In an era where AI-driven targeting systems and autonomous weapons are redefining modern warfare, a Spanish defense company is stepping forward with an innovative solution aimed at tipping the scales.
Kallisto AI, founded in 2022, has unveiled the Kallisto Shield, a passive camouflage and deception system designed to protect military assets from increasingly sophisticated surveillance and targeting technologies.
In an exclusive interview, the company’s leadership outlines how lessons from the Ukraine war and rapid advances in artificial intelligence inspired the creation of this groundbreaking technology.
1. How did the idea for the Kallisto Shield come about? What was the main motivation behind it?
The idea for the Kallisto Shield arose from the growing threat posed by autonomous systems and AI-driven targeting in modern warfare. Founded in Spain in 2022, Kallisto AI identified a critical vulnerability: the drastically shortened “sensor-to-shooter” timeline—reduced from 20 minutes to as little as 20 seconds—due to AI-enhanced surveillance and targeting systems. The main motivation was to develop a passive, cost-effective, AI-aware camouflage and deception system capable of protecting military assets from detection, identification, and targeting by drones and satellites.
2. You mention that in the AI era, stealth is less about being “undetectable” and more about being “indistinguishable.” Can you elaborate on this concept?
In the AI era, traditional stealth—defined as being invisible to sensors—is no longer a viable strategy. Instead, stealth now means being indistinguishable: blending seamlessly into the environment or convincingly mimicking other objects (such as decoys), so AI systems cannot reliably detect, identify, or track the target.
The Kallisto Shield embraces this new paradigm by:
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Randomizing vehicle signatures through interchangeable panels that alter appearances across multiple detection bands.
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Deploying decoys replicating the spectral signatures of real vehicles, confusing AI-based targeting systems.
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Exploiting vulnerabilities in computer vision algorithms, including attention mechanisms and inconsistencies in multi-scale training.
This approach increases both false negatives (missed detections) and false positives (misidentifications), effectively degrading the accuracy of AI-driven surveillance and targeting systems.
3. Was the development of this solution inspired by real-world battlefield experiences, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine?
Yes. The war in Ukraine was a major catalyst for developing the Kallisto Shield. The conflict demonstrated the widespread and effective use of satellites, ISR drones, loitering munitions, and AI-driven targeting systems, which have dramatically increased the vulnerability of military vehicles and assets.
In response, Kallisto AI designed the Kallisto Shield to directly counter these threats. In 2025, the system’s digital twin was tested by a Ukrainian company using synthetic datasets tailored to Ukraine’s battlefield environment. These tests focused on simulating and mitigating challenges such as:
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AI-powered terminal guidance.
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Sensor fusion across EO/IR, thermal, and radar bands.
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Satellite-based overhead surveillance.
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Autonomous drone targeting.
The design reflects lessons learned from modern conflicts, emphasizing deception, signature manipulation, and survivability in sensor-saturated battlespaces.
4. How do the interchangeable panels affect the object’s signature across different detection bands (visual, IR, radar, thermal, multispectral)?
The panels are engineered from materials designed to:
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Hide (reduce visibility).
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Modify (alter signatures).
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Magnify (amplify specific signals).
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Diffuse (scatter emissions).
These effects apply across multiple bands: visual, infrared (IR), radar, thermal, and multispectral. By rearranging subpanels—creating millions of possible combinations—each vehicle or decoy can present a unique or shared signature, making it difficult for AI systems to consistently identify or track them.
5. Has the system been field-tested on operational vehicles or mock-ups?
Not yet, but field testing is underway. In 2025, two prototypes of the Kallisto Shield are scheduled for manufacturing and testing in Ukraine, offering highly relevant battlefield conditions.
The validation process includes:
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Synthetic data simulations (currently in progress), evaluating performance against AI-based detection algorithms.
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Real-world drone footage analysis to assess how effectively the system deceives autonomous targeting systems under operational conditions.
These tests aim to confirm the Shield’s ability to reduce detection and misidentification rates across multiple sensor modalities.
6. You emphasize that the system requires no electronics or power. Was this a deliberate strategy to avoid generating an electronic or EM signature?
Yes, absolutely. The decision to make the Kallisto Shield a purely passive system—with no electronics or power requirements—was intentional and strategic. This design ensures the system:
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Emits no electromagnetic (EM) signature, avoiding detection by electronic warfare (EW) systems.
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Remains simple, robust, and easy to deploy in a wide range of operational environments.
Additionally, this passive architecture enables the cost-effective mass production of low-cost decoys. These decoys mimic the spectral signatures of real vehicles, creating a “legion” of indistinguishable targets that overwhelm and confuse AI-driven surveillance and targeting systems—dramatically improving battlefield deception and survivability.
7. How flexible is the system in adapting to different types of vehicles or static installations?
The system is highly modular and adaptable:
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It can be mounted on various vehicles using roof-rack brackets.
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It can be deployed on static installations or even on the ground as decoys.
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The elevation of panels can be adjusted to account for different viewing angles from drones or satellites.
8. You describe the Kallisto Shield as a low-cost solution. Can you provide an approximate cost per unit when applied to a vehicle?
The cost of the Kallisto Shield is estimated to range from as low as 0.1% of a vehicle’s value for high-cost platforms, up to about 10% for lower-cost vehicles, depending on configuration and materials.
This makes it exceptionally cost-effective, especially for high-value targets (HVTs) such as command vehicles, air defense systems, or armored platforms—where even a modest investment in deception and survivability can yield substantial operational benefits.
9. Are you currently in discussions with defense ministries or military contractors regarding potential integration?
While we do not publicly disclose specific partners, Kallisto AI has taken strategic steps positioning it for collaboration with defense stakeholders worldwide:
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Official registration with the Spanish Ministry of Defence (DGAM) as a defense company.
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A defense export license (REOCE), enabling international commercial activity in defense and dual-use technologies.
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Active pursuit of patent protection in key global defense markets, including the USA, EU, Ukraine, India, China, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
These actions reflect our commitment to scaling the Kallisto Shield globally and readiness to engage with defense ministries, military contractors, and integrators seeking innovative AI-era camouflage and deception solutions.
10. Are you open to partnerships involving localized manufacturing in other countries?
Yes. Kallisto AI holds a worldwide licensing agreement for the Kallisto Shield and is open to sublicensing and partnerships. Localized manufacturing would be part of such agreements, especially in countries where patents have been filed.