Helmets and Head Gear

[buglerbilly]

Plastic helmets fail tests

By Amy McCullough - Staff writer

Posted : Monday Jan 11, 2010 6:42:46 EST

Test versions of the Army’s new plastic helmet have failed to protect against bullets and blunt force attacks. Some prototypes couldn’t stop bullets, others couldn’t withstand blunt force, and some failed on both counts.

Officials would say only that all five of the test helmets, made by four companies, failed in either ballistic or nonballistic testing. The nonballistic tests examined the impact of blunt force trauma to the helmets from blast waves, rolled-over vehicles and fragmentation.

The failures have set the program back, postponing Army plans to field the new helmet this year.

Creating a lightweight helmet that will stop a rifle round is difficult, experts say.

“This has been an acknowledged risky schedule, but we think the potential benefits to come out of the enhanced combat helmet warranted the assumed risk, and we were pushing everybody to their limits on this one — industry, our engineers, and even our own team,” said Lt. Col. A.J. Pasagian, head of the Marine Corps’ infantry combat equipment program at Marine Corps Systems Command. “We acknowledged that risk up front. We didn’t make it, but we are going to go back to [the second round of developmental testing] in the next four to six months.”

Now it’s back to the development phase for the Enhanced Combat Helmet, a Marine-led program designed to choose a new, more durable, lightweight plastic alternative to today’s Kevlar head gear.

The plastic helmets, which the Army also plans to field, are made with an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, which is used commercially in everything from artificial hip replacements to police body armor. The heavy-duty plastic works well in body armor, because the armor is relatively flat. It becomes vulnerable when molded into a more circular, helmet shape and is also harder to manipulate, Pasagian said. He declined to detail the prototypes’ failures any further, citing “operational security” and “acquisition sensitive” material. However, he said all the companies will have to do “enormously better” to meet the requirements laid out by the Army and Marines.

Though the Army’s PEO Soldier organization participated in setting the requirements and monitoring the testing, an Army spokesman directed all inquiries to the Marines, who have the lead in the program.

Pasagian declined to say what kind of rounds, or how many, were used during the ballistic testing, but Army Lt. Col. Jon Rickey, head of Program Manager Soldier Protective Equipment, told Army Times in August that the service would like a helmet that could stop a 7.62mm round — the caliber of ammunition used in the AK47 assault rifle favored by insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq. The requirements for both the Corps and Army state that the new combat helmet must provide at least 35 percent more protection against fragmentation and handgun and small-arms fire.

Once the plastic helmet is developed, the services plan to initially purchase 238,500 of them; the Army expects to field 200,000 of them.

The test failures mean the services will not meet initial goals to begin fielding in early 2010, and a new timeline is not yet available, Pasagian said.

The ECH would be a significant upgrade over the existing Advanced Combat Helmet adopted by the Army in 2002 and the Lightweight Helmet fielded by the Marines about a year later. If successful, it would be the first time in nearly three decades that Marines and soldiers will not wear helmets made primarily of DuPont’s Kevlar, although some modified version of Kevlar remains on the table, Pasagian said.

It is even possible that the final helmet would be a partnering of the heavy-duty plastic with Kevlar, Pasagian said.

The same four companies are still vying for the production contract. Corps officials have discussed the test results with each one, suggesting a new blend of materials to better meet requirements. A new contract will not have to be awarded to continue the developmental testing, Pasagian said.

[buglerbilly]

BAE Systems Receives Contract Worth $28 Million to Produce Lightweight Helmets for the U.S. Marine Corps

(Source: BAE Systems; issued March 30, 2010)

PHOENIX --- BAE Systems has been awarded a $28 million contract by the Defense Logistics Agency to manufacture 120,000 lightweight helmets (LWH) for the U.S. Marine Corps. The contract also includes an option for an additional 120,000 lightweight helmets.

Weighing less than four pounds, BAE Systems’ LWH replaces the Personnel Armor System Ground Troops helmet and represents the latest in high-performance combat helmet protection.

“Although it may not look much different from other helmets, the LWH offers significant improvements to Marines,” said Greg Kraak, Director of U.S. Military Programs, Personnel Protection Systems for BAE Systems’ Security & Survivability business. “Our LWH provides Marines with greater ballistic protection in a lighter, more comfortable helmet.”

“The LWH contract represents yet another opportunity for us to support America’s Marines, as well as solidify our position as a leader in military helmet manufacturing,” said Kraak. “Whether we’re designing a better helmet, lighter body armor systems or integrating power systems for our troops, the science of survivability is our business.”

All helmet work will be performed in Jessup, Pennsylvania at BAE Systems’ Personnel Protection Systems business. Production is slated to get underway in the fall, with deliveries expected to be completed in early 2011. The Jessup site has been producing combat helmets since 1983. In addition to LWH, the company produces the Enhanced Combat Helmet, Combat Vehicle Crewmen helmets and the Advanced Combat Helmet. More than 600,000 of the company’s helmets have been fielded to U.S. Soldiers and Marines.

BAE Systems’ Security & Survivability business is a leader in protection, security and survivability systems for land, air and naval applications. It is a technology leader in lightweight materials, including composites, ceramic and transparent armor technologies; integrated vehicle armor systems; vehicle and aircraft survivability components and accessories; and soldier protection equipment, sold primarily to the government and other defense contractors.

BAE Systems is a global defense, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Army Recalls 44,000 Combat Helmets

(Source: US Department of Defense; issued May 14, 2010)

The Department of the Army announced today that it has initiated a recall message for approximately 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets produced by ArmorSource LLC (formerly Rabintex USA LLC). These helmets do not meet Army specifications.

The 44,000 helmets represent about 4 percent of Advanced Combat Helmets issued to soldiers. Sufficient helmets produced by other manufacturers that meet Army requirements are currently available in the Army’s inventory. The Army will immediately issue these helmets to soldiers worldwide serving in those units identified to have recalled helmets.

Army Central Issue Facilities have been directed to remove all affected helmets from the inventory and to directly exchange noncompliant helmets turned in for helmets meeting Army specifications. The recalled helmets will be sent to the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Reutilization and Marketing Services for demilitarization.

The exact risk to soldiers wearing the recalled helmets is still being determined; however, sample testing from a quarantined inventory revealed that the helmets did not meet Army specifications.

The matter is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. (ends)

Announcement From ArmorSource LLC Regarding the Helmet Recall

(Source: ArmorSource LLC; issued May 16, 2010)

HEBRON, Ohio --- On May 14, 2010 the U.S. Department of Defense issued a press release stating that it was recalling 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets delivered to the U.S. Government by ArmorSource LLC.

ArmorSource received no notification of this recall from the government and has no additional information at this time regarding the recall other than that press release.

ArmorSource is committed to providing products that meet or exceed the government's performance specifications with safety as its highest priority. To that end ArmorSource has a quality assurance program for the helmets that was reviewed by and approved by U.S. Government quality assurance representatives.

All Advanced Combat Helmets distributed to the field were accepted by the government after they passed independent, government-approved quality and lot testing.

ArmorSource will cooperate fully with any governmental inquiries regarding its Advanced Combat Helmet and is seeking to obtain additional information to allow ArmorSource to address the government's concerns.

ArmorSource LLC takes extreme pride in building products that keep our law enforcement and military personnel as safe as possible at home and around the world.

-end-

[buglerbilly]

Recalled Helmets No ‘Direct Risk’ to Soldiers

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued May 17, 2010)

WASHINGTON --- The Army recall of 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets that were issued to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan is the result of a Department of Justice investigation as well as independent tests that show the helmets do not meet Army standards, military officials said today.

Army officials say the recalled helmets are not a “direct risk” to soldiers.

Army Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller told reporters today that while the helmets failed to meet Army standards, there is no evidence that any soldier was ever harmed from their use. The recalled helmets provided a safe degree of protection, Fuller said, but they were “just not up to our standards.” The Army, he said, is withdrawing the helmets from the field.

Fuller heads up Program Executive Office-Soldier, a Fort Belvoir, Va.,-based organization that oversees the development and testing of Army equipment.

The recall involves about 4 percent of about 1.6 million Advanced Combat Helmets that are in the Army’s inventory, PEO-Soldier officials said.

Fuller said the Army issued a May 13 directive to combatant commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan calling for the immediate turn-in of helmets manufactured by ArmorSource, the contractor.

The recall, Fuller explained, is the result of a Department of Justice investigation, and individual tests conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., which proved the helmet did not meet Army standards. The general said he could not elaborate on the DOJ findings because of the ongoing investigation.

“Our number-one mission is to ensure every soldier's lethal survivability equipment can survive in any environment, and a helmet is a personal piece of equipment that provides that survivability,” Fuller said. “We want to make sure they never have any question as to whether or not this will be able to stop what it needs to stop.”

Fuller said the Army began the recall process immediately upon notification of the DOJ investigation and after the results of independent testing revealed flaws in the ballistic capability of the helmet. In January, the Army was notified by the DOJ of the investigation after the paint on some helmets began peeling. The helmets were then subjected to further tests by the Army, which determined the ballistic defect.

The recall notice was issued as a precautionary measure, Fuller said.

So far, none of the recalled helmets have been found at the Bagram Airfield Central Issue Facility, the main supply hub for troops deployed in Afghanistan, PEO-Soldier officials said.

Mike Brown, the director of supply for Army logistics, said helmet inspections are currently underway in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recalled helmets are being turned in, he said.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bernard C. McPherson, the PEO-Soldier senior enlisted advisor, said the Army is working at every level to ensure all affected helmets are accounted for.

“Helmets in the field will be detected during pre-combat checks and inspections by sergeants and [other] leaders,” McPherson said.

Army Col. William Cole, the project manager for Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment, said ArmorSource had manufactured roughly 102,000 of the Advanced Combat Helmets. Of that number, he said, 55,000 helmets remain in the warehouse supply system, with about 3,000 having been issued to other services through the Defense Supply Center, Philadelphia.

The Army is committed to finding and obtaining all of the defective helmets, Cole said. “That’s why we are doing this through diligence, right now, to find them,” he said.

The Army has three other helmet manufacturers. They are: MSA North America, BAE Systems, and Gentex Corp.

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[buglerbilly]

Air Force Directs Immediate Inspection of Advanced Combat Helmets

(Source: U.S Air Force; issued May 20, 2010)

WASHINGTON --- Air Force officials here directed an immediate service-wide inspection, recall and reporting of defective advanced combat helmets May 19.

Logistics officials said evidence indicates some helmets were produced using unauthorized manufacturing practices, defective materials and improper quality procedures that could potentially reduce ballistic and fragmentation protection.

"When it comes to the safety and protection of our Airmen, we act swiftly and we take no chances," said Col. Steven Morani, the Air Force Directorate of Logistics materiel support division chief. "The importance of the recall warrants not only immediate action, but ongoing follow-up as we complete a one-for-one exchange of defective helmets."

Colonel Morani said major commands must complete a 100-percent inspection of advanced combat helmets, manufactured by Rabintex and Armorsource, and identified by a designated Army procured contract number. In cases in which the contract number can't be determined, units are using specific visual inspection criteria to ascertain whether or not the helmet is affected by the recall.

The colonel emphasized that deployed and pre-deployment Airmen are the first priority for the exchange that will occur from stock in theater. As more helmets are made available, the remainder of Airmen also will make the exchange.

"Any affected helmets that units discover will be immediately removed from service and if shortfalls occur, we'll work diligently with Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, the Air Force's source of supply, to close the gaps," Colonel Morani said.

The exchange timeline is contingent upon the swiftness of the mandated inspections, the colonel said.

"Inspections are underway right now," Colonel Morani said. "Once we know the total number of helmets affected, we can better estimate a completion timeline."

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

U.K. Places $53M Night-Vision Order with ITT

By bradp | June 14th, 2010

By ANDREW CHUTER – ITT has opened Eurosatory with news of a $53 million order from Britain’s Ministry of Defence to supply additional head-mounted night-vision systems (HMNVS) to the military. It’s the biggest night-vision deal to date awarded to the company by Britain.


Britain's HMNVS is called AN/PVS-14 in U.S. service

This latest deal will see deliveries of ITT’s third-generation Pinnacle night-vision technology take place to British forces over the next five years, the U.S. defense contractor said in a statement released here today.

The new deal doesn’t include contractor support, which is covered under an existing arrangement.

