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Archive for the ‘Armor’ Category

USMC to Field Gen III Vest Systems with FirstSpear Technology

Friday, November 2nd, 2018

Fenton, MO – FirstSpear® Technology Group, industry leading technology integrator for Personal Protective and Load Bearing Equipment, announces the Gen III vest systems for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) will be produced and fielded with FirstSpear® Technology. After extensive testing and evaluation, the Marines chose to include FirstSpear® 6/12™ laser cutting and Tubes™ rapid-release system on the all new Gen III Vest System.

Debuted on Solider Systems Daily in 2011 and proven in the field for over seven years, FS™ 6/12™ laser-cut platforms and rapid-release Tubes™ fasteners are embraced by assets of the United States Department of Defense, State and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies, and friendly forces within the international community. The FS™ 6/12™ laser-cut and fused platform system helped the USMC achieve their goals for reducing bulk and weight of legacy PALS systems.

USMC Systems Command wanted to give as much mobility back to the individual Marine as possible by reducing the weight and bulk of the vest without decreasing ballistic protection. Integrating 6/12 laser cutting and Tubes allowed designers to reduce the weight of the vest by 25 percent.*

FS™ Tubes provide rapid donning and doffing of carriers without complicated cable systems adding weight or requiring specialized training and allows the Marine to remove and reassemble their vest in less than three seconds. Vest testing found the older system took about seven seconds to take off, and 10 minutes to reassemble. The Tubes have vastly improved the Marines ability to act fast while on missions.*

According to Sam White, Vice President of Applied Science at FirstSpear®, “Our primary mission is to provide equipment solutions to the men and women protecting our freedoms and the fastest way to do that is by working with industry partners and program managers to make this technology widely available. We couldn’t be more excited the USMC has integrated this technology into their new vest system and look forward to helping Vertical Protective Apparel provide it to the Marines.”

FirstSpear™ continually develops and refines Technology to meet the ever-changing requirements of the warfighter and first responder. Paramount to every development effort is a focus on mobility, lethality, weight reduction, functionality, durability, and manufacturability. Ideas are well thought out, tested, and proven in actual field use before general release, ensuring the final product works as intended when needed most. Once proven, FirstSpear® works closely with end users and manufacturers to allow for rapid fielding of advanced solutions.

For more information or to contact FirstSpear® Technology Group on how you can integrate these technologies visit www.first-spear.tech.

**Sources:

soldiersystems.net/2018/09/27/usmc-awards-vertical-protective-apparel-62-million-contract-for-gen-iii-plate-carriers

and

Survival Armor Announces Partnership with High Speed Gear International to Provide OEM Pocket / Pouch Upgrades for Tactical Ballistic Armor”

Thursday, November 1st, 2018

Survival Armor is pleased to announce they have partnered with High Speed Gear International (HSGI) to provide high quality pocket and pouch upgrades for use with all of their tactical ballistic armor. “Survival Armor’s growing list of tactical armor customers will benefit greatly from this partnership with HSGI, and it will provide our customers with a very high quality, versatile, and modern option for pockets/pouches which will enhance user effectiveness” says Kurt Osborne, President of Survival Armor. Gary Hughes, Survival Armor’s Director of Special Projects added, “High Speed Gear is a long-recognized leader and innovator in the tactical nylon gear industry. I personally use their products as do many of our existing customers. It just makes sense that Survival Armor offer HSGI pouches and pockets as an OEM upgrade to our tactical ballistic product line. Both companies are committed to providing superior quality, innovative gear, to our Law Enforcement, Military, and First Responder customers.”

Effective immediately, Survival Armor tactical customers will have the option to upgrade to pre-selected HSGI pocket packages for all web MOLLE and light weight webless style attachments for their tactical carries. Individual optional single pocket offerings will also be available through Survival Amor.

Spiritus Systems – LV/119 Plate Carrier System

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

The LV/119 Plate Carrier System is scalable and user configurable, consisting of Overt or Covert Front and Rear Plate Bags as well as Cummerbund. The bags are cut for SAPI plates and the Covert version is lower profile.

Front Covert Plate Bag
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Rear Covert Plate Bag
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Features:
– A 3″ x 5″ velcro patch is sewn on for IR identifiers, patches or jumbo flags.
– Can be used slick or with a placard.
– Micro Fight Chest Rig or other placard attach via the included 1″ ITW NEXUS hardware buckles to the hidden webbing loops.
– “Map Stasher” pouch behind the front bag is which fits map or VS-17 marking panel.

See the whole system at www.spiritussystems.com.

