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Point Blank Awarded IOTV Contract

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Apparently, the BIG one has been awarded. Almost prematurely ahead of any formal Army announcement Point Blank Body Armor, Inc. issued a press release late yesterday declaring that they have been awarded a five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from the US Army REDCOM Acquisition Center. This is for an as yet undisclosed portion of the production of up to 736,000 Improved Outer Tactical Vests and 253,000 Deltoid and Axillary Protection Systems (“DAPS”) under the “IOTV Main Buy” – Solicitation W91CRB-07-0079.

This award comes on the heels of a much smaller award in July for 65,000 IOTVs to fill an immediate need. Repeated delays of the “IOTV Main Buy” award have hit the armor industry hard, forcing layoffs so it will be welcomed as a sign of a longer-term turn around for that industry.

Jim Henderson, Acting CEO of Point Blank Solutions stated, “This is a major milestone for our Company as we believe we are one of only a few companies that can produce the IOTV and DAPS for the US Army over the next five years. We have been a chosen provider of the US Armed Forces for years and look forward to continuing to meet their requirements. While no additional awards have been made and competition continues to be fierce, we are confident that the steps we have and continue to take to improve our operations and manufacturing capabilities will position us as the best value, low cost provider in the industry.”

“The recognition and faith bestowed by the Army also reinforces our industry position as a leading, ballistics provider and should add incremental value for our Company and our shareholders,” Henderson concluded.

Once the formal Government announcement comes we will update this story as according to Point Blank’s own press release, they have been selected as a “chosen supplier” indicating that others may also be awarded.

Tags: IOTV, Point Blank
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Australian Diggers in Afghanistan Get New Armor Plates

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Australian ABC News is reporting that Australian forces operating in Afghanistan as members of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force will receive new, lighter armor plates as part of an effort to enhance the modularity of Australian armor systems.

Photo ADF

Download the video report here.

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Tactical Tailor’s Hybrid Enhanced Vest

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

The Tactical Tailor Hybrid Enhanced Vest (H.E.V.) is manufactured from 1000D Cordura with an air mesh lining. The design features modular webbing on all sides and is fully adjustable to fit most wearers. Safety features include a dual cummerbund system for proper vest posture and positioning on the body as well as a pull-over flap for quick removal in emergency situations. Internal pockets accommodate standard size plates and soft armor for most ballistic vests up to 17″ x 24″ front and 18″ x 22″ back. Also included with the H.E.V. are removal side closures with elastic for better fit and adjustment, padded shoulder straps with integrated microphone epaulets for added ease and comfort, and a heavy duty drag handle. The entire package has an empty weight of only 4.5 lbs. Soft armor packages are available exclusively to military and LE personnel with proper credentials. Available in Black, Coyote Brown, Ranger Green, and Multicam from www.tacticaltailor.com.

Tags: Tactical Tailor
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Chest Rig Armor Interface Kit

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Ever wanted to attach your chest rig directly to your armor but wanted to to be able to get it off quickly?

Down Range Gear can help you do just that. Providing more of a service than a product, according the the owner of Down Range Gear, they work directly with the customer to develop a custom product. The goal is to identify the equipment used and deliver a set of buckles customized for the combination of vest and rig along with instructions on how to set it up but just as importantly, how to use it. Using the four to six points of attachment found on most chest rigs they anchor compatible buckles directly to the vest in order to support attachment of the chest rig.

Customer participation is necessary to make the process work and pictures of the vest and the chest rig are almost always required to determine the best course of action. Further customer interaction and input is solicited through the build process in order to ensure a custom fit. With the myriad possible vest and chest rig combinations, there is no definite, single system and end user preference figures heavily in the final product.

Lastly, no matter what happens, Down Range Gear makes every effort to:
1. Not have the customer send any equipment in.
2. Not permanently alter either piece of equipment and ensure the chest rig can continue to be used with the harness as originally designed.
3. Ensure the anchor points and mating solution are easily understood, can be installed by the user and modified or repaired in field conditions.

Turnaround time is typically an astounding two to three days on a project. Only small design houses can provide service like this and it is imperative that we support them whenever possible. For more information on this service as well as the full line of Down Range Gear products, visit them on the web.

Tags: Down Range Gear
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IOTV Award

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

On 17 July, 2009 Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Dir of Clothing & Textiles awarded contract number SPM1C109C0022 for $39,371,150.00 to KDH Defense Systems of Johnstown, PA for production of 65,000 VEST, BODY ARMOR (Improved Outer Tactical Vest).

The carriers will be produced by four sub-contractors who are required simply because of the demands of the delivery schedule which requires delivery of the 65,000 vests between September and December of this year. They are: DJ Manufacturing Corp. of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Eagle Industries Unlimited (Front Line Defense International, Inc.) of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Eagle Industries Del Caribe Inc. of Lares, Puerto Rico, and Savannah Luggage Works of Vidalia, GA.

Announcement of this award may come as a sigh of relief for some as it had been delayed several times. Interestingly, the companies involved in this award, as well the finalists in the Releasable Plate Carrier program may indicate a passing of the torch, so to speak, from the larger, more traditional armor companies to smaller manufacturers. Also, as two of the four finalists for that program will be heavily invested in producing IOTVs until the end of the year it will be intriguing to see if there now continues to be a delay in announcing the award for the Releasable Plate Carrier. Additionally, Eagle Industries has captured a notable portion of this business which seems to indicate a new emphasis on large piece contract sewing since being purchased by ATK.

Tags: Eagle Industries, KDH
Posted in Armor, Contracts | 1 Comment »

Armor Insert for SOC-C Belt

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Blue Force Gear has just released the armor insert for the SOC-C Modular Padded Belt. Manufactured from Dyneema, the NIJ IIIA-type panels replace the closed foam panels that the belt ships with.

This is an important note from Blue Force gear regarding the panels: “These soft armor panels are designed to replace the closed cell foam in our SOC-C Modular Belt. While the Dyneema armor package of this kit has been certified by NIJ against level IIIA threats, this particular belt configuration has not been certified. It is up to the customer to determine the suitability of this product for use in their particular application and customer assumes all risks associated with such determination. Blue Force Gear does not warrant this armor package for any particular purpose. Government issued identification required for purchase of this item. Law Enforcement or Military only for CT Residents. Purchaser is soley responsible for complying with all applicable laws.â€

Contact Blue Force Gear for more information.

Tags: Blue Force Gear
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IOTV Modular Assault Panel (M.A.P.) from Tactical Tailor

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Tactical Tailor designed their new Modular Assault Panel (M.A.P.) to work specifically with the issue IOTV, allowing you to carry your normal combat load yet still remove it in seconds, without removing your vest and, more importantly, without impeding the quick release function.

As with all Tactical Tailor products, the M.A.P is made in the USA from 1000D CorduraÂ® and features four heavy-duty Fastex buckles, velcro and their patented MALICE Clips to attach to the front panel of the IOTV.. It is available in UCP and Coyote Brown from Tactical Tailor.

Tags: Tactical Tailor
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Osprey Ground Assault Carrier Now for Sale

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Solo International, suppliers of the new Osprey Assault Armor Carrier have just put it up on their website for sale at a whopping Â£1000.00! Their website has a great deal of info on the new carrier that they claim is modular and scalable in nature, offering essentially three carriers for the price of one. Additionally, they confirm that the Osprey Assault carrier is manufactured overseas, “Designed By SOLO International in their own studios based in Hereford and manufactured overseas by SOLOHANDMADEPRODUCTS manufactures.”

Interested parties should contact Solo International directly via their website.

Tags: osprey
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