Archive for the ‘Helmets’ Category
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Monday, November 30th, 2015Milipol – Gallet Accessory Rail Combat Helmet
Tuesday, November 24th, 2015I took a few shots of the Gallet Accessory Rail Combat Helmet originally released at Milipol 2013. The designations are official designations of this line of helmets are the Gallet TC 800 series and Gallet TC 500 series. Some readers may not know this but the MICH was originally a Gallet design and the French company was purchased by MSA.
The rails feature proprietary 360° rotating buckles on the front and lower back (three slots on each rail). Additionally, the removable “V” shaped, ratchet-style shroud clamps under the front brim of the shell, and bolts unto each of the upper portions of the side rails in the back. On top of the actual NVG interface (USGI/Wilcox compatible), between the two “V” branches, they’ve added bungee ties that go all the way to the top, in order to secure strobes and other non-railed accessories.
In these photos you can see how the oxygen mask attaches to the rail. The Minie Night Vision Device is from Thales Angenieux.
Specifically, the helmet models are 800/801/802 (first digit is shell thickness in millimeters, last is cut style), the fourth model released is the 501 (same naming convention applies). The 501 is the thinnest Gallet helmet available that still retains a frag rating. Interestingly, there is only one shell size and different head sizes are accommodated via pads.
The line of ARCH is offered in NATO Green, Black, Tan.
Morgan Advanced Materials Awarded Combat Helmet Contract By Canada’s Department Of National Defence
Friday, November 20th, 2015
The Composites and Defence Systems business of Morgan Advanced Materials has been awarded the Canadian CM735 Combat Helmet contract. The improved helmet features an innovative ultra-lightweight hybrid composite structure, the result of more than three years of materials research and development and achieves outstanding ballistic performance at an extraordinarily low weight. Morgan’s extensive capabilities have supplied over one million combat helmets as part of the company’s LASA (Lightweight Armored Soldier Architecture) line of products.
Constructed using world leading lightweight composite materials, Morgan’s hybrid composite helmet technology delivers outstanding helmet performance for fragmentation and ballistic protection with improved structural integrity while providing high levels of flame resistance.
The helmet also features Morgan’s latest ballistic and fragment composite technology, which helps to avoid severe injury from back face deformation and dynamic impact to the user’s head when the shell is hit by fragments.
Morgan’s new CM735 Canadian shell provides very high levels of ballistic performance with weight savings of approximately 23 percent over the existing CG634 shell with a weight of less than 920 grams (32 ounces).
“Morgan is honoured to be providing the Canadian Forces with their next generation lightweight ballistic helmet,” said Composites and Defence Systems North America Business Manager James Kempston. “Morgan’s CM735 solution uses the latest composite technology, providing increased protection for substantially less weight. With nearly 25 percent weight reduction it is truly a game changing helmet in an environment where reduced burden is directly related to increased user performance and decreased fatigue.”
www.morganadvancedmaterials.com
Milipol – Armor USA
Wednesday, November 18th, 2015 
Armor USA is offering the Railband which is a boltless add-on rail,system for PASGT, MICH/ACH and FAST helmet geometries. It requires no drilling and no other permanent modifications to the helmet. The user mounts the Railbad to the helmet, tightens the buckle and it’s ready to go offering side rails as well as a NVG mounting bracket.
Made from high strength nylon plastic it fits helmets S-XXL.
Ops-Core At The 2015 SWAT Round Up International Tradeshow
Friday, November