The latest procurement is the third British head-mounted night-vision systems contract with the Roanoke, Va.-based contractor in three years. The value of the previous two deals ran to some $40 million and followed an original 2002 contract to supply and support systems to the British.

“This order shows the high degree of confidence the UK has in ITT and our ability to deliver Generation 3 night-vision technology,” said Bruce A. Wald, vice president and general manager of ITT’s Night Vision & Imaging business.

The HMNVS is the British variant of a system better known as the AN/PVS-14 and widely used by the U.S. military and others.

[buglerbilly]

New helmet shown at DVD 2010 last week.............info from Army Recognition doesn't help as they talk about it as an existing equipment item........I can see the benefit for vehicle crew, but I, personally, wouldn't like to wear it in foot combat situations and certainly NOT in CQB.........ONE pull on the front of that helmet and your neck has snapped..............

[buglerbilly]

Low Profile Ear Pro

by christian on June 30, 2010



A good looking alternative to the bulky radio headphones used by troops in the field today might be the Quietpro+ Intelligent Hearing System.

Developed by Norway-based Nacre, the Quietpro features an Ear Bud-like earphone set that uses wiz-bang technology to cancel out loud noises like explosions and gunfire, while still allowing voice to go through.

The system also includes a radio interface and wireless receiver, so you can attach all the comm units you need to keep in touch with the FOB or air.

The earplug shuts out the noise but allows speech to pass, thanks to the electronics built into a microchip. In quiet surroundings the sounds that we wish to hear are allowed past, but in a noisy environment, the system shuts out the noise, allowing only speech to pass. The electronics are built into a tiny chip. In combination with a radio, the system is a complete communications terminal for use in noisy environments.

The biggest advantage I can see is the fact that this thing is just a couple ear plugs rather than the bulky, borderline annoying headsets most troopers wear.

The user’s voice is captured in the ear canal, virtually free of noise. This is used for radio communication, so neither a hand-held microphone or microphone clip in front of the mouth, are required. QUIETPRO also functions as a “hands-free” terminal for most types of radio unit.

According to Nacre, the Norwegian army has adopted the system and a news story forwarded to Kit Up! says the system has been tested by the US Marine Corps.

[Another report says there are.............


Since QUIETPRO+ entered operational service; more than 50,000 units have been fielded across 13 countries. More than 40,000 of these are in daily service with the US Army, US Marine Corps, US Air Force and US Government Agencies.

http://www.soldiermod.com/volume-2/nacre.html]

Thanks to tipster CF for the gouge..

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz0sOOw2z2Q

More here.............from the manufacturer..........

http://www.nacre.no/quietpro-pluss.asp



QUIETPRO+ Intelligent Hearing System

The QUIETPRO+ Intelligent Hearing System is a fully automatic hearing protection and communication device. It provides enhanced hearing and hearing protection for the infantry soldier when performing mounted and dismounted operations. The upgraded QUIETPRO+ incorporates a number of functional improvements gained through the experience of the 50,000 users that reliably use the QUIETPRO in daily combat operations.

MOUNTED AND DISMOUNTED HEARING PROTECTION
The high performance in-ear device reduces the users exposure to continuous and impulsive noise when both mounted and dismounted. It features adaptive digital Active Noise Reduction technology to ensure stable and effective electronic noise reduction.

FLEXIBLE RADIO AND INTERCOM INTERFACE
A new software programmable, binaural interface for user defined stereo or split ear capabilities. Compatible with all current and future communication systems.

EXTENDED FUNCTIONALITY
A selectable ‘whisper’ mode that enables extended use in low noise operations.

INCREASED USER CONTROL - DUAL CHANNEL WIRELESS PTT
Up to 5 wireless PTT remote control devices can be simultaneously used with a QUIETPRO+ system. Optional wired PTT controls are also available.

QUALIFIED AND APPROVED
Following extensive testing and evaluation during 2008, the QUIETPRO® is the only in-ear communications device approved for use by the US Army.

THE QUIETPRO+ IS AVAILABLE TODAY!
Contact us to request your demonstration and evaluation units.

[buglerbilly]

BAE Systems Receives $17 Million Contract from U.S. Army for Headborne Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Systems (HEADS) Sensors

(Source: BAE Systems; issued July 6, 2010)



PHOENIX, Arizona --- BAE Systems has received an initial order of $17 million from the U.S. Army for Headborne Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Systems (HEADS) to help address combat-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which according to many medical professionals are fast becoming a signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The multi-million dollar award is part of an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with a maximum value of $105 million. BAE Systems was one of two contractors selected.

Designed to better monitor soldiers and help identify their risk levels for combat-related TBIs, BAE Systems introduced its first HEADS sensor to the military in 2008. Since then, nearly 7,000 of the company's HEADS units have been fielded to the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps-a testament to BAE Systems' commitment to integrating innovative lifesaving technologies into survivability products for troops.

With the new order, thousands of the company's Generation II HEADS helmet sensors will be produced and fitted inside the combat helmets for U.S. troops serving abroad.

"Diagnosing mild to moderate combat-related TBIs can be challenging. For example, following an explosion from a roadside bomb, soldiers will sometimes continue with their mission, unaware that the concussion from the blast may have lingering effects," said Joe Coltman, vice president of BAE Systems' Personnel Protection Systems business. "With the Generation II HEADS sensor, even if the injury isn't obvious, once the sensor collects data indicating a blast has exceeded a certain threshold, a LED light located on the sensor and will be activated and begin blinking, signifying to soldiers that they may have sustained a concussion warranting immediate attention."

In addition to alerting soldiers of possible concussions, the HEADS smart sensor is designed to provide medical professionals with important data that may help determine the severity of a possible TBI. "With our Generation II HEADS sensor, we're providing medical teams with a valuable diagnostic tool that utilizes radio frequency technology," added Coltman. "With our new 'smarter' sensor, if a soldier is exposed to a blast, possibly sustaining a concussion, not only will the HEADS visual display be triggered at the time of the event, but once the soldier enters a specified area, such as forward operating base or dining facility, a series of strategically placed antennae will scan all available HEADS units and send data to a computer, identifying any soldiers who may have sustained a blast-related brain injury."

The sensor itself is small, lightweight and can be secured inside virtually any combat helmet. Although imperceptible to the wearer, it is designed to continuously collect critical, potentially lifesaving data, including impact location, magnitude, duration, blast pressures, angular and linear accelerations as well as the exact times of single or multiple blast events. That information is then securely stored until it can be quickly downloaded and analyzed by medical teams using a simple USB or wireless connection.

Compatible with most helmets, the HEADS sensor is unobtrusive and won't interfere with additional helmet-mounted equipment soldiers may need, such as goggles and other sensors.

Deliveries on the initial Generation II HEADS order are expected to begin in April 2011, and be completed by July 2011.

BAE Systems is a leading provider of soldier protective and load carriage equipment in the United States, producing a significant portion of the nation's body armor, tactical vests, combat helmets and load carrying systems. Not only is the company focused on the design, development and production of leading edge survivability products, its integration of advanced materials into manufacturing, rigorous product testing, and field trials support the company's focus on the men and women who serve in the armed forces.

BAE Systems is a global defense, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Peltor and Ops-Core team up- We’re all ears

July 17th, 2010 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



Peltor released a new version of their Comtac headset that attaches directly to the Ops-Core/MSA accessory rail. The new commo earmuffs were on display inside Ops-Core’s booth at the ADS Warrior Expo this week.

Instead of a headband running beneath the your helmet, or around the back of your neck, the Comtac FAST setup just attaches to the outside of your helmet. Each side of the band-less headset slides on to the accessory rail and locks into place anywhere along the length, accommodating the shape and position of most non-mutant ears. The headset uses a AAA on each side and it’s operation and performance are both identical to the banded models.

After getting them installed, use is a matter of snapping the wire earcup holders shut with the palm of your hand so the earcups themselves seal around the ear. Reverse the procedure when you want to take the helmet off. The earcups can also be rotated back behind your head when you don’t need comms.

We snapped it on and it felt the same as a regular set of Peltors. It also provided the same level of ambient noise protection, even with some bonus head gyrations thrown in. The concept is adapted from what the industrial side of the Peltor house has been using on hard hats and such for a while.

3m Peltor says the price is the same as other Comtacs. No more, no less for the new mounting option. Your out lay just depends on what flavor radios and wiring options you choose. And before you ask, no, you can’t retrofit your old kit because there is a new wire that runs between the earcups. Darn.

[buglerbilly]

NOD Retention Lanyard Update

July 19th, 2010

Down Range Gear’s NOD Retention Lanyard has become so successful it has taken on a life of its own. Down Range Gear found a quality manufacturer that could mass produce them at a price that is both reasonable and attainable for the customer it was designed for; the infantryman. Coupled with some business know-how from the proprietor of Combat Ready USA, they have a product finally ready for the mass market. There are several other announcements that will be forthcoming with the NOD Retention Lanyard, so stay tuned.

Check out the new site at http://nodretentionlanyard.com/NOD_Retention_Lanyard/NOD_Retention_Lanyard.html

[buglerbilly]

New Ops-Core Base Jump helmet: shoot house performance, airsoft price

July 31st, 2010 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



Ops-Core is releasing a new, non-ballistic helmet this week. It’s called the Base Jump and it’s based on the FAST shell; just made in plastic. You might remember Ops-Core already has a non-ballistic helmet, the FAST Bump, and wonder what’s different?

The Base Jump’s shell is molded plastic instead of carbon-fiber. The standard NVG shroud is molded into the helmet shell, as opposed to the optional VAS shroud you’d add to the Bump. And, there’s a new under-the-chin, single chinstrap option that offers a bit more comfort over the split, military-style chinstrap for non-tactical use.

Ops-Core calls this version the Sports Model, shown above. It’s still using the familiar Occ-Dial liner setup; the difference between it and the Military Model is the chinstrap, the omission of NVG bungees and the accessory package. The Military Model comes with a Picatinny adapter, while the sports model doesn’t.

While there are two versions of the Base Jump, there are four flavors based on the where they are made. There’s Military US/overseas and Sports US/overseas. Prices are from $239/$178 to $203/$142. The high end US Military comes painted tan, green or black or dipped in MultiCam or desert MARPAT; while the three lower-priced flavors are molded in tan, green, black or red plastic.

[buglerbilly]

Marine Corps Fielding New M50 Gas Mask

by christian on September 15, 2010



The Marines are updating their scary-looking M40 gas masks with a newer, more comfortable and streamlined mask that borrows from the special operations world where vision, low-drag ergonomics and easy breathing are a requirment for high-speed ops.

According to a Marine Corps release, East Coast units will soon get the updated mask, after it was first fielded late last year to III MEF forces.


Other advancements include a twin conformal filter which allows 50 percent improvement in breathing resistance. The mask allows over 24 hours of protection against chemical or biological agents and radioactive particulate matter.

These upgrades and many more make the M50 Joint Service General Purpose Mask a great defense against the threats service members face not only in combat, but on the home front as well.

The mask is also being issued to the other services, with some Airmen receiving theirs last year.


“It’s much more comfortable and less restrictive than the old mask,” said Tech. Sgt. Corey Whitman, 52nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron Nondestructive inspection craftsman. “The main difference is you can breathe much easier.”

It’s one of those pieces of kit that you hope you’ll never have to use. But if you do, it’s darn good to have a system that you’re not going to gag on when you wear it for two days.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2010/09/marine-corps-fielding-new-m50-gas-mask.html#comments#ixzz0zf3FTtsY

[buglerbilly]

Make an Ops Core Helment out of your ACH

by christian on September 30, 2010



BAE Systems has some pretty cool kit coming out of their Eclipse Performance Gear division and we had a chance to talk to a couple program managers at this year’s Modern Day Marine show out at Quantico.

We’ll be looking at their new modular body armor solution for the Army and an interesting portable power system, but first I wanted to show you their new Helmet Accessory Platform.

http://www.baesystems.com/BAEProd/groups/public/documents/bae_publication/bae_pdf_ss_pps_hap.pdf

Basically this thing is a lightweight bracket that can attach both to the helmet in the raw and to a helmet wearing a camouflage cover. It provides a variety of attachment points for a wide range of gizmos even the straightest leg Joes are apt to hang on their helmet.

The HAP was designed to provide a stable platform to secure gear such as nightvision goggles and counterweights, lights, cameras and IR beacons. The system incorporates a universal NVG mount, NVG lanyard and NVG cover holder that accepts both Wilcox and Norotos hardware.