Armor Express Wins Competitive Soft Armor Contract Award to Supply Gen III Ballistics to the U.S. Marine Corps with a Maximum Value of $59.4 Million

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

CENTRAL LAKE, MI, October 30, 2018 – Central Lake Armor Express, Inc. (“Armor Express”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance armor solutions, today announced that it has been awarded a multi-year, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the Marine Corps Systems Command (Contract #: M67854-19-D-1509). The contract was competitively procured as a total small business set-aside, with a potential value of $59.4 million. Under the terms of the award, the Company will provide up to 65,469 Plate Carrier Generation III – Soft Armor Inserts and data reports, with production expected to be completed by October 2023.

Jim Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of the holding company that owns both Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems stated, “It is our extreme honor to be chosen by the U.S. Marine Corps for this prestigious award, and we thank them for the trust they have placed in us. We also commend ongoing efforts by the U.S. Armed Forces to develop lighter body armor systems, while improving the modularity and flexibility of plate carriers deployed in the field. It is the servicemen and women who ultimately benefit, and all of us at Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems, stand ready to deliver.”

Mr. Henderson added, “With the recent contract extensions KDH received for the Modular Scalable Vest and Blast Pelvic Protection, along with this most recent ballistic protection award for Armor Express, we have secured over $140.0 million of potential business with the U.S. Armed Forces over the past two months. Working in tandem with our supply chain and technology partners, it remains our goal to provide all customers with the most advanced, lightweight and comfortable protection, supported by unparalleled delivery and service.”

The Company intends to leverage the manufacturing capabilities of KDH Defense Systems and will produce the ballistic armor at KDH’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Eden, North Carolina.

www.armorexpress.com

Redpath Notions – Hawaiian Plate Carrier

Friday, October 26th, 2018

We received a cool note the other day:

“Longtime follower here. I’ve been religiously following your blog since its inception when I was still in high school. I thought it would be cool to show you a product that I have been working on. This product is a Hawaiian themed plate carrier.

Why?? After seeing Hawaiian themed combat shirts, I felt like I could take things up a notch and make the carrier itself out of Hawaiian themed fabric. This was a fun side project and I’ll be making more in the near future.”

-Jesse Redpath

www.facebook.com/RedpathNotions
www.etsy.com/shop/RedpathNotions
www.ebay.com/usr/redpathnotions

What do you guys think?

Industry Veteran Sam White Joins the Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems Board of Directors

Thursday, October 25th, 2018

CENTRAL LAKE, MI and EDEN, NC — October 25, 2018 — Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems (“KDH”), two leading manufacturers of high-performance protective solutions for the U.S. Armed Forces, Federal Government and Law Enforcement communities, are pleased to announce the latest addition to their Board of Directors with the appointment of industry-veteran, Sam White.

Matt Davis, Chairman of the Board of Praesidium, the holding company that owns both Armor Express and KDH stated, “Sam is a proven commodity in our industry and we are all excited to have him join our Board. The insight and experience he has gained over the past 20 years will be a tremendous benefit to our Company and all of our technology partners across the world. His understanding of ballistic science, both hard and soft armor technologies, and strong relationships within the supply chain will be leveraged for one common goal: improving our ability to advance science to save lives.”

Mr. White will continue to serve as Vice President, Applied Science with FirstSpear®, a leading manufacturer of advanced load bearing equipment and armor platforms built for the warfighter and law enforcement professional. Prior to FirstSpear, he served as Senior Executive Vice President of Point Blank Enterprises, Inc., responsible for all facets of Research & Development (“R&D”), Design & Engineering and Business Development, with a focus on advancing supply chain and customer relationships. He also held various leadership positions with Point Blank Enterprises, including President of Point Blank Body Armor and Head of Global Sales. Earlier in his career, Mr. White held various leadership and R&D positions with Armor Holdings and Allied Signal.

“I am honored to become part of the Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems family and look forward to advancing their business in any way that I can,” stated Mr. White. “I have worked with many of their executives throughout my career, and we share the same passion for developing mission-critical, life-saving technologies. I hope to leverage my relationships and experience to support the Board’s vision, while continuing to build FirstSpear’s presence worldwide.”

Martinson Files Suit Against North American Rescue for Patent Infringement

Sunday, October 21st, 2018

A lawsuit has been filed by in Delaware District Court Martinson, LLC vs. North American Rescue Holdings LLC and North American Rescue, LLC. alleging patent infringement. Case number 1:2018cv01358* was filed in Delaware District Court on August 31, 2018, with a jury requested by Martinson LLC (the plaintiff).

The lawsuit alleges that North American Rescue’s AGENT Ballistic Vest is a “stitch for stitch” copy of the Martinson ELSA (Emergency Life Saving Armor). Martinson holds two patents for the ELSA, to wit,

“As a result of Martinson’s efforts to protect its intellectual property in the ELSA product, Martinson is the owner of U.S. Patent Nos. 9,737,100 (“the ’100 Patent” [issued August 22, 2017]) and 9,861,145 (“the ’145 Patent” [issued January 9, 2018]), each entitled “Concealable Body Armor and Combination Bag/Vest.”

