Chris Costa shared these two images of himself wearing a FirstSpear 6/12 Standhogg Plate Carrier. For those of you who are saying to yourself, “Screw Costa, what about ME?” please understand that he is wearing a pre-production demonstration sample and not a final product. Those will be available later this quarter.
BAE Systems has been awarded a four-year Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract to produce Improved Outer Tactical Vests (IOTV) and accessories used by the US Army. That DLA awarded the contract lets you know that this is a sustainment contract.
“This award reinforces our position as a valued partner in the body armor market” said Don Dutton, vice president and general manager of Protection Systems at BAE Systems Support Solutions. “DLA continues to see demand for sustaining these life-saving products, as well as the value and quality that all of our equipment affords.”
The company has received an initial $48 million in orders, which are expected to be completed by February 2013. The total value of the contract orders could reach approximately $267 million over the next four years.
FirstSpear displayed their wares with GSS Gear, their latest retailer.
They displayed numerous products including the Combat Anorak, which is one of my favorite FirstSpear pieces.
They also displayed the Siege-R. They have made some light changes to the design in order to improve the vest’s ability to fall away from the body once the Tubes are cut away. We caught them during set up so this example doesn’t have the armor mounted.
S.O.TECH has a long history or working with law enforcement to push the envelope in tactical gear design. This time they’ve worked with LAPD, LASD, and Orange County Sheriffs Dept (CA) to create the MACTAC (Multi-Assault Counter-Terrorism Action Capabilities) as a way to respond to multiple violent assaults and/or terrorist acts. MACTAC was inspired by the tactical dilemmas posed by the Mumbai assault and active shooter incidents like Columbine.
“LAPD is in the process of developing supplemental courses to help supervisors and team leaders apply the MACTAC concept during critical field incidents.” – LAPD Official website
The kit includes the Mission Pack Micro, the Helmet Mesh Adapter, and the Rapid Response Bandolier with add-on items also available. The concept is, everything you need for any engagement in a single package, with hard plate coverage, helmet, ID patches, and an extra 120 rounds of ammunition. The pack also offers additional room for food and water, extra weapons/ammunition/holsters, an IFAK med kit and other mission-specific gear.
MACTAC training is rapidly becoming a top priority for a variety of agencies nationwide in 2012 and this new kit from S.O.TECH will support your requirements.
For Law Enforcement Agency Representatives interested in MACTAC, email jim@specopstech.com or julieb@specopstech.com to learn more about the program.
I know its been a long time since we last posted one of these but we often run across articles that we feel may be of interest to our readers. Here are a few.
This New Army Tourniquet Is Going To Save Lives – Gizmodo
My Point of View – Bodyworn Surveillance
Guns.com Interviews Author Dalton Fury
National Strength and Conditioning Association – Tactical Strength and Conditioning Conference
The Army Tries On Bomb-Proof Briefs
Lumus Shows Off 720p, See-Through Video Glasses
We gave you a tease of the Spartan during the 2012 SHOT Show and it’s easy to tell where it got its name by just looking at it. The Spartan design is actually a couple of years old and offers Maxillofacial Ballistic Protection without any modification to an issue Advanced Combat Helmet. Crye brought it back to the forefront as a possible solution for a US Army requirement for a “commercially available product that can provide ballistic, blast and blunt impact protection in the maxillofacial region to increase soldier survivability.”
What really sets this product apart from others is that it is somewhat flexible and can be easily mounted and dismounted from the helmet. As you can see in the video it integrates with the NVG mount and can be pulled up out of the way when needed. Additionally, it won’t give you that claustrophobic feeling and you can still shoulder a weapon with it in place.
Available soon from www.CryePrecision.com.
