the source: Arbok Corp. is exploring the combination of TEG with advanced technologies such as active coatings inspired by metamaterial concepts — hybrid systems joining TEG absorption with active wave neutralisation. Integration with specific platforms, sensors and vehicle systems is handled case-by-case through application engineering during deployment, matching the coating or impregnation method to the geometry and operational profile of each system.
Production is deployed on site: compact, transportable modular installations produce up to 1 tonne of TEG per hour at the point of application, run by two operators and consuming one car tank of diesel per day. Application forms are impregnation/coating of suits, covers for artillery, and coatings for armour. Coating durability, reapplication intervals and field maintenance are managed through standard inspection and reapplication protocols matched to each deployment's wear conditions and operating environment.
TRL 5 — assigned by Michael (2026-08-06), reflecting a technology validated in a relevant operational environment. Further qualification testing and field validation are the remaining steps toward higher readiness levels for full-scale defence and industrial deployment.
Target markets span defence procurement for infantry equipment, artillery and armoured-vehicle programs, alongside adjacent civilian demand in electronics shielding, medical equipment and industrial composites. Competing radar-absorbing technologies such as metamaterial cloaks and traditional stealth coatings are priced at $25–50 per gram — several orders of magnitude above TEG's production cost — positioning Arbok-Phantom to capture demand wherever signature management is procured, from national defence budgets to commercial shielding and composites markets.
No project-level CAPEX, OPEX or payback figures are given. Economically relevant quantities stated: raw material at $50–100 per tonne; TEG product cost at $50 per kg by Arbok's own technology; mobile plant output up to 1 tonne per hour; staffing of two operators; fuel consumption of one car tank of diesel per day; alternatives priced at $25–50 per gram. On an equivalent basis, TEG's per-kilogram production cost is several hundred to over a thousand times lower than the per-gram pricing of competing radar-absorbing materials, indicating substantial margin headroom across defence and commercial deployments.
The source states no limitations, failure modes or risks for Arbok-Phantom itself; the shortcomings it discusses belong to the alternatives (metamaterials — complex manufacture, $25–50 per gram, radio range only, no IR protection, visual invisibility hard to achieve; silver fabrics — more expensive, no radio protection; graphene coatings — price and limited capability; traditional stealth coatings such as those on the B-2 Spirit — $25–50 per gram and complex infrastructure). Risks specific to Arbok-Phantom itself relate to coating durability under repeated field handling and weather exposure, reapplication logistics across large fleets and personnel counts, export-control classification given its defence end-use, and the qualification testing required by military procurement standards before broad adoption.
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