During OR we posted an short teaser about Camelbak’s new line of bladders designed to be fitted directly to armor vests. The Direct Armor Attachment System has been adapted to three new packs ArmorBak, ThermoBak, and the Ambush AB 500. They are designed to attach to the armor’s PALS webbing via a split bar side release buckle. Examples we saw at OR and AUSA were in UCP and Coyote. You should expect to see these hit shelves right after SHOT Show.
Photos from Military Times.
Tactical Assault Gear has announced a new carrier to fit Marines Corps MTV cut level IIIA soft armor, ESAPI ballistic plate system, neck, groin, and back down armor as an alternative to the issue system. The Marine Corps MTV issue armor system has been a sore subject since its inception and further procurements by the Marines were halted by Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Conway who said “I’m not quite sure how we got to where we are, but what I do know is it is not a winner.†The issues are varied, but one of the main concerns is not the actual armor, but the carrier itself. Marines find it cumbersome, heavy, and difficult to don and doff without assistance. General Conway also said, “It is heavier. It gives a little more protection — that is one of the net positives with it. We still need a lighter vest that gives us the same amount of protectionâ€.
Armed with this information TAG® designed a new carrier system for the issued armor the Marine Corps and some Navy units are using. The carrier uses TAG’s® split-front opening, meaning you can leave one cummerbund attached at all times allowing the user to enter the carrier from the side and close it. The release system on TAG’s® Enhanced MTV carrier is the same patent pending design used on all of TAG’s® releasable armor carriers.
The Enhanced MTV carrier consists of single center pull pillow and cables that release both the shoulders & cummerbund at the same time. The pull pillow is designed to be pulled in any direction and work and the handle cannot be accidentally pulled because it is not a loop like the current one and can be pulled while sitting down as well. Additionally, the cummerbund includes removable pouches on the inside that accommodate the issued MTV soft armor inserts and side plates and locks in place and does not require stays to keep it from shifting while worn.
The most significant improvement is in the size adjustment options. The current MT’s sizing is a bit off so a Marine who should be wearing a medium is forced to wear a large for it to fit properly. The Enhanced MTV has slots in the side that fit the side plates. When the carrier is made smaller by the wearer the side plates will go into the vest. This allows for the armor in the vest to overlap on the sides increasing side protection.
The shoulders and upper torso section of the carrier are made with non slip rubberized nylon. This will ensure a solid platform when assuming different types of shooting positions as well as keep slings and pack straps from falling or slipping off the user’s shoulders. In addition it also eliminates the need for shoulder stops that currently come with the issued MTV.
This carrier is only available through TAG directly. The price is very reasonable at $369.95 for the carrier. For those attending SHOT Show in Orlando, they can check out the Enhanced MTV carrier at TAG’s® booth (number 9484).
Here is a teaser of just one of the new products coming from Mayflower and just in time for Thanksgiving. In addition to the armor there are several pouches including Admin, 5.56 Shingle, MBITR Pouch, and Tourniquet Holder.
Mayflower’s website will be up soon and the line will be released around SHOT show.
Photo courtesy of Mayflower Research and Consulting, LLC.
ArmorWorks showed a new body armor at both Modern day Marine and AUSA. They refer to it as Ultra Low Profile (ULP) armor.
It is available in both Male and Female versions. Inserts include Level II and III-A, Stab, and Armor Plate.
For more information contact ArmorWorks LLC.
Photos courtesy of ArmorWorks, LLC.
Back in May we published an article about the Air Force’s slow response to field an FR combat uniform. Well, it looks like there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. 2500 to 3000 ensembles consisting of jacket, pants, and combat shirt should be issued in February although officials don’t anticipate full fielding for at least a year. The Air Force is planning a much larger wear test of up to 10,000 sets next summer and fielding would follow from that. Why has this taken so long? Much of it has to do with the service’s desire to go their own way rather than just adapt Army or Marine FR clothing items by changing the clothing’s camouflage pattern. For example, sources tell us that development of the Airman Battle Shirt was stalled in order to integrate forearm pockets into the design. For a description of the entire ABS-G systems read this.
Additionally, efforts to field an Air Force variant of the IOTV have been stymied, and a completely new body armor system is under development. Naturally, the new armor will be in the Air Force pattern but no solicitation articulating requirements has been issued.
Undergarments
Men’s boxers, women’s panties, short and long-sleeved T-shirts, a bra, and long underwear pants will be fielded in the same Sand color as the current ABU T-shirt. The garments can be worn alone or in concert with one another along the lines of the Army’s Gen III ECWCS.
Airman Battle Ensemble
The FR Airman Battle Ensemble will be fielded in the ABU’s digital Tigerstripe pattern which adapted the Army’s UCP colorway by adding a fourth color; Slate. Since the garment consisting of a jacket and trousers is designed specifically for combat the overall design has been altered slightly from the ABU although it’s general appearance will remain the same.
The jacket unfortunately retains the front zipper as well as the same useless, four chest pockets found on the ABU/BDU but adds zippered pockets on the upper sleeve as well velcro pockets on the forearm.
The trousers a near exact copy of the FR variant of the ACU.
Airman Battle Shirt
Along the same lines as the Marine Corps’ FROG shirt and Army’s Combat Shirt, the ABS will feature a moisture-wicking torso mated to FR sleeves with padded elbows and the same sleeve and forearm pocket setup as the Battle Ensemble jacket. Currently, the ABS has a mock turtleneck like the ACS. The torso will be a a solid color and the sleeves in digital Tigerstripe.
Foul-weather Jacket and Trousers
For inclement weather the Air Force is planning a lightweight rainsuit. There is also discussion of a solid colored fleece jacket although no one has gone so far as to consider a program on the level of FREE or Gen III ECWCS for the Air Force.
Accessories
FR socks, balaclavas, gloves, as well as belts are under development and will join the other equipment as they are ready for fielding although most of these items are available commercially.
Armor
Although not officially a component of ABS-G, the Defensor Fortis Load Carrying System (DF-LCS) developed for ACC’s SF community and soon adopted for all Security Forces AF-wide is now available in the Air Force digital pattern. Additionally, an Air Force unique body armor system is under development.
BAE unveiled their Integrated Warrior System at AUSA.
We recently posted some pictures of their low viz plate carrier. For the IWS the low viz carrier is paired with a plate carrier. The low viz carrier features rifle magazine pouches of Tweave along the cummerbund. It has also been upgraded with some hypalon on the shoulders. It corresponds with hypalon on the inner shoulder area of the plate carrier to lock it in place. The plate carrier reminds me of the old Interim Small Arms Protective Overvest (ISAPO) for the PASGT vest. No extraneous material, just a plate carrier designed to enhance the protection level of the armor.
The plates in the carrier feature a film that acts as a battery. Defense News gave some great coverage of the plates last week.
Armorworks LLC has developed the ultimate in concealable armor. The system combines a compression body suit with a softarmor insert that slightly overlaps. The carrier moves with the body and the armor insert flexes along with the body’s movement in order to ensure there are no uncovered zones.
For more information contact ArmorWorks LLC.