The unique ear mounts provide a tight, positive retention of integrated goggles as well as an oxygen mask receptacle for use during HAHO/HALO jumps–eliminating the need for a secondary helmet for these missions. Two picatinny rails allow for lights, camera and other hardware attachment. The HAP system also includes cable management to secure communication wires.

The HAP uses existing chin strap holes to attach, so no scary drilling through thick Kevlar to mount the thing.

In a sense, the HAP can turn your run of the mill ACH or LWH into a full on Gucci Ops Core-style lid with all the accessory options your heart (or platoon sergeant) can handle. And at $150, it’s a lot more approachable than the Ops Core ballistic helmet solution at nearly $900.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz113MzxdAo

[buglerbilly]

From Soldier Systems..........

ANVIS Arm from Wilcox Industries

September 30th, 2010

Wilcox Industries displayed their new purpose built arm for the ANVIS family (AN/AVS-9(V) (F4949) and AN/PVS-23 (F5050) Aviator’s Night-Vision Imaging System) of night vision devices at Modern Day Marine. Previously, mounts designed for use with flight helmets have been adapted with varying degrees of success to bump and ballistic helmets. Now, there is an arm that fits the standard one-hole NVG mount found on many helmets.



Additionally, a battery compartment has been integrated into the design so that the battery box does not need to be attached to the back of the helmet. You can see it in the photo above located just below the adjustment lever. A single DL123 battery will provide up to 32 hours of operation. Elimination of the battery box decreases both cost and weight and eliminates the cable that usually runs along the side of the helmet and can catch when in confined spaces. Although, that same box can still be used for those that use it as a counterweight.



Unlike aviation use mounts and arms, the new Wilcox item is machined from Aluminum and while the NVG will pop out from its ball and detent as designed, it won’t do it accidentally. You have to depress both sides simultaneously to get it out.

www.wilcoxind.com

http://www.wilcoxind.com/

[buglerbilly]

Dyneema HB80 Composite Material Selected for the U.S. Forces’ Improved Combat Helmet

October 4, 2010 at 1:39 pm

tamir_eshel


The GSM Dyneema HB80 composite has been extensively tested and evaluated in different helmet constructions and is currently in the final development testing phase of Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) program. Photo: PEO Soldier

DSM Dyneema has been awarded a contract for the development of an improved combat helmet based on advanced Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) material solution. DSM Dyneema has been focusing on research and development of new UHMPWE series of materials to substantially lighten the load for military and law enforcement. As part of the contract the company will develop new unidirectional (UD) materials suitable for the improved combat helmet next generation improved combat helmet application, offering superior ballistic performance at lower weight.

The company launched the Dyneema HB80 in June 2009. Initially known as Prototype Dyneema X31, this UD composite material has undergone extensive ballistic and secondary property testing, demonstrating the potential to significantly lighten the load carried by soldiers, providing greater comfort and mobility for soldiers wear protective gear. HB80 offers over the highest ballistic performance on the market today. With 35 percent greater protection against fragmentation threats and its advanced ballistic properties, SWAT helmets made of HB80 could be produced with half the weight of today’s models. This material has now been selected for both body and vehicle armor applications where ultra-light weight and enhanced performance are required.

The HB80 has been extensively tested and evaluated in different helmet constructions and is currently in the final development testing phase of ECH program. The ECH will use manufacturing techniques different from those associated with resin-impregnated para-aramids while the UHMWPE uses advanced thermoplastic processing.

According to DSM Dyneema the company is already working with all major helmet manufacturers involved in the Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) program. Unlike previous models made of Kevlar, Improved versions of the ECH will employ the high tech UHMWPE developed specifically to address the requirements of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The program is a joint PEO Soldier/Marine Corps Systems Command developmental effort that will provide increased protection against ballistic and fragmentation threats. Previous reports about the ECH mentioned that the new lightweight helmet will match or exceed the ballistic fragmentation resistance of current helmets offering a significant weight reduction of approximately 20%, which means above 0.5 pounds as compared to the older designs

© 2010 Defense Update

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Brits Talk Through Their Left Ears

Posted by Bill Sweetman at 10/14/2010 10:35 AM CDT

More than 25,000 British soldiers have been able to take advantage of hearing protection developed by Esterline Racal Acoustics in the last two years, since a September 2008 Urgent Operational Requirement launched development of the company's Frontier headsets. The company is briefing a new enhancement to the product at the NATO Future Soldier exhibition in Prague.

The UOR was launched because of the high rate of hearing loss among returning troops. The goal was to block impulse noise while retaining hearing and situational awareness. "It's not always the IED that kills people," says a Racal official. "It's the disorientation and the sniper fire, because the enemy will always cover bomb sites with snipers."

The Frontier headset features two in-ear assemblies, ideally custom-fit (the 25,000 figure refers to the number of custom-fit plug sets delivered). The left assembly is a microphone that picks up the user's voice internally via the jawbone, and the system is connected to an external microphone that picks up external noise while suppressing impulse noise from blasts. Different versions are designed to connect to personal radios, squad radios or multi-channel command radios, but the principle is the same.



The latest improvement, now under development, is a system that allows custom earplugs to be made in the field. A basic plug incorporates a cavity with a flexible skin, and a threaded stopper. It is placed in the subject's ear, an expanding glue is injected into the cavity and in five minutes the custom shape is firm. When the stopper is removed the plug is ready to be attached to the headset.

The new plugs will improve usability for operators (including the US Army) who don't like foam plugs because of their tendency to pick up contaminants.

[buglerbilly]

Via Strike-Hold! blog.............

Peltor ARC Headset Kit now available from Tidewater Tactical

If you’ve ever wanted to rock the Peltor ARC headset on an Ops-Core FAST helmet but you don’t have US military of government credentials, now’s your chance.

Thanks to Soldier Systems for the heads-up that Tidewater Tactical have revised and relaunched their website – and they’re now open for business to non-US-military / government folks as well! According to SSD, Tidewater Tactical is the only company they’ve found that stocks this winning combination of head and ear protection with top-notch comms integrated too. Get ‘em while you can.

www.TidewaterTactical.com

[Gubler, A.]

New helmet shown at DVD 2010 last week.............info from Army Recognition doesn't help as they talk about it as an existing equipment item........I can see the benefit for vehicle crew, but I, personally, wouldn't like to wear it in foot combat situations and certainly NOT in CQB.........ONE pull on the front of that helmet and your neck has snapped..............

This looks like the Revision MPAS – Modular Protection Attachment System with face plate but these pictures do not show it with the all important ballsitic glass (so no bad guy grabbing your mandible protection for a neck breaking yank).

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems.............

DuPont Protection Technologies Unveils Kevlar XP for Hard Armor

October 21st, 2010 When DuPont contacted us and told use that they were set to unveil a new armor technology that could result in a 20% reduction of weight while retaining the same level of protection we practically did cheetah flips. Based on work on the Enhanced Combat Helmet program, the new Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor combines DuPont’s latest Kevlar® KM2 Plus fiber technology and a new advanced thermoplastic resin to create a protection system providing 20 percent higher performance. The most obvious application was helmets.



The story behind the new product is fascinating. Two years of focused research on 100% aramid reduced weight helmets at DuPont’s Armor Technology Center in Wilmington, Delaware resulted in development of XPH170. The goal was weight reduction rather than performance. Combining Kevlar® into thermo plastic technology, DuPont worked to meet current ACH requirements, and the result is a helmet with a 20% reduction in weight forming what is essentially a Lightweight ACH. To put matters into further perspective, the ACH is 8% lighter than its predecessor, the PASGT. Even better, since the new material requires fewer plies, the helmet is thinner and there is more stand off room between helmet and head lowering the risk of blunt force trauma. Additionally, the new material is stronger so there is less back face deformation.

Once the engineers at DuPont realized what they were on to, it took about nine months to workable prototypes. They have continued collaborating with several helmet producers to integrate the technology into their lines. Since it is based on work to develop the ECH, most manufacturers already invested in the infrastructure.

“Our goal is to provide the U.S. military with products that have a meaningful impact on how soldiers accomplish their mission,” said William F. Weber, vice president – DuPont Protection Technologies, North America. “The launch of Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor demonstrates our proactive approach to innovation in order to shape what will become the next generation of required materials for the military.”

Not only is it a perfect fit for Tactical helmets, but it can also be used for armor plates and Police helmets. DuPont continues to develop new products under the Kevlar® XP™ platform to provide lower weight solutions and better protection for warfighters.

Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor will be produced using materials from the new DuPont™ Kevlar® facility being built near Charleston, S.C. Dupont has made a major investment of $500 million to expand Kevlar® production capacity. The facility is expected to be fully operational by the beginning of 2012. It also will produce other Kevlar® fiber technologies specifically for military applications, law enforcement and industrial applications, and will increase worldwide production of Kevlar®, including Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor, by 25 percent.

Be sure to visit DuPont at AUSA and check out this new technology.

www.dupont.com

[buglerbilly]

U.S. Army researchers develop futuristic helmet

09:02 GMT, November 4, 2010 WASHINGTON



Imagine a future when a Soldier's helmet is an integrated communications center with a heads-up computer display, night vision, thermal sensors and enhanced hearing. That future is nearer than many think.

During the 2010 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting Oct. 25-27 at the Washington Convention Center, civilian researchers from the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center displayed futurist equipment design concepts to senior Army leaders, congressional staffers and Soldiers attending the show.

"What we're trying to do is tell the story of how we're setting the force for the future," said Jean-Louis "Dutch" DeGay, Strategic Outreach, Natick Soldier RDEC.

DeGay said his focus is on the Soldier Domain, or everything that has to do with the individual Warfighter, such as uniforms, helmets and body armor. The NSRDEC works closely with other RDECOM centers to integrate electronics, night vision and computing power.

Army researchers consider the Soldier the most powerful weapon in the inventory.

"Our end-state, as I've always said, is to develop the F-16 on legs," DeGay said. "We need to build that platform around the Soldier. We do that with vehicles and we do that with aircraft, but we don't historically do that with Soldiers."

At the Army Materiel Command booth, DeGay shows concept helmet designs. The concept helmets show integrated headgear capabilities greater than the Advanced Combat Helmet and Combat Vehicle Crewman helmets currently being used in theater. Pre-molded rails on the sides offer a way to easily mount a chemical-biological protective mask. On the front, the helmet is molded to rapidly attach night vision or thermal sensor devices.

The Army conducts extensive interviews and technology demonstrations to generate feedback from Warfighters returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.

"We integrate Soldier feedback into our design principles," DeGay said. "They're happy. Soldiers are always excited to see something wearable."

DeGay said feedback drives the science and technology investments that has led them to build a modular, upgradable helmet of the future.

"When the Soldier gets the helmet they will say, 'Oh, this is my base platform with all these pieces that are already pre-molded,'" he said. "What my Soldier in theater is doing right now is buying these rails aftermarket and bolting them onto the helmet. If they want mounting platforms, why don't we make the extra effort to mold the helmet to accommodate those?"

The Research, Development and Engineering Command approaches its mission in the same way large corporations might.

"We're working together in an enterprise approach, which is a little bit different from how it has traditionally been done inside DoD, and it's more of what our industry partners do," DeGay said. "You have a large company that owns a number of subsidiary companies and they all work together for a final product."

The end product is the result of research done at multiple laboratories such as the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center, also at APG, and the Army Research Laboratory at Adelphi, Md. as well as NSRDEC in Massachusetts.

"We develop next generation helmets, next generation body armor, on-board electronics and we work with all the other partners inside the RDECOM portfolio as we develop them," DeGay said.

The helmet project is known as an Advanced Technology Objective, or ATO. Army researchers develop the product to a point of viability.

"We're in the concept phase right now," DeGay said. "We're responsible for the science and technology, not the production and maintenance. What we'll do as part of a science exploration with the ATO is find out what shows promise, take that and present it to Program Executive Office Soldier and say, 'We've matured this to x-level.' If they think this has viability then they will continue to mature the product and go out and compete, award and maintain the item out to the Army."

Natick researchers, and their partners across RDECOM, get the ball rolling.

At the AUSA meeting many people stop by to see the technology displays.

"Certainly when you do an event like this you get very lucky in that you get the senior Army leadership on the floor walking around," DeGay said. "We want to be able to make the senior leadership aware of what it is that we're doing, how we have a plan for science and technology investment for the next one, two, three, or five years. First and foremost, it's information awareness."

