CERAKOTE^® Gen II Nir

Reduced visual & near-infrared weapon signature for military and defense applications.

Modern battlefields demand more than durability from coatings. Visual and near-infrared (NIR) signature management has become a critical capability for improving survivability, reducing detectability, and maintaining operational advantage across day and night operations.

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CERAKOTE^® Gen II Coatings represent the next generation of engineered coatings formulated specifically for military small arms, crew-served weapons, accessories, and mounts. Designed to reduce visual and near-infrared weapon signature while simultaneously enhancing durability, reliability, and maintainability, Cerakote Gen II delivers a level of performance that traditional weapon finishes cannot achieve.

Purpose-Built for Military Weapon Systems

Cerakote Gen II was developed to meet the real-world demands of modern defense operations. Unlike legacy black surface treatments, such as phosphate, anodize, or black oxide, Cerakote Gen II provides engineered visual and NIR signature control, enabling the ability to better blend with both the operator and the surrounding environment.

In addition to signature reduction, Cerakote Gen II delivers industry-leading protection against wear, corrosion, chemicals, and harsh environmental exposure commonly encountered across all theaters of operation.

• MIL-C-53039D
• MIL-DTL-44436
• Australian Defence Standard DEF(AUST) 8746

CERAKOTE^® Gen II supports a multispectral signature management strategy—reducing weapon detectability across visual and near-infrared domains while delivering proven durability in combat environments.

Visual Signature Management (Day Operations)

Cerakote Gen II coatings provide visual camouflage flexibility unmatched by traditional finishes. Coatings can be produced to custom color standards such as Federal Standard, Pantone, or mission-specific requirements.

Key advantages include:

• Custom colors and camouflage patterns
• Matte, non-reflective finishes
• Reduced visual contrast against terrain and uniforms
• Seamless integration with existing camouflage systems

This flexibility allows weapons and accessories to blend naturally into the operational environment during daylight operations.

Near-Infrared (NIR) Signature Management (Night Operations)

At night, signature management becomes even more critical. Cerakote Gen II coatings are engineered using proprietary chemistries that enable weapons to mimic the near-infrared reflectivity of natural backgrounds and military uniforms, significantly reducing detectability under night vision devices.

Unlike standard finishes that appear bright and reflective in the NIR spectrum, Cerakote Gen II coatings are tuned to conform to military NIR reflectance requirements, helping weapons visually disappear alongside the operator.

Engineered to Military NIR Standards

• MIL-C-53039D defines NIR performance across the 700–1400 nanometer wavelength range, with controlled upper and lower reflectance limits for multiple background environments.
• Cerakote Gen II coatings are formulated to meet these reflectance parameters for applications such as dark green, tan, black, earth yellow, and sand environments.
• Coatings can also be engineered to meet international NIR standards, including Australian Defense Force requirements defined in DEF(AUST) 8746, operating in the 750–1200 nanometer range.

Environment-Specific Matching

Cerakote Gen II NIR reflectance can be custom matched to the operator’s environment, ensuring optimized performance across diverse terrains and operational requirements.

Beyond Signature Reduction: Proven Protection

While signature management is critical, Cerakote Gen II also delivers the core performance advantages Cerakote is known for:

• Exceptional wear and abrasion resistance
• Outstanding corrosion protection
• Resistance to chemicals, solvents, and fuels
• Performance stability in extreme climates
• Compatibility with metallic and non-metallic substrates

Cerakote Gen II can be applied to legacy systems, new production weapons, and accessories, simplifying logistics and extending service life across entire weapon platforms.

The Cerakote Advantage for Defense Applications

By reducing a weapon system’s non-firing visual and near-infrared signature, Cerakote Gen II helps minimize detection risk while enhancing overall weapon performance. The result is improved soldier survivability, increased combat effectiveness, extended service life, and reduced maintenance burden.

Cerakote Gen II is not simply a coating, it is a mission-critical performance enhancement designed for modern military and defense environments.

Multispectral Signature Management (MSM) Strategy

Modern battlefields are increasingly dominated by advanced sensing technologies that operate across multiple spectral bands. Effective survivability now requires more than single-spectrum camouflage—it demands a multispectral signature management (MSM) strategy that reduces detectability across the visual and non-visible domains.

Cerakote® Gen II coatings are a key enabler of a comprehensive MSM approach for weapon systems. By engineering both visual and near-infrared (NIR) reflectance characteristics, Cerakote Gen II helps reduce weapon system contrast across multiple detection methods used during modern combat operations.

Unlike traditional weapon finishes that address only corrosion or cosmetic appearance, Cerakote Gen II is purpose-built to support multispectral threat environments, where optical sensors, night vision devices, and other NIR-based detection systems are routinely employed.