Eden, NC, March 4, 2019 – KDH Defense Systems, Inc. (“KDH”), a leading manufacturer of American-made, high-performance protective solutions, today announced it has been awarded a $29.9 million delivery order from the U.S. Army Contracting Command to produce the Modular Scalable Vest (“MSV”) Gen II System.
“Once again, we thank the U.S. Army for the trust they have placed in us. Keeping our protectors safe with the best protection remains our #1 priority and all of us, both at KDH Defense and Armor Express, stand ready to support all customers and their mission-critical requirements,” stated Jim Henderson, Chief Executive Officer. “We are continuing to invest in our business, leverage manufacturing capacity at both locations, and expand our partner network to enhance delivery times and improve innovation. 2019 is going to be a great year for our Company and we look forward to exceeding the needs of the U.S. Armed Forces, the various Federal agencies we work with, all First Responders, as well as our distribution partners across the world.”
This most recent delivery order is part of the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“ID/IQ”) contract the Company previously announced in September 2018 – Contract #W91-CRB-15-D-0021. Production will be done at the Company’s Eden, North Carolina manufacturing facility.
The Army MSV-GEN II includes both Tactical and Concealable Vest components. It can be worn over the soldier’s uniform and features Concealable Components inserted into the Tactical Carrier. The Concealable Components contain the soft ballistic panels for the MSV-GEN II and can be removed from the Tactical Carrier and worn separately as a complete Concealable Vest. This vest system can be easily transformed to a Tactical or Concealable carrier depending on mission requirements.
Tags: Armor Express, KDH
(first caption/pic) Here we go again, great placement of large buckles in front where ruck or assault pack straps could press on. Way too big side-plate pouches to dig up under the arms. Why does the cumberbund look as if its reversed, pulling from the front instead of the rear? Weird.
IIRC KDH made the plate carriers that everyone hated several years ago, looks like nothing changes
First thing I though when I saw KDH in the head line. “How did they get another contract?” Seriously with all the other companies that make armor carriers how do these guys get the big contracts.
Price and delivery.
I have already been issued this body armor, so I’ll go ahead and address all of the negative comments on here. When it was handed to me and I saw KDH on the tag I was immediately disappointed. I hated the old plate carrier. But the Army and KDH got this one right. It is extremely comfortable and lightweight. Plus the soft armor detaches from the inside and forms a chicken vest for armor crews (one that is way better than the current chicken vest that’s been around since Vietnam). The side plates sit exactly where I want them and I can comfortably shoulder an M4. The front buckles can be a bit of a hassle but that is the only bad thing I have to say. I’ve been using a tactical tailor fight lite PC for a while now and I’m just as happy with this new one…never thought I’d say that.
I’m not familiar with the term ‘chicken vest’ but have heard of chicken plate, just a tiny-plate to cover the heart, partial lungs.
Glad it’s more comfy for you, too bad about those buckles though! maybe next 20yrs and millions $$ later?
Take care
A lot of the same issues that the USMC’s new PC has, for a lot of the same reasons.
Those buckles look like they will be very comfortable under a rucksack’s straps.
Never liked any of KDH’s products before. I love how they’re labeled as a “Leading Manufacturer”. Maybe they’ll at least make these using legit Multicam brand fabric and webbing, or if they’ll cut corners to make some extra dollars.
There is no multicam on the MSV. It’s all OCP.
Since it’s for the Army, I would think it will have to be in Scorpion, not Multicam.
Any idea when these will actually be fielded?
Already RFI’d to some deploying units.
Well that looks like hot garbage, I can feel the career field check book being opened.
Maybe it’s time for an approved list for OCIE, like the eye-pro list, should guys want to spend their own money, and if not, you just use the issued stuff.
100%
You know as well as I do they would fuck it up.
The Army gets what the Army deserves. KDH may have it’s issues but in the end…..it’s making what it’s been asked to make.
We have the same issues in Canada. Guys like to harp on contract sewers for making junk but they’re just producing to a spec and price point.
It says more about the buyer than the manufacturer.
I’ll join the dogpile, but harp on two things;
1) just like the USMC PC, why have zippered side pockets?
2) and if you do have zippered side pockets reverse coil zippers might not be wise. With a sharp corner like these have there will be a lot of wear at that point, and the plate will likely abrade the chainstitch that holds the coil to the tape
Probably not a huge deal, since I doubt they will get opened that often, but I expect to see zipper failures at the corners.
This does actually look like an improvement that’ll suck less. I’ll keep my Scarab though.
I’ve seen this vest in the field…it’s not that good. The ESBI pouches extend far too low in the side preventing Soldiers from comfortably carrying their brand new shiny M17 pistol on the hip. They have to use an extender to drop the pistol low below the hip line impeding a good draw stroke. There were at least 3 other vest competitors who were a far better choice. The Army selected this one. SHOCKER!!! Everyone else has already addressed the other issues of note with the exception of one…take a look at how the cummerbund attaches to the front of the vest. I’ve seen this first hand, with magazine pouches on the front, the material exceedingly sags preventing a tight fight against the body…
For the actual military folks, beat up the folks at Bldg 70 at MCoE, they wrote the requirement and have been showing off the MSV for over 3 yrs at MCOE Warfighter Conf. Much better. One unit takes the low-vis soft armor part out, adds their plates and hangs low-viz chest rig and hydration pouch off it. Panthers of 3/82 have had it for a while now.