DeGay is a former Special Forces Soldier who knows what Warfighters face in the field.

"The reason I'm working at the NSRDEC is because I want to work on next generation equipment that lessens the Soldier's burden while increasing effectiveness," he said. "I'm very proud of the work we do."

DeGay said many people get enamored with aircraft and vehicles and forget about the dismounted Soldier.

"We want to make sure everyone is aware of the research we're doing for the Soldier," he said. "It gives them greater protection, greater capabilities and ultimately makes them more combat effective."

----
David McNally (Research, Development and Engineering Command Public Affairs)

[buglerbilly]

From Soldier Systems.............

SOD Boonie Hat

November 22nd, 2010

We first published this article in June of 2008. Even today, we still feel that Italy-based SOD manufacturers the finest Boonie Hat available. In addition to Crye MultiCam and the standard Green and Tan colorschemes, SOD offers several Italian camo patterns. If you are looking for a Boonie, this is the one to get.

This is the first in a series of articles on the SOD line of products. I have already made mention of the attention to detail that the crew at SOD pays to their designs. For their boonie, they started with Crye’s already fantastic design and improved it even further.



The design features a wide brim with multiple stitching reinforcements. It is a little wider than the Crye hat but not was stiff as the Crye. The pile tape and, nylon webbing camo band, and barrel lock are all treated with the Multicam pattern.



The sweatband is terry cloth as used in the Australian boonie hat.



Additionally, where the Crye boonie has only one slash vent backed with mesh netting, the SOD features two.



SOD is currently in negotiations with a US distributor. In the interim, you can see SOD’s website here

http://www.sodgear.com/

[buglerbilly]

Face Shield May Prevent Military Brain Injuries

Helmets currently leave soldiers' faces unprotected, allowing explosive forces to blast through..

Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:45 PM ET
Content provided by Rachel Ehrenberg, Science News

- Adding a face shield to standard-issue helmets could decrease the chances of traumatic brain injury.
- Nearly 200,000 service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury since 2000.
- The long-term effects of these kinds of injuries are largely unknown.



Michelle Nyein

Adding a face shield to the standard-issue helmet worn by U.S. troops could help protect soldiers from traumatic brain injury, the signature wound of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A new study that models how shock waves pass through the head finds that adding a face guard deflects a substantial portion of the blast that otherwise would steamroll its way through the brain.

The study, to appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is part of a spate of new work tackling traumatic brain injury. An estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain mild traumatic brain injury each year, and nearly 200,000 service members have been diagnosed with it since 2000, according to the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center in Silver Spring, Md. While direct impact, such as banging the head, clearly can injure the brain, the forces endured when explosives send shock waves crashing through the head are much more difficult to characterize.

In the new study, researchers led by Raúl Radovitzky of MIT's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies created an elaborate computer model of a human head that included layers of fat and skin, the skull, and different kinds of brain tissue. The team modeled the shock wave from an explosion detonated right in front of the face under three conditions: with the head bare, protected by the currently used combat helmet and covered with the helmet plus a polycarbonate face shield.

The results showed that today's helmet doesn't exacerbate the damage, as some previous research had suggested. But at least in terms of blast protection, the current helmet doesn't help much either. Addition of a face shield would improve matters, the team reports.

"The face shield contributes a lot to deflecting energy from the blast wave and not letting it directly touch the soft tissue," says Radovitzky. "We're not saying this is the best design for a face shield, but we're saying we need to cover the face."

To validate the model, researchers at MIT and elsewhere will have to conduct experiments in the real world. But the work points to an intrinsic flaw in the current helmets.

"These helmets weren't designed to stop a pressure wave; they were designed to stop bullets," says Albert King, director of the Bioengineering Center at Wayne State University in Detroit. "Just like a football helmet wasn't designed to stop a concussion, but to stop skull fracture."

Designing a blast-resistant helmet requires a better knowledge of what happens in the brain when an explosion washes over it. Soldiers experiencing explosions often describe a wind or wave that makes them see stars. "I really got my bell rung," is a common report.

The resulting "mild" traumatic brain injury doesn't lead to long-term loss of consciousness, and brain scans yield normal results. But labeling these injuries as mild is a misnomer, says Douglas Smith, director of the Center for Brain Injury and Repair at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

"It is not mild; that term has led people astray," says Smith. "It is something very serious that can lead to severe dysfunction."

Smith and his colleagues have been working on a sensor that could be placed in a helmet or vehicle and that, like the radiation badges worn by nuclear-plant workers, would indicate exposure to blast forces likely to cause brain injury. The sensor is described in a paper to be published in NeuroImage.

While a sensor would indicate exposure to blast forces, it still isn't clear exactly how that energy translates into brain trauma. Under everyday conditions, the brain can easily withstand a little jostling. "Plop down in your chair and your brain blobs around like Jell-O," Smith says. But at tremendously high speeds, instead of gently stretching, brain cells can snap and break (SN: 3/13/10, p. 11) like glass.

The long-term effects of these busted brain cells are largely unknown. In addition to chronic headaches, vertigo and difficulty remembering words, research suggests that when the brain shuts down for even a few minutes, depression is more likely down the road.

Scott Matthews, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego, who studies mild traumatic brain injury in returning veterans, notes that causality can't be established. But among soldiers who were exposed to combat, he sees depression twice as often in people with traumatic brain injury.

"There's more and more evidence that loss of consciousness changes the brain," Matthews says.

Unraveling cause and effect and designing useful experiments to illuminate traumatic brain injury and its aftermath remains extremely challenging. And translating those scientific findings into meaningful policy can be just as difficult. Even implementing something as simple as a helmet with a face shield poses problems, says Smith.

"How do you deploy something like that?" he asks. "There are practical things like temperature issues. And then there's wanting soldiers to be able to meet and greet in villages without looking like spacemen."

[buglerbilly]

New from Crye..............This is the AirFrame helmet with Chops and MultiCam mesh cover.



"Hail Caesar" helmet...........:wave

[buglerbilly]

It’s a better helmet AND helps treat TBI

January 18th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Lance Bacon





Eclipse Performance Gear has turned some heads (no pun intended) with its helmet innovation.

First up is the Helmet Attachment Platform — a fully modular item that allows easy attachment of all gear such as NVGs, lights, cameras and IR beacons to any standard issue helmet. Its two picattiny rails and separate retention of integrated goggles are a plus. High-altitude jumpers will be happy with the oxygen mask receptacle, which means you don’t have to bring the bump helmet.

The attachment platform is in final evaluation and will come in at $120.

As good as that is, we found a piece of gear inside the helmet even more intriguing.

Micheal Haynes, manager of business development for BAE Systems’ Security and Survivability department, showed GearScout a mini computer sensor that inserts into the crown of a helmet and measures overblast pressure (shown below). With a quick connect via USB, a corpsmen or doc will know the severity of the blast and can better diagnose traumatic brain injury.

[buglerbilly]

Ops-Core Sentry Helmet

January 21st, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



Want an ACH style helmet that shaves 1/4 the weight? Have a look at the Sentry. It’s a full coverage helmet that uses a new composite material in the shell. The lighter helmet actually provides better backface deformation than it’s heavier cousin. Its shell shape provides the same percentage of coverage as an ACH while improving hearing and compatibility with communication headsets. Inside the helmet, there’s a new “worm drive” adjustment system that’s lower profile than the old knob for better comfort and clearance and new pads called X13 Liner Blocks. All this protection comes a price, though. Look for the Sentry for around $900 in March 2011.



Read more: http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2011/01/21/ops-core-sentry-helmet/

[buglerbilly]

New Helmet Blocks Rifle Shots

February 04, 2011

Military.com|by Christian Lowe



The Army and Marine Corps may soon field a lighter combat helmet with nearly double the bullet and blast protection of the current Advanced Combat Helmet.

Army officials said that recent tests of the so-called "Enhanced Combat Helmet" showed the helmets were so strong that engineers didn't have equipment powerful enough to penetrate them with simulated IED fragments.

"The test lab we sent it to couldn't calculate an [average ballistic rating] because … the test guns they had couldn't shoot fragments fast enough to penetrate the helmet," said the Army's top protective equipment buyer, Col. Bill Cole. "We don't know exactly what the [average strength] is, but it's better than we've ever seen before."

"We're going to have to build stronger test guns to figure out how good it is," he added.

Testers hoped to get about a 40 percent increase in ballistic resistance over the ACH. But Cole said in some tests, the new ECH was 70 percent stronger than the helmets worn by Soldiers and Marines today. Additionally the new helmet weighs about four ounces less than the ACH.

"It's really a huge leap forward in terms of head protection capability," Cole added. "The data that we were getting from prototypes is even better than we'd hoped."

Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va. runs the ECH program for both services. Officials with the command were unable to comment on this story by post time.

In 2007, the Army and Marine Corps began looking into how to make current helmets -- the Army's ACH and Corps' Lightweight Helmet -- stronger without increasing weight. Both could withstand a direct hit from a 9mm pistol round and some bomb fragments, but senior officials in both services wanted improved protection against rifle shots.

At the time, military helmets were generally made from layers of Kevlar or Twaron material -- both of which get heavy when the layers pile up. In recent years armor makers have developed technology to shape ultra-strong materials akin to plastic sheets that are lighter than Kevlar and have similar ballistic resistance.

After a first round of test failures in 2009, the Army has finally found a design made by Ceradyne, Inc. that works -- so well, officials say, that some types of 7.62 rifle rounds can be fired point-blank at the helmet without going through.

The service plans to purchase 200,000 ECHs beginning in the fall of 2011, with Soldiers in Afghanistan or deploying there getting the rifle-stopping helmet first. Officials say the new helmet costs about $600 each, double the price of the current ACH.

"We're very excited about this and we're going to try to take this revolutionary capability in head protection to the field as quickly as we can," Cole said. "This is like stepping up from an up-armored Humvee to an MRAP in the head protection arena."

© Copyright 2011 Military.com. All rights reserved.

[buglerbilly]

Enhanced Combat Helmet to Be Fielded in Fall



Washington - The Army is looking at an improved combat helmet that surpasses the capabilities of what Soldiers are currently wearing in the field, and it may be available in the fall.

The new Enhanced Combat Helmet doesn't look much different than the Advanced Combat Helmet it's designed to replace, but the performance difference is huge, said Col. William Cole, project manager, Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment.

"If you hold them in your hand, you'd have a tough time telling the difference, other than the relative thickness," Cole said during a media roundtable Feb. 2 in the Pentagon. "The ECH is a little bit thicker, also about an ounce to four ounces lighter depending on the size. But it's really a huge leap ahead forward in terms of head protection capability."

During testing, he said, the helmets did so well that a new test system will need to be developed to evaluate their effectiveness at protecting a Soldier's head from fragments.

"The data we're getting from the prototypes going into the milestone was even better than we hoped," he said. "We had hoped for a 35-percent improvement over the ACH in terms of ballistic protection and it's way better than that."

With smaller fragments, the lab was unable to determine a "V50" rating -- that's a determination of what velocity is needed for 50 percent of fragments to penetrate a test material.

"In this case the test guns they had couldn't shoot fragments fast enough to penetrate the helmet," Cole said. "We don't know exactly what the V50 is, but we know it's better than anything we've seen before. We're going to have to build stronger test guns to figure out exactly how good it is."

The Army wants 200,000 of the helmets, though Cole said, "I'd be surprised if we stop at that number." It's expected fielding of the ECH will happen this fall and will align with the Army's Force Generation Model, though Cole said he hopes to accelerate fielding. The Marine Corps is a partner in development of the ECH and will also purchase the helmets.

"It potentially could mitigate some traumatic brain injuries -- we're seeing it has great potential," said Brig. Gen. Peter N. Fuller, the Program Executive Officer Soldier. "We're trying to work through getting that product accelerated."

Source : US Army

[buglerbilly]

UPDATED: Rifle-Stopping Helmet Facing FAT Test Failures

by christian on March 17, 2011



For those that don't know FAT = Final Acceptance Tests, for helmets this is typically taking a small percentage of each Production/curing batch and testing them ballistically and otherwise..........

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We've received some additional information regarding the nature of the failures and why they happened. Be sure to see news headlines at Military.com tomorrow morning for a full story on the ECH test problems.]

The Ceradyne-made Enhanced Combat Helmet beat out its competitors in December to become the Army and Marine Corps’ new rifle-round-stopping head protector.

