The Parachutist High Altitude Thermal Suit from Airborne Systems does exactly what its name implies. It’s cold at high altitude and parachutists can find themselves in free fall or under canopy for long periods of time in those conditions. This suit is designed to allow a parachutists to safely free fall and then survive the cold.
We recently published an article on the latest version of the MOdular HArd Wired Kitted (MOHAWK) helmet from Ceradyne and comms partner Threat4. It’s a boltless design manufactured using their advanced Seamless Ballistic technology developed for the Enhanced Combat Helmet and integrates a modular data and power bus bar system. Essentially, this is a powered helmet with multiple mounting points on the helmet’s shell.
You will notice numerous pieces from Wilcox Industries on these helmets.
Gore Military showed a prototype reversible garment. It features symmetrical performance meaning, the laminate is printed on both sides and provides full camouflage and full waterproof breathable performance no matter which side is out. Reversible shell garments have been done before, but not with a single fabric.
They’ve done this through some creative garment design that includes common pockets with dual openings and patterned seam tape. This version is the soon to be replaced UCP on one side and OCP (MultiCam) on the other. With the Army poised to select a new family of camouflage patterns, this type of garment adds a great deal of versatility is a single jacket.
The Mk15 Upgrade Kit is designed to take a McMillan single shot .50 bolt action weapon and turn it into a magazine fed weapon. Utilizing the Cadex Defence Chassis System, it is a modular system that will allow future upgrades or changes in components. The modular construction of the Strike 50 stock also makes for a stronger chassis as the “lower” is a single piece. Additionally, the chassis is configurable through the use of Picatinny rail sections.
The folding stock is adjustable for comb, length of pull and buttpad height without tools.
This upgrade kit is available through ADS Inc.
Lots of stuff in the Colt booth. First off, these photos are for those of you who wondered how they reconcile the 5.56 and 7.62 mag wells of the 901.
Notice that the front takedown (or pivot) pin is slightly forward of and below normal on the 901. An adapter for the narrower throat of the 5.56 upper is pinned place on the normal, Mil Spec point.
Next, they displayed three rifles marked as Prototype.
They also had quite a few interesting custom finishes on display.
Finally, Colt showcased the M45A1″ built for the USMC.
This Spring I was attending a training program with some military and government folks. One of the guys mentioned the impending Combat Recession. It was the terminology he used to describe the shrinkage we are all experiencing in defense. As the war comes to a close, spending is getting tight. If the budget tsunami that is sequestration hits, I don’t know if ‘recession’ will be a strong enough word.
Seems like a lot of folks have forgotten about those antebellum days when there wasn’t nearly as much money in defense. For the defense industry, these past ten years haven’t been just shooting fish in a barrel, the fish would literally jump into the boat, ask you to eat them and then clean themselves. But, those days are over. Some will adapt, others will fall.
One of the topics I will be exploring during these next two days at the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting is how industry is adapting to this Combat Recession my friend spoke of.
Yesterday, another industry friend sent me a text from the show floor. It said in part, “What is happening at AUSA today is the Conventional Industry’s Zombie Apocalypse…” The floor is bereft of green suiters and it is leaving many vendors uneasy. Unfortunately, this year’s annual meeting is victim to a perfect storm of an Army weary of fighting in Afghanistan, impending budget sequestration and worst of all, fallout from the recent excesses by GSA. By all accounts, travel to AUSA on orders was severely restricted. No wonder it was so easy to find a hotel near the convention center.
I look forward to getting even more insight as I walk the floor today and tomorrow.
We continue our coverage of WL Gore’s various technologies and their military applications with Pyrad. It’s a self-extinguishing fabric technology that adds heat and flame protection properties to non-FR textiles.
First unveiled at last year’s AUSA, Gore Pyrad is one of the most exciting new technologies I’ve seen. It offers enhanced heat and flame protection using non-FR textiles. Think about that. You can still have performance of the fabrics you are comfortable with yet enhance their capabilities by incorporating an FR coating. Now the Pyrad technology has to be applied to the fabric prior to being assembled into finished goods so Pyrad won’t do anything for gear you already own, but could be a great option for future purchases.
Gore takes standard nylon, polyester and other fabrics and hardens them through laminating the Pyrad technology. This allows them to exploit all of the basic fabric’s strengths like nylon’s fast dry out times as well as enhanced camouflage through colorfastness and enhanced UV resistance. Additionally, not only is Pyrad resistant to flame but also self-extinguishing.
If you are attending AUSA this week in Wash DC be sure to visit the Gore Military booth #2925 to check out Pyrad. Additionally, ADS has incorporated Pyrad into their Dismounted FREE system so visit booth #2413 to take a look at an application of Pyrad. If you can’t make it, keep an eye out here on SSD where we’ll continue to show you new applications of the Pyrad technology.
Join the Warrior Protection & Readiness Coalition from 2-4 PM on Monday, Oct 22nd as they present a panel discussion on the Future of Soldier Equipment Innovation hosted by Defense News’ own Vago Marudian. Only at AUSA
