The latest issue of the British Army’s Soldier Magazine featured an article on the Virtus Program, including details on the kit. In the US, we have the Soldier Protection System program which is quite similar to Virtus. Among the gear displayed, you can see Revision’s Cobra Plus Helmet system and Sawfly Military Eyewear.
Additionally, Revision Military has released the following info on their involvement in the Virtus Program:
Revision Military, a world leader in protective soldier solutions, has won the head sub-systems portion of the contract awarded to Source Vagabond Systems Ltd., to provide UK Troops with new kit as part of the Virtus program. The custom head protection solution, known as the Batlskin Cobra Plus, offers an ultra-lightweight helmet that exceeds the UK’s stringent ballistic and impact requirements and can be coupled with the Modular Protective Attachment System (MPAS) for full face protection. In addition, the Sawfly Spectacle and WolfSpider Goggle Systems will be provided for use when full-face coverage is not required.
The first deliveries of Cobra Plus head protection systems are planned to be shipped quickly with 9,000 full systems scheduled for Fall 2015 enabling fielding to first-recipient troops in early 2016.
Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.
Tags: Revision Military
Never shoulder, never forget
Didn’t know they had that phrase in effect over there too
They are so going to regret going with that POS helmet. Luckily for them we got Revision to at least improve it so the rails don’t break off on the first snag.
DKRecce,
What are your thoughts of the Revision helmet vs the Ops Core one? Comfort, durability etc.
I don’t have any personal experience with a ballistic Ops-Core helmet.
However I do know from guys that participated in the testing that let to procurement of the Cobra that the Ops-Core was much preferred.
I have however used MICH/ACH and SPECTRA helmets and as a system prefer both to the Cobra.
FYI there is both a version of the Cobra with a dial liner like the Ops-Core and a version with a pad liner (interconnected so no real adjustability).
The dial liner suffers from two issues.
The first is that liner doesn’t support the helmet properly so it ends up canting forward and resting most of the weight on the edge off the brow pad. The only way to try and alleviate this to crank down hard on the dial for only slightly bettee support but carrying the penalty of giving you a massive headache, similar to the one you’d get from a NVG skullcrusher/facemask.
The second one is that depending on your neck length, build and the equipment you have on snd how you are carrying it, the dial will catch on a pack, rifle sling, vest etc. and then be tightened or loosened. This is mostly confined to the prone position.
The pad version suffers from just one, but completely dominating flaw. The pad(s) absolutely SUCK! They are way to hard for any possible comfort. It only comes in one size of pad(s) per shell size. Because of how the pads are shaped and hoe they are interconnected means that there isn’t any adjustability for either headsize or the accomdation of a headset.
The SPECTRA only has two advantages. One is that chinstrap is available in both left- and righthand (at least in our logistical system). The other is it’s liner, though obsolete, does distribute the helmets weight over its surface area properly. The MICH/ACH has a number of advantages over the Cobra. One is the adjustability of the pad system. Another is the shell shape which simply is much better shaped to achieve a close fit that helps not getting caught on or banging into all manner of things.
The Cobra in general only has the advantage that it’s made from UHMWPE and therefore has an extremely light shell. However that is slightly happered by the fact that the shell is much too dome shaped and ends up being larger than than a PASGT or SPECTRA to fit the same person.
We have nicknamed it “the space helmet” after the comical large helmet used by Death Star laser operator from Star Wars.