SSD had initially written about the ELSA during SHOT Show 2014.

The lawsuit reads thusly:

“Upon information and belief, NAR markets and sells a combination bag/vest called the AGENT Ballistic Vest in the United States.

Upon information and belief, the AGENT Ballistic Vest is a stitch-for-stitch copy of both the ’100 Patent and the ’145 Patent.”

The Martinson ELSA can be found online, but the “AGENT RTF Kit, formerly known as ELSA RTF Kit” now returns a 404 response on the NAR website despite being their immediately after the suit was filed.

NAR site on August 31, 2018.

NAR site on 20 October, 2018.

Items matching that description can be seen on retailer sites, however (see Bound Tree and Off Grid Warehouse).

The line of NAR vests as they are currently named and presented can be found here.

The most recent annotation in PACER reads,

SO ORDERED, re 8 STIPULATION TO EXTEND TIME in which defendants North American Rescue, LLC and North American Rescue Holdings, LLC have to answer the Complaint to November 8, 2018 filed by Martinson Industries, LLC, Set/Reset Answer Deadlines: North American Rescue Holdings, LLC answer due 11/8/2018; North American Rescue, LLC answer due 11/8/2018. Signed by Judge Colm F. Connolly on 10/4/2018. (fms) (Entered: 10/04/2018)

SSD reached out to NAR for comment but they politely declined, citing pending litigation. However, considering the same product was found on several sites, it is possible that a third-party vendor is the root cause of the issue.

*1:18-cv-01358-CFC Martinson Industries, LLC v. North American Rescue, LLC et al Colm F. Connolly, presiding

Breach Bang Clear contributed to this report.

TYR Tactical Tuesday – Ballistic Shield System

Tuesday, October 16th, 2018

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Last week we gave you a sneak peek of TYR Tactical’s Ballistic Shield System. It’s now time to provide some details.

For the past year or so, TYR has been at work developing hard armor ballistic plates as well as a dolly system. In all, there are four new products.

TYR Tactical® 18”x33” Rapid Response CQB Ballistic Shield
63B2EDBF-897F-4627-B3FE-EBE478D108AD

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Features & Specifications:
-Weight: 14.9 lbs.
-NIJ 0108.01 Level 3 Compliant – 7.62 x 51 mm, 149 gr, FMJ NATO Ball (M80 Ball)
-Forearm Pad
-Carry Bag
-Fixed Handle
-Special Threats: 7.62 x 39 MSC 123 gr

TYR Tactical® 24”x36” Rapid Response Ballistic Shield
5E7DB0B2-113F-44CA-8C97-68CC6538C064

EBEED20F-2833-4C0A-8D3F-FE01093B30F9

Features & Specifications:
-Weight: 20.8 lbs.
-NIJ 0108.01 Level 3 Compliant – 7.62 x 51 mm, 149 gr, FMJ NATO Ball (M80 Ball)
-Forearm Pad
-Carry Bag
-Fixed Handle
-Special Threats: 7.62 x 39 MSC 123 gr

Patent Pending TYR Tactical® Multi-hit Level 4 Shield Applique
E990F02C-E446-4F4A-9E54-81DE185D248D

F9FBD7F0-2E7B-47C1-A774-E93C3A00A271

63D38448-3C46-42CE-9BEC-76584AC60425

Features & Specifications:
-Weight: 21 lbs.
-Thickness: .425”
-NIJ 0108.01 tested to Level 4 threats 7.62 x 63 166 gr (APM2)
-Special Threat Testing:
• 7.62 x 39 API
• 7.62 x 63 AP M2
• 7.62 x 54R B32

Patent Pending TYR Tactical® Ballistic Shield Dolly
194EE574-09E6-4DE0-BA81-C42C3372499C

This system provides both load carriage and unmatched ballistic protection. The center armor panel covers the ballistic gap on both sides of the Dolly. Bolt holes on the armor panel are offset from the ballistic gap to reduce the possibility of penetration.

EF295125-57D8-4D44-B824-7494223518FA

349A6B88-6195-40BB-ADDE-3F4A697D7224

Features & Specifications:
-Constructed out of high-strength, lightweight aluminum
-Telescoping frame to accommodate up to two shields
-Removable rear wheel
-Two wheel configuration allows for 360° movement.
-Dolly is self-supported in the two wheel configuration by resting on the lower shield
Center armor panel reinforces the connection area where the upper and lower shields meet.
-Telescoping, pull pin, shield handle bracket for multiple shield sizes
-Two rubberized dolly handles
-Padded shield rest
-Three removable heavy duty wheels
-Matte black powder coat finish
-Two Wheel Configuration Wt. 28.7 lbs.
-Three Wheel Configuration Wt. 37 lbs.

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Click to view .pdf

For full details, visit www.tyrtactical.com.