But according to Brig. Gen. Frank Kelley, USMC SysCom commander, some of the first article test samples being shot at are failing their requirements. We’re checking to see precisely which tests they’re failing and how many, but Kelley told the House Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee this morning that FAT tests began in February and were scheduled to end April 1st.

During some of the tests “we were noticing a different performance than in developmental tests,” he said. “But we quickly identified the root cause.”

Kelley said Ceradyne was curing the helmets — which are made primarily from thermoplastic ultra-high molecular weight polyethyline materials like Dyneema and Spectra — too quickly (gas and water vapor are released) which resulted in changes to the helmet’s chemical “matrix” causing test failures. Again, we’re pinging sources to see if this is a ballistic strength issue, form and fit issue or what.

The problems have added an extra 45-60 days to the FAT test process, Kelley said, adding that the whole FAT series should be wrapped up by June and his office — which runs the program for the Army and Marine Corps — expects to begin fielding the 7.62-stopping helmet by the first quarter of fiscal 2012 (fall/winter 2011).

That schedule still tracks with service plans, but Kit Up! readers will remember that the ECH — which delivers 70 percent more ballistic capability at a slightly lighter weight — has been a touch technological nut to crack.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/03/rifle-stopping-helmet-facing-fat-test-failures.html#ixzz1GuHz51Ns

[buglerbilly]

Rifle-Stopping Helmet Fails Tests

March 18, 2011

Military.com|by Christian Lowe



The top general at Marine Corps Systems Command told lawmakers March 17 that a new combat helmet designed to stop some high-caliber rifle rounds failed to meet specifications during recent ballistic tests.

Brigadier Gen. Frank Kelley told members of the House Armed Services Committee's Air and Land Forces panel that engineers conducting so-called "first article tests" of the Enhanced Combat Helmet have "noticed … some different performance that we noticed in [developmental testing]."

"We believe now that we have identified the root cause of the ECH problem that we're seeing in the first article test right now," he added.

Kelley explained that ECH builder Ceradyne Inc. improperly manufactured the helmets it submitted to the Marine Corps for testing in February. Military officials say the ECH is up to 70 percent stronger than both the current Lightweight Helmet worn by Marines and the Advanced Combat Helmet worn by Soldiers. But that ballistic capability is hard to get right, industry and military officials say. It requires high-tech tools and manufacturing processes that must be strictly followed.

"Normally, when that helmet is developed … it will go through the curing process. That was as the process was originally intended for manufacturing," Kelley said. "Ceradyne, in order to accelerate that process and make them available more quickly, increased the temperature at an earlier stage, so what we're noticing is that it's changing the matrix, so to speak."

The president of North American operations for Ceradyne David Reed admitted his company tried to shorten the manufacturing process to push helmets to the field but added the next batch of ECHs won't have the same problem.

"This was very unfortunate," Reed told Military.com in an interview. "But we see it as a very minor bump in the road."

The ECH will be fielded to both the Army and Marine Corps. Systems Command is running the program.

The Army has said it plans to field 200,000 of the helmets at a cost of about $600 per helmet. The Marine Corps says it plans to field nearly 40,000 ECHs.

In February, Army officials disclosed that earlier tests had demonstrated that the ECH could stop an AK-47 round fired at point blank range and was so resistant against simulated bomb fragments that engineers didn't have equipment powerful enough to penetrate the helmet's shell.

Officials described the protective capability of the ECH as akin to going from an up-armored Humvee to an MRAP.

Industry officials say making the ECH -- which uses ultra-strong materials similar to plastic sheets rather than Kevlar -- is very complex and time consuming. During tests in late 2009 involving four different manufacturers, none of the helmets met the standards. When service officials resumed tests last year, only the Ceradyne prototype passed.

Reed said that his engineers recommended heating the helmets up to help dry the final coating of paint applied to them, but they didn't realize that increased temperatures would alter the ballistic strength of the final product.

Systems Command declined to elaborate on the nature of the first article test failures, and an official with the Army's Program Executive Office Soldier referred all questions to SysCom.

But an informed source tells Military.com that some of the test helmets failed to properly stop 9mm pistol rounds.

While there were no full penetrations of the ECH, some 9mm shots resulted in a so-called "back face deformation" beyond what the specs allow.

The source believes Ceradyne "took shortcuts" and is "screwing up" the ECH program.

Reed rejected that criticism, saying his engineers simply didn't realize the effect their change would have.

"We feel confident that when we adhere to the exact process used to make the helmets [that passed earlier tests], it will result in a product that meets the military's specifications," he explained.

With the winds of successful tests last year and a recent manufacturing go-ahead at their backs, program officials were confident they'd breeze through first article tests and potentially begin fielding ECHs to the combat zone in June.

Now, program officials have to schedule a new round of tests in June to make sure Ceradyne fixed the manufacturing problem. But despite a potential 60-day program delay, Kelley says the Corps will likely stick to the original fielding plan which is set to begin this fall.

"We still believe that because our folks have been able to identify … the root cause, we have a way ahead," he told lawmakers. "So I would say the first quarter of fiscal '12 looks reasonable."

© Copyright 2011 Military.com. All rights reserved.

[buglerbilly]

ECH Program Manager Explains Test Problems

by christian on March 21, 2011



Kit Up! had the opportunity to speak with the Marine Corps program manager for the Enhanced Combat Helmet program shortly after we ran the story March 18.

Lt. Col. Kevin Reilly detailed the problems that had cropped up during first article testing of the Ceradyne-made ECHs and the specifics generally jibed with the information provided to us by David Reed, Ceradyne’s chief of North American operations.

While Reilly reiterated that the helmets have not officially failed the FAT tests and disputed our characterization that the anomalous backface deformations from 9mm shots were out of “spec,” he did say if all the data proves the FAT test was a failure, then his office’s “Plan B” is hold a re-FAT in June, shooting helmets that were made under the original formula of developmental test two, dubbed DT-2.

Kit Up! takes at face value the assertion that Ceradyne’s acceleration of the paint curing process “changed the matrix” of the protective material in the helmet, causing these performance problems and that simply allowing the helmets to cure on their own for a week will solve the problem. There does not as of yet seem to be a fundamental problem with the helmet design or formula — and this is confirmed in interviews with industry professionals who work at companies who lostthe competition…they’re not bad-mouthing Ceradyne at all.

What Reilly did say to add to the narrative is that the ECH is not seen within the Marine Corps as the be-all-end-all of the ballistic helmet. While the Army seems to be jumping on the ECH badwagon pretty hard with a projected buy of 200,000 lids, the Marine Corps is only buying about 40,000 to field to its leathernecks in Afghanistan or deploying there, Reilly said.

He described the effort as an Urgent Need and that only. He admitted that the Corps will likely go in the direction of the ACH in terms of design geometry, but he’s already looking at the future of helmets, exploring alternative padding structures, suspension systems, integrated hardware like NVG brackets and IR reflectors and strobes. He said the new design will be greatly informed by the data being collected by both the Army and Marine Corps with onboard sensors in many of today’s combat helmets.

Reilly also tried to answer the debate over whether the ECH is overkill or could be better developed as a helmet with a downgraded spec at half the weight. He explained that there was medical evidence that protection against rifle bullets and shrapnel to the head at the ECH spec was needed. He also debunked the argument that even if the ECH stops an AK round, it’s going to kill or brain damage the wearing from the blunt force trauma.


The other thing that pertains to this is range distance and obliquity of the round. as soon as you have a round that comes in at an angle, more of the energy is deflected, also the greater the range from the target your energy level drops significantly. So we’ve looked at that. We’ve got some data on that as far as the effects and whatnot, but what we see is in normal combat situations that we may encounter at ranges and angles and such, the performance is pretty good. … The majority of the incidents you would actually see, it will perform better [than the LWH or ACH].

And for all you naysayers out there (particularly the Military.com commenters who’re acting a bit hysterical) there’s no greater endorsement of the ECH than this:


Personally, if I had a son that was going into battle, and I was getting asked would you want him to wear the ECH or ACH or Lightweight Helmet, I’d say the ECH without a doubt. And the fact of the matter is, overall protection is far superior.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

Intelligent Armour Introduces New Helmets

April 18th, 2011



UK Intelligent Armour has introduced new variants of their MACH 1, 2 & 3 series helmets that integrates Ops-Core rails and VAS shrouds. MACH stands for Military Advanced Combat Helmet and all three helmets offer NIJ IIIA protection. The MACH 1 is similar in shape to a US ACH while the MACH 2 takes a mid-cut approach similar to the TC-2002. Finally, the MACH 3 features a high cut like the TC 2001 to accommodate large comms/ear defender systems. The addition of the Ops-Core components adds a great deal of versatility to these designs although we are unsure why they didn’t go all the way and also include the excellent Ops-Core chin strap as well as an optional Occi-dial liner.

All three models are available in Tan, Green, and Black from www.body-armour-protection.co.uk

Additionally, Intelligent Armour Limited will be at the Counter Terror Expo in London this week in stand M50 in the National Hall at London Olympia. They will have reps from Blackhawk, 5.11 Tactical and Karrimor SF. Additionally, CEO Alex Bomberg will be giving a 20 Min lecture on Special Forces body armor during one of the workshops.

[buglerbilly]

BAE Systems fails helmet testing, leaves Marines in holding pattern

April 18th, 2011 | Business News Contracts | Posted by Dan Lamothe

Military gear afficionados are well aware that the push to develop a new, plastic helmet better able to withstand 7.62mm ammunition has faced several snags in the last year, leaving the Marine Corps and Army in a holding pattern.

Less known: It isn’t just the development of the Enhanced Combat Helmet that’s throwing a wrench in the Corps’ plans. The Corps also is working around lengthy acquisition delays for its existing domepiece, the Lightweight Helmet.

As noted in this story Marine Corps Times broke last week, the problems are twofold, and the latest snag is that BAE Systems has twice failed first-article testing after receiving a $28 million contract to produce up to 120,000 Marine helmets last year.

That’s right: BAE Systems is struggling to develop helmets that the Corps first fielded early in the Iraq war. BAE Systems spokeswoman Kelly Golden said the company “is working closely with the Corps and DLA to ensure it provides the helmets Marines need and deserve.”


Backup plans for back-ordered helmets

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer

Posted : Monday Apr 11, 2011 5:44:10 EDT


Sgt. Mark Fayloga / Marines Cpl. Brandon Owensby, a radio operator with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, during a patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Oct. 22, 2010

The Marine Corps is owed more than 100,000 back-ordered helmets and is developing contingency plans in case they aren’t delivered fast enough, Marine officials said.

Marines’ primary head protection, the Lightweight Helmet, serves as the primary head protection for most Marines, and typically is ordered through the federal Defense Logistics Agency, said Lt. Col. Kevin Reilly, program manager for infantry combat equipment at Marine Corps Systems Command. But the Corps hasn’t received any helmets from the agency since 2009, he said.

The problem is twofold. First, the recall of 44,000 DLA-issued Army helmets in 2010 led the Corps to refuse any helmets made by subcontractor UNICOR, a federal corporation that uses prison inmates to do its work.

UNICOR, also known as Federal Prison Industries, served as a subcontractor to ArmorSource, of Hebron, Ohio, and made the defective helmets, military officials said.

The Corps did not have any helmets recalled, but because UNICOR was in position to make Lightweight Helmets, Marine helmet production was delayed.

Second, DLA issued a separate $28 million contract to BAE Systems in early 2010 to make 120,000 Marine helmets. But the defense giant failed first-article testing for the helmets twice and is unable to deliver them so far, Reilly said.

In the first round, the helmets were slightly overweight and had several quality issues. In the second round, the helmets showed too much deformation when shot with small arms in testing, Reilly said.

“It’s a capability that we’ve had before, but I think part of the problem is that the demand cycle is not very constant,” Reilly told Marine Corps Times. “They’ve been very diligent in working this stuff, but they’ve had a hard time in getting back the capability that they’ve had in the past.”

BAE Systems spokeswoman Kelly Golden said the company has “is working closely with the Corps and DLA to ensure it provides the helmets Marines “need and deserve.”

“We’ve completed a new design that we are confident will pass first-article testing, and we anticipate starting the production phase in the very near future,” she said.

DLA officials could not be reached for comment.

To cover its bases, the Corps issued a contract March 26 worth up to $53.5 million to Gentex Corp., which has made Lightweight Helmets before. The contract allows the Corps to buy up to 16,000 helmets with the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet cut for the scout sniper and reconnaissance communities.

The bulk of the money is for up to 184,000 Lightweight Helmets if DLA can’t provide helmets needed by Marines.

“We don’t intend to buy any Lightweight Helmets because the Marine Corps as an institution has already paid for these things,” Reilly said. “If we really need to buy some in small quantities because we further delayed with the Lightweight Helmet, we may end up doing that.”

The Gentex order is unrelated to the development of the Enhanced Combat Helmet, next-generation headgear for Marines and soldiers made from a lightweight plastic known as ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

The ECH is expected to provide more protection than existing helmets but which has faced several snags in testing and will not be fielded until at least late 2011, Marine officials said.

[buglerbilly]

It’s All In The Helmets Pads

by christian on April 20, 2011



In case you all missed it, we have a story up this morning on Military.com about the Army’s effort to look into way to increase protection of a Soldier’s head.

There was a story in USA Today on Monday about a study recently completed by LLNL and sponsored by JIEDDO that showed just an eighth inch increase in pad thickness in military helmets would garner 24 percent increase in impact protection.

“We found that with a small increase in pad thickness, there was an enormous effect on impact mitigation,” said Dr. William Moss, co-author of the Livermore study. “It turns out it’s just sort of a sweet spot with current pad sizing.”

Increasing pad thickness beyond 1/8th of an inch “would have no effect,” Moss added.

The Army said “thanks for the research, but there’s more to protecting the noggin than pads…

Engineers aren’t just trying to block knocks to the head, argued PEO Soldier commander Brig. Gen. Pete Fuller, they’re also trying to deflect bullets and mitigate blasts.

“We’re trying to protect against blunt, blast and ballistic,” Fuller said at an April 19 Pentagon press conference. “When you think of those three things, we need to understand the cause and the effect, and then what’s the mitigation.”

“I’m encouraged by the data, and now we have to find out what the data means,” he added.

PadReport Final - http://www.scribd.com/doc/53423453/PadReport-Final

Fuller cited a Natick study completed last summer that showed testers hated having more padding because it meant a bigger, more awkward helmet.

(I can’t find a digital version of the report. If anyone can help, I’ll upload it here. It’s called Human Systems Integration Assessment of the Advanced Combat Helmet on Fit, Comfort and Stability)

This has prompted the Army to go deeper into fundamental changes to helmet design and geometry. In the near term, the service is sponsoring an industry day May 10 to see what companies out there have in terms of advances in pad design and suspension systems (the Natick study showed test subjects like the “X” style retention system over the currently-issued “H” style one and that movement data showed less lateral movement through obstacles with an “X” style strap).

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1K4kLk21M
Kit Up!


Report Won’t Change Helmets … Yet

April 20, 2011

Military.com|by Christian Lowe



Despite a recent Livermore Lab report on significant impact resistance from a small increase in padding, the Army says its current advanced combat helmet and the future enhanced combat helmet offer the best overall protection against battlefield threats.

According to a study commissioned by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization and conducted by Lawrence Livermore National Lab, a one-eighth inch increase in the thickness of pads inside a Soldier's helmet could cut the effects of blunt impact by nearly 25 percent.

"We found that with a small increase in pad thickness, there was an enormous effect on impact mitigation," said Dr. William Moss, co-author of the Livermore study. "It turns out it's just sort of a sweet spot with current pad sizing."

Increasing pad thickness beyond 1/8th of an inch "would have no effect," Moss added.

While officials with the Army's top gear buying office welcomed Moss' findings, they argued there's more to protecting a Soldier's head than just the thickness of the padding.

Engineers aren't just trying to block knocks to the head, argued PEO Soldier commander Brig. Gen. Pete Fuller, they're also trying to deflect bullets and mitigate blasts.

"We're trying to protect against blunt, blast and ballistic," Fuller said at an April 19 Pentagon press conference. "When you think of those three things, we need to understand the cause and the effect, and then what's the mitigation."

"I'm encouraged by the data, and now we have to find out what the data means," he added.

Officials say that since nearly half the force wears a size large ACH, engineers would have to "upsize" most helmets to accommodate the thicker pads, increasing weight and making the helmet more uncomfortable.

"If we gave every Soldier in the Army … a [thicker] pad all around and gave them a bigger helmet, the way our helmets are shaped today that wouldn't necessarily give them a good fit and could very well degrade their other functions," said PEO Soldier's Col. William Cole. "There's no denying the validity of the Lawrence Livermore study … but I can't say that going to a thicker pad will provide a Soldier with the proper fit."

A July 2010 study from the Army's Natick Soldier Systems Center demonstrated that most Soldiers found the so-called "usized" helmets uncomfortable and that tests showed the larger shell with thicker pads fit poorly and moved around more during runs and maneuvers.

"The upsized shell with thicker pads was noticeably heavier to most test participants," the Natick study showed. "The degradation in fit/comfort and stability was not beneficial to the user."

Army officials say they are looking into new ways to protect a Soldier's head -- including experimenting with new shapes and suspension systems and incorporating night-vision scope brackets and communications outlets -- that could result in a totally new helmet.

That could be years away, however, and in the meantime, engineers will collect data on how a Soldier's head is affected by operations in the war zone. Starting next fall, almost 30,000 Soldiers will be fitted with sensors that record impact information that will help shape what the helmet of the future will look like.

"We can use the data from the Lawrence Livermore study for future helmet designs -- the way we shape them, the way we size them -- pairing that with Natick studies so that the next generation of helmets might be shaped differently on the inside, but they can use a thicker pad and still provide a proper fit," Cole said.

© Copyright 2011 Military.com. All rights reserved.

[buglerbilly]

GoPro releases night vision helmet mount

April 26th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



$30 and you can snap your GoPro HD into your Army NVG/NOD mount. I used a prototype in Afghanstan last year and can report that the thing works. Though, it’s made from plastic and the two-is-one-and-one-is-none rule of combat logistics applies here. The camera mounts to the NVG mounting plate like any other GoPro accessory using the supplied threaded rod. You can adjust the camera from about 45 degrees up to about 90 degrees straight down.

It snaps in and out easily and holds securely. Just be careful when to take the camera off your helmet when you sit down with the elders for a KLE. Tiny hands made one of my GoPros disappear, while kinds words to the elders (backed by lots of firepower) made the camera reappear within a few hours.

http://gopro.com/camera-mounts/nvg-mount/

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems.................

Countour HD Mount from Ops-Core

May 2nd, 2011



Ops-Core is introducing a new mount for the Contour HD camera at Warrior Expo West. Designed to adapt the popular helmet camera to an Ops-Core ARC rail, it affixes to the camera so it can easily be attached to and detached from the helmet. The design also facilitates where it fits on the rail in order to accommodate other items.



Ops-Core will also be exhibiting their full range of helmet solutions including the new Sentry which debuted at SHOT Show as well as the very popular BaseJump helmet.

www.adsinc.com/ops-core

[buglerbilly]

3m/Peltor ComTac IV released. It doesn’t look at all like you thought it’d look.

May 2nd, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



3m/Peltor’s fourth generation of ComTac hearing protection headsets takes earpro in a hybrid direction. While the ComTac IV’s open-ear design looks strange when you’re used to the look of full over-the-ear muffs, these ear plugs-on-steroids do something that earmuffs don’t– they keep your ears cool.

So, with that in mind the ComTac Hybrid was conceived to offer in-the-ear protection with all of the head mounted, amplified talkthrough goodness you get with the older OTE systems. There will be a sacrifice of speed and convenience, but you’ll gain a higher level of auditory protection (and less sweaty ears.) While the headset looks different, it operates similarly to its predecessors. Amplified talk-through kills loud noises while letting you hear a flip-flop scuff the ground 50 feet away. The IV runs AAAs, they pulling 400+ hours out of a set. There’s no bulky control box and no complicated programming to deal with. Most importantly, comms work when the batteries die.

The headsets officially drop May 1st, but we’ve heard units are already in line for them after getting a preview. Deliveries are expected in the summer, 2011.Pricing runs from $775/$865 single/dual comms up to $1390 for the fully loaded dual comms kit with Ops-Core ARC adapter and connectors for PRC-152/117/121. Want some? Contact Peltor/3m Military.

[buglerbilly]

More on this................

COMTAC IV Hybrid

May 4th, 2011

3M Peltor has just introduced the next generation in communications headsets, the COMTAC IV Hybrid.



The idea is pretty cool. The headset housing which resembles an upside down horseshoe contains all of the electronics which eliminates the need for a large, heavy external radio control box. Rather than bulky ear phones, the user will now wear small ear plugs that integrate communications, active noise reduction (ANR), and hearing protection. Peltor will provide various sizes of the flanged earplugs to ensure a proper fit. There is no learning curve since the system’s control interface is exactly the same as previous models. However, there is also a new ‘boost’ feature that allows the user to manually override the audio input to pump up the the volume for those times when a higher audio output is necessary. Thoughtfully, the Comtact IV uses a AAA battery as a power source.

Gel ear pads help stabilize the headset and are attached with a proprietary 3M product that holds a stronger bond than hook and pile tape.



What is really cool about the new COMTAC IV is that it is also compatible with the Ops-Core ARC Kit (Accessory Rail Connector) for use with FAST (Future Assault Shell Technology) Helmets just like its predecessor the COMTAC III. In addition to a conversion kit, models will also be offered with the ARC adapter integrated directly from the factory. With either version, a microphone can installed either right or left.

The COMTAC IV is available now for preorder from Tidewater Tactical with deliveries beginning in June.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

Norotos Product Briefing

May 9th, 2011

Norotos Director of Manufacturing Rob Pendergast gave us a great rundown on three products during last week’s Warrior Expo West.



The Universal Shroud fits helmets with one or three holes and can be fitted with a strap for helmets that are not drilled. It also features a low profile as well as a breakaway tether plug.

Adaptable to the PVS 7,14,15,18,21, the Improved Night Vision Goggle Mount is backward compatible to any standard mount out there. Of all three of these products it is the most versatile and most applicable due to its compatibility with a variety of systems and unparallelled adaptability.

Finally, the Dual Dovetail Adapter allows you to rapidly transition the sight from right to left eye or vice versa. It also turns the PVS14 off when in the up position and turns it back on when lowered.

www.norotos.com

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

JIEDDO Helmet Pad Report

June 3rd, 2011

Earlier this year Lawrence Livermore National Lab issued a report on the issue helmet pad’s performance in mitigating impact injuries to the head commissioned by the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) and funded partially by the US Army. The main stream media made much of the researcher’s investigation of NFL helmet pads.

According to LLNL, “Five types of pad systems were studied-those currently and previously used by the Army, two used in NFL helmets, and one used in other protective sports equipment. The two Army systems consist of bilayer (hard-soft) foam pads within a water-resistant airtight wrapper or coating. One NFL system consists of a thin foam pad and a hollow air-filled cylinder that buckles under load, and the other is a bilayer foam pad surrounded by a covering with air-relief channels that connect to adjacent pads in the helmet. The fifth pad consists of uniform dense foam.”

Researchers Mike King’s and Willy Moss’s conclusion? None of the other pads out perform the current issue pad. In fact, NFL pads are not as soft as military pads, allowing larger forces to be transferred to the head.

Ultimately, the two scientists found that by increasing the thickness of current pads by just 1/8″ would significantly decrease the risk of Traumatic Brain Injury. While this answer sounds simple enough, it raises a serious issue. That extra 1/8″ of padding would require most everyone to go up one helmet size.

Unfortunately, the research was accomplished in support of ACH standards rather than against the energy levels associated with the new Enhanced Combat Helmet (.30) threat. Until this issue can be dealt with the ECH is ultimately just an expensive ACH. As lead service for the ECH program, the USMC has yet to unveil any plans at all on how to deal with the increased kinetic energy associated with the higher caliber threat.

Read the full report here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/56948903/LLNL-Helmet-Pad-Report

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.................

Batlskin – Coming Soon from Revision

July 31st, 2011

The other day we told you about a new helmet under development for the US Army by Revision Military. Now, we know the internal development has been under the name Batlskin™ at Revision’s Composite Center of Excellence . Here are a couple of concept drawings to give you an idea of what they are up to.





http://soldiersystems.net/www.revisionmilitary.com/

[buglerbilly]

USASOC Drops $5M on Ops-Core Helmets

by Jack Murphy on August 1, 2011



USASOC recently made a $5 million purchase of Ops Core ballistic helmets for their troops, a worthwhile, if expensive, investment at retail price of $882 each. Any soldier will tell you that the MICH was light years ahead of the K-Pot and now SOF is taking the next step with the Ops Core ballistic helmet.

Weighing in at just a few pounds, the Ops Core helmet delivers in several key areas that SOF personnel have been calling for in recent years. We used to look with envy at Delta and Ranger Reconnaissance Detachment soldiers who had their cut down MICH helmets which made it easier and more comfortable to wear Peltors under. As a sniper, I would take my MICH off whenever I could to obtain better cheek to stock contact while in a firing position. The low cut of the MICH made it difficult to get into the proper firing position behind a long gun, the problem becoming exaggerated further while in the prone position.

The Ops Core helmet corrects these issues with its lower profile and resolves a number of others as well, including a flaw in night vision mounts rather than in helmets. When soldiers attach their night vision device to the swing arm, which is in turn snapped into the helmet mount itself, the result is that the NODs rattle back and forth. To fix this rattle, soldiers have been improvising a tie down with rubber bands to hold their NODs steady. Ops Core looks for a more permanent measure by introducing an elastic lanyard that cinches down the NODs for you.

Another solution improvised by Special Operations troops was attaching LED lights to their helmets with Velcro, a necessity while searching buildings or working on casualties. Later, Surefire came out with a decent helmet light but it was too easy to accidentally discharge the IR light and unknowingly drain the batteries before actually needing to use it. Ops Core has provided mounting brackets on their helmet, making it easier for soldiers to attach their preferred light source or even a helmet camera if the mission calls for it.

Initial reports from soldiers serving overseas are very favorable. Let’s hope that SOF continues this recent trend of adopting lighter, more streamlined gear for their troops.

Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger and SF Soldier and is the author of the military thriller Reflexive Fire.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/08/usasoc-drops-5m-on-ops-core-helmets.html#ixzz1Tp8roxBt
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

To the idiot that emailed me, the "dog turds" on his face are CGI masking of his identity NOT an infection...........OR dog turds.

You should have followed the link, similar comments were made there..............sheesh, some people!

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.........

TEA INVISIO X50 MultiCom Headset

August 24th, 2011

The Soldier Equipment & Technology Expo & Conference is next week. Make sure you stop by TEA to check out the INVISIO X50 MultiCom headset.



The Digital Ears X50 is a digital in-ear bone conduction headset system with built-in active hearing protection. It uses bone conduction which captures vibrations caused by speech which travel up the jaw bone to the ear. This helps eliminate ambient noise and produce clearer voice signals. Additionally, the system features electronic hear-thru and impulse noise protection (Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 23db) with volume control for enhanced hearing. Finally, the X50 is designed for dual communication with radio autosensing and full-duplex/VOX capability. Consequently, unlike other Invisio products, the X50 is designed to worn in both ears.

The ear piece features the Soft SpringTM which adapts to the contours of the ear to provide a secure fit and enhance comfort as well as compatibility with helmets, eyewear, and protective masks. In fact, the X50′s fit is secure enough that it is well-suited for Military Free Fall operations. Additionally, the interface box seen above features switches for On-Off Open Mic Selector, PTT Button, Volume Up and Down as well as Hear-Thru and Mic Volume Selector.

www.swatheadsets.com

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

C4OPS Hybrid Headset

September 7th, 2011



Silynx has just released the C4OPS Hybrid Headset Configuration. Designed for use in high noise environments such as aircraft and boats, it consists of an in ear bud paired with an optional helmet mounted boom microphone. The kit features a modified steel core cable, new cable MOLLE clips, and a modified collar/vest clip.

Designed specifically with the Ops Core chinstrap, the boom integrates with their proprietary buckle. While primarily envisioned for use with the FAST helmet, the Ops Core chinstrap is standard issue throughout SOCOM for the MICH and is available for use with numerous helmet shells so there is a great deal of versatility here.

It features a quick disconnect connector.

www.silynxcom.com

http://www.silynxcom.com/#/C4OPS/4

[buglerbilly]

Ops-Core Helmets for the whole Norwegian Army

September 7th, 2011 | Contracts | Posted by Rob Curtis



Hell of a contract for them to win................

Confirming an anonymous tip I received back in mid-July, Ops-Core just gave us the official news that the Norwegian’s are buying Ops-Core FAST Ballistic helmets for their whole Army.

According to Norwegian Defense Logistic Organization (NDLO) program manager Per Morten Brunborg, they chose the F.A.S.T. Ballistic helmet as the new standard issue lid because the “helmet saves the overall program money by allowing us to field it service wide in several configurations, instead of having to field several different kinds of helmets like we used to. It’s also very beneficial that we can provide our soldiers better ballistic performance at a much lighter weight than our previous helmet.”

In a nutshell, they are embracing the Ops-Core helmet as a system by using ballistic and non-ballistic accessories to outfit each unit with a helmet that suits their mission and capability. To wit, the Norwegian’s ordered side armor, mandibles, helmet covers and rear counterweights. Each of these items provides added protection and performance that can be tailored on a per-mission basis.

Our tipster originally told us the months long selection process was called project 4004 and came down to three vendors, with Ops-Core coming out on top. Ops-Core is mum on the particulars (how many, how much) but we were told earlier that an initial order of up to 1000 lids will ship to meet a late 2011 deadline to equip a deploying unit.

We asked Ops-Core CEO David Rogers how an order this large would affect their current production and pricing of the F.A.S.T. Ballistic helmet:

“The Norwegian project is something we are very proud of, and will also afford expansion of our current production capacity. This will result in shorter delivery lead times for other customers once this additional capacity is online. Our prices are directly resultant from our raw material costs, and the increased volume based upon this order is not sufficient for our vendors to decrease their prices. Once we exceed orders for 100,000 helmets or more, our prices will be reduced accordingly.”

Congrats, Ops-Core.

Ops-Core’s press release:


“Ops-Core, Inc. (Boston, MA) was awarded a contract this week to supply the Norwegian Army with a new ballistic combat helmet called the FAST helmet (short for Future Assault Shell Technology). This order will fulfill quantities to outfit the Army as well as some of the Norwegian National Guard.

The decision to go with Ops-Core has resulted from an extensive competition over the past year which considered submissions from all the major players in the military combat helmet industry. Evaluation of the helmet included months of troop trials, ballistic and other safety testing. The Norwegian Special Forces had already fielded the helmet earlier in the year and have been using it in operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq with positive results.

Norway opted for the Ops-Core helmet over traditional options because the FAST helmet is the first modern combat helmet to offer a systems approach to military headgear. It gives soldiers the capability to tailor their level of protected head coverage as a balance between improved situational awareness, weight, and operational requirements.

“The FAST helmet gave our program flexibility to adapt to a variety of service positions and mission profiles that were difficult to accomplish with only one helmet in the past” said the Norwegian Defense Logistic Organization (NDLO) program manager Per Morten Brunborg. “This helmet saves the overall program money by allowing us to field it service wide in several configurations, instead of having to field several different kinds of helmets like we used to. It’s also very beneficial that we can provide our soldiers better ballistic performance at a much lighter weight than our previous helmet. The Ops-Core FAST High Cut version provides the Norwegian Army the right balance between comfort and integration of attachments, which stress the soldiers neck less than the previous solutions and enhances the durability of the soldier,” he continued.

The FAST helmet is state-of-the-art with a shell weight that is significantly less than the competitors of comparable size, coverage and ballistic performance. This capability is the result of a multi-year collaboration effort between Ops-Core, Ceradyne and DSM Dyneema. Ceradyne, the sub-contractor who molds the shell, has a special seamless processing technique using Dyneema’s ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material that yields outstanding ballistic protection at lower weights. Much of the systems technology used in this helmet has also been in the works over the last ten years with significant inputs from PEO Soldier, the Army Research Labs, and Natick Soldier Center and is similar to that being used in the new Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) for the US Army and Marine Corps.

While Ops-Core may be new to Norway, the FAST helmet has been a favorite of Special Operations Forces around the world for several years now. It is already used by many elite units in the US, as well as top tier programs in other European countries. The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is evaluating the FAST helmet for service wide procurement as part of its MICH Lightweight Helmet program planned for next year.

Deliveries of the FAST helmet to Norway are scheduled to commence in Q4 of 2011 and continue through Q3 of 2012. The Norwegian contract is valid for 10 years and is good for future Norwegian procurement and purchasing activities. For more information, please visit the Ops-Core website at www.ops-core.com

[buglerbilly]

The Revision MPAS is out! It’s called Batlskin.

September 12th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



Way back in 2009, you may remember we introduced you to the Revision MPAS. Well, we’ve had a steady trickle of emails from folks finding that article and asking us how they can get their hands on the system.

It sounds like Revision kicked the MPAS name to the curb is now calling the system Batlskin Modular Head Protection System. If you’re over at DSEI in London this week you can get hands on with the Batlskin at the Revision booth. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait ’till AUSA next month to try it on.

The system consists of new Revision branded gear including their all new ballistic helmet shell, trauma liner, front mount, retention system, mandible guard and visor. No word on price, yet.


Uploaded by RevisionEyewear on Sep 8, 2011
Introducing Batlskin -- the world's first fully integrated, fully modular head protection system.

[buglerbilly]

Desert Camo version?



The new Batkskin line of ballistic protection helmets, offered with integrated visor and face protection mandible guard introduced by Revision.
Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense-Update

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........

Maneuver Conference – BAE Systems

September 14th, 2011

BAE Systems demonstrated GEN II Headborne Energy Analysis & Diagnostic System (HEADS) which has just passed First Article Testing (FAT) for the US Army with first deliveries to begin September 22, 2011.



HEADS consists of the sensor which is mounted in the crown of the combat helmet, the software to perform computational analysis of traumatic events and an optional wireless antenna which can be used to interrogate the sensor for data when it is placed in close proximity. Alternatively, the HEADS sensor can be interrogated via a USB connection directly to a laptop.



As you can see from the photo, once data from the sensor has been uploaded to the software a date and time stamped visual display is created to assist medical personnel in correlating their medical diagnosis with actual events. The sensor will record all linear and angular acceleration and blast overpressure information, including multiple events.

It is important to note that the HEADS sensor can be covered with a crown pad within the helmet for enhanced comfort. Additionally, the sensor battery life is one year and can be recharged by tethering to a laptop via a USB cable or you can actually replace the battery with a fresh one.

For more information www.BAEsystems.com/ips

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...............

2011 Warrior Expo – Avon Protection

October 5th, 2011


Uploaded by adstactical on Sep 20, 2011

Here is the first of many highlights from Warrior Expo 2011 for those of you who missed it. For agency and unit inquiries visit adsinc.com/cbrn.

www.avon-protection.com

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

AUSA – Wilcox Industries

October 10th, 2011



Wilcox Industries has developed a mount for the Mini-N/SEAS night vision monocular manufactured by ITL Optronics to combine two of them into a binocular. While this sample is Black they are also available in Tan.



Here you can see how low the NODs can be stored. It is connected to a Wilcox G24 mount.

www.wilcoxind.com

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........

AUSA – Revision Military

October 10th, 2011



Revision Military’s Batlskin technology is making its US debut at AUSA. Batlskin is a modular, scalable head protective system. It integrates with existing ballistic helmets (ACH) With a front mount that does three things. You can integrate NVGs offering increased stability by using existing holes in the helmet. Additionally, you can use the mount to attach a visor and finally, the mount also accepts a mandible guard. The components can be attached and detached while the helmet is worn allowing you to tailor protection to the threat.



Additionally, Revision has developed a helmet retention system and liner that is optimized for use with the ACH. It can be used to upgrade your current helmet or in conjunction with the full Batlskin Head Protective Sysyem. The liner is a three piece affair which helps with proper pad placement for impactrotection. This means the middle pad can be removed to accommodate headsets.

Revisionmilitary.com/Batlskin

[buglerbilly]

Ceradyne, Inc. and Wilcox Industries Corp. Introduce the MOHAWK(tm) Boltless Combat Helmet at AUSA



Costa Mesa, Calif.—October 7, 2011 --[ASDWire]-- Ceradyne, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDN)in conjunction with Wilcox Industries Corp. is showing a new concept, next generation Combat Helmet utilizing Ceradyne’s advanced Seamless BallisticR technology at the Annual Meeting of the U.S. Army (AUSA) being held in Washington, D.C. on October 10-12, 2011. The prototype helmet, called “MOdular HArd Wired Kitted (MOHAWK) Boltless Combat Helmet” (Patent Pending) was developed in a joint effort between Ceradyne Diaphorm and Wilcox Industries Corp.

The MOHAWK Boltless Combat Helmet is based on a boltless retention system design with minimal inside surface obstruction. The helmet is further enhanced with a multi-conductor central modular bus bar system integrated into the helmet shell with multiple universal mounting points to attach any combination of powered helmet accessories. This also eliminates the need to utilize a ballistic bolt to attach Night Vision Goggles (NVG) to a combat helmet. The simple and cost-effective design offers a lightweight helmet solution by combining power sources and eliminating battery packs for each device. Also included is a simplified, lighter NVG attachment using redesigned molded edge trim with no shell holes for the NVG attachment.

Marc King, President of Ceradyne Armor Systems and Jim Teetzel of Wilcox Industries Corp., both commented: “This helmet is a significant technology step forward in reducing the warfighter’s dependence on multiple power sources for helmet mounted warfighting components, and the helmet safety performance is improved by eliminating suspension system bolts.”


The MOHAWK Boltless and Seamless Ballistic® helmet as outfitted includes Ceradyne’s new boltless retention system and the integrated MOdular HArd Wired Kitted system with electronics designed by WILCOX . The kit includes a rear battery pack, a crown mount for other powered devices such as an IFF (identification friend-or-foe) transponder and an NVG (night vision goggle) with integrated camera and LED flashlight, all powered from the rear battery pack.

[buglerbilly]

Wrong thread!

[buglerbilly]

More on the MOHAWK above.................

The MOHAWK combat helmet gives you MO power

Video can be seen here: http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2011/10/13/the-mohawk-combat-helmet-gives-you-mo-power-2/#more

The MOHAWK, or MOdular HArd Wired Kitted combat helmet concept, is a collaboration between Ceradyne armor systems and Wilcox Industries that brings the powered rail idea to the top of your head.

Seamless and boltless construction. No holes through the helmet means more structural integrity and fewer pathways for ballistic penetration.

Integrated & subdermal, multi-conductor wiring system powers head-born equipment with one battery source.
Built in NVG shroud with integral flashlight and flash memory based video recording system. Components of the Wilcox Mission Recording System will be laid directly in to the helmet’s ballistic material layers.

The only place the companies went too far on their new collaboration is forcing the name MoHaWK. into an acronym. I think calling it the “Mohawk” combat helmet would have been fine. I mean, the thing sits on your head, has a slightly raised strip down the middle and is made for combat. But, then again, services do run on Powerpoint and acronyms.


The MOHAWK combat helmet's integrated NVG shroud with video recorder and flashlight.




Notice how the straps are bound the edges of the helmet instead of bolted through the ballistic material.


Notice anything missing? No bolts!


A powered dock to mount a IFF or other head mounted device.


The MOHAWK combat helmet's battery box.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog..............

Canadian Army Tests New Modular Ballistic Helmet

November 8th, 2011



Uploaded by SolSysLLC on Nov 8, 2011
The Canadian Army is testing a new concept for a modular ballistic helmet.

Researchers have been concentrating on filling the gaps between current armor vests and helmets and that has driven the design of this new helmet system. They started with a light helmet with shock mitigating liner. Then they developed different mission-specific appliques, such as a ballistic shell, front mandible, ballistic visor and an rear neck guard that attaches at the back of the helmet which reminds me of those found on riot helmets. This has made it modular and scalable much like newer body armor. They’ve added a couple of other interesting features. As you can see, the outer shell includes an integrated NVG mount. Additionally, the liner helmet is high cut, exposing the the ear in order to decrease weight yet increase compatibility with hearing augmentation systems.




The helmet has been under development by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) – Valcartier since 2007 and recently underwent trials with 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment (2 R22eR) (the legendary Van Doos) during the last two weeks of September. The 2 R22eR team put the helmet through its paces in a variety of scenarios including dismounted and mounted, range drills and weapons handling.

Video report and Photos by Sgt Sébastien Fréchette, Army News, CFB Valcartier

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

Team Wendy EPIC Air Combat Helmet Liner System

November 14th, 2011

Team Wendy has introduced their new EPIC Combat Helmet Liner System. It incorporates three main pads (front, rear and crown) for impact protection, an assortment of new ergonomically designed comfort pads and patent-pending Air Channeling technology to keep you cooler. EPIC Air is offered in two styles to fit standard cut as well as high cut helmets. It is compatible with all styles of communications headsets and offered in two sizes.



Don’t forget, the Team Wendy ZAP pads remain the only authorized helmet pads for DoD use. Even though the new EPIC Air Combat Helmet Liner System exceeds standards set forth in blunt impact protection requirements of the Advanced Combat Helmet (AR/PD 10-02) it is not authorized for use.

www.teamwendy.com

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........

Swiss Eye SWAT Mask Pro

November 15th, 2011



I know seems a little out of the ordinary, but Swiss Eye makes a pretty interesting mask with integrated eyepro. Consisting of a fleece lined neoprene mask, the mask sports polycarbonate lenses that offer UAV-A, -B and -C protection as well as meet ANSI Z87.1 2003. The lens is replaceable and the mask can be configured with a clear lens.

http://www.swisseye.com/swisseye-safety-english/html/______s_w_a_t__mask_pro.html

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........

Army Seeking Advanced Combat Helmet Maxillofacial System

January 3rd, 2012

The US Army dropped a presolicitation over the holiday break for an “Advanced Combat Helmet Maxillofacial System.” According to the FBO posting it is a set aside for small business and must not change the standard ACH:

“Product Manager Soldier Protective Equipment (PM SPE) is looking for a commercially available product that can provide ballistic, blast and blunt impact protection in the maxillofacial region to increase soldier survivability. The system must be able to integrated on the current Advanced Combat Helmet and provide modularity which allows for commanders in the field to either wear the face shield or ballistic mandible separately or as an integrated system. The maxillofacial system shall not change the current form, fit, function of the helmet and maintain the current helmet sizing profile.”

Sounds like it might just be written for MTek Weapon Systems’ G-Series Faceshields. Their FAST G3A has been purchased in limited numbers by the Rapid Equipping Force and used by cupola gunners in combat.





The Army intends to procure only one type of system with an initial quantity of one hundred and sixty (160) systems will be procured with options for an additional two thousand (2,000) systems. The actual RFP will come out on 13 January and offerors will have until 14 February to reply.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog..........

Black Bag Designs LLC NVG Head Harness

January 19th, 2012



We saw a really cool NVG Head Harness in the Adams Industries booth (SHOT Show booth #5008) that is made by Black Bag Designs LLC and is 100% Berry compliant. It is crafted from Jaquard weave Multicam Webbing from Murdock webbing, printed MultiCam loop from Velcro USA and hardware from ITW and National Molding. It’s unique in that it is able to mount ANY US issue ground troop Night Vision Device. It is fully adjustable at 10 different points for user comfort. Additionally, the harness is lightweight and so compact it can be stowed in a cargo pocket. Guaranteed for life and currently in use by US SOF, the Head Harness is available from Adams Industries, ADS, and Black Bag Designs, LLC. It’s Patent Pending and available in Black, Khaki, MultiCam and Coyote Brown.



Black Bag Designs LLC
Ph 815-252-8766

[buglerbilly]

Ranger Regiment and SEAL Team Six scope out new kit from Ops-Core

by Jack Murphy on January 31, 2012 · 24 comments



New Ranger helmet cover?

When I stopped by to check out what was new from Ops-Core at the SHOT show, I talked to industrial designer Rafael Montes about their latest and greatest kit. The above is the new Multi-Cam helmet liner that they made for the Ranger Regiment. It struck me as strange that they were looking for new helmet covers. When I was in 3/75 we tossed them all together in favor of spray painting our helmets instead. At first, we painted them tan when we deployed, and then green when we were in Garrison. Eventually, we settled on a much more intelligent approach: find one greenish-tan type color and stick with that year round.



Whatever the rational (and I’m sure there is one even if I’m not aware of the details), I think the Regiment will be well served by whatever Ops-Core comes up with. I’ve been told that Rangers are already rocking out the Ops-Core helmets and Special Forces are getting them as well. I could tell that Rafael understands the end-user and gets that the details do in fact matter to those who have to live with his kit for 6+ months at a time during deployments.


New "skull crusher"? About time if you ask me.

Also on display was this newly redesigned “skull crusher”. The scary sounding name comes from the original model that came issued with PVS-7 and PVS-14 Night Vision Devices back in the day. They were a well intentioned piece of gear that allowed soldiers to utilize night vision without having to wear a helmet. Unfortunately, they were very uncomfortable, and it was next to impossible to adjust them so that you could see through your NOD’s correctly.


Rafael show me the Gunsight Mandible

Another interesting innovation is the Gunsight Mandible. The idea behind this is to give soldiers some added protection while off-roading without the need for removing their tactical helmet. Dirtbikes and ATVs have become much more popular over the years with SOF units in Afghanistan. The problem is, a standard helmet provides ballistic protection, but not complete coverage of the face, as a motorcycle helmet does. Another cool feature: the mandibles can bend inwards a little bit so that soldiers can get some semblance of cheek-to-stock contact when firing their weapon.

Not shown: a new maritime helmet for SEAL Team Six. It’s lightweight and provides protection from shrapnel but not ballistic protection. That’s well and good if the operators desire it, but I did have to roll my eyes at one thing. Inside the helmet are pictures of cartoon pin-up girls. Apparently they had also requested “morale” elements in their order. I never thought I’d say this, but if DOD is cutting their budget, maybe ST6 needs a line item audit. There are soldiers carrying shot out M4′s, so maybe the “morale” money can be best spent elsewhere.

Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger, Special Forces Soldier and is the author of the military thriller Reflexive Fire.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2012/01/ranger-regiment-seal-team-scope.html#ixzz1l8cBe2DM
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog............who's a pretty little Pratatac then! :aaah

New Shemagh

February 2nd, 2012

Australian military outfitter Platatac has released the M-Cam Shemagh. It’s unique design is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.



www.platatac.com

[buglerbilly]

This is an interesting little design in my opinion, strictly for bike riders at the moment BUT it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to see the same folding capability adopted to Kevlar/armoured version for SpecFor/Maritime/Aviation use...............very clever!

Overade Folding Bike Helmet

By Julian Horsey on Tuesday 31st January 2012 4:08 pm in Design, Gadgets



Cyclists looking for a more compact helmet to carry around when not riding their bikes. Might be interested in the folding bike helmet called Overade, which was designed by French studio Agency 360 back in 2010.

This year the Overade folding bike helmet is looking to make the jump from concept into production and will be available for purchase later on in the year.



The simple design of the helmet allows you to collapse the helmet into itself and fold it together, making it much easier to store in a bag or carry when not cycling. Agency 360 designer Patrick Jouffret, who worked alongside engineer Philippe Arrouart, says that the Overade helmet offers cyclists as much protection as a standard helmet but folds up when not in use.

Unfortunately no information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released as yet, but as soon as information comes to light we will keep you updated as always.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.........



Viper Headwear Announces the “Snake Eater”

February 4th, 2012



Viper Headwear was started by a US Army SF vet. Their new “Snake Eater” is a fitted cap for tactical operators constructed from genuine Crye Precision Multicam® 50/50 Nylon/Cotton Cordura® material. Caps can be ordered with or without the 2″ x 3.5″ Velcro® loop material on the front of the cap, 1.5″ x 1.5″ loop on top, and 1″ x 4″ or 1″ x 6″ Velcro® loop material on the back for shorter 4-inch or standard 6-inch nametapes.

For added comfort when wearing communications headsets, this cap does not include the button on top and it features an unstructured, lower crown.

www.viperheadwear.com

$21.99 each
Free economy shipping on U.S. / Canada orders with 5 or more items and
International orders with 10 or more items
We do ship to APOs and FPOs!!!

[ARH v.3.1]

Via Soldier Systems blog............who's a pretty little Pratatac then! :aaah

New Shemagh

February 2nd, 2012

Australian military outfitter Platatac has released the M-Cam Shemagh. It’s unique design is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.



www.platatac.com

It was just a matter of time before someone brought out a tactical Burka.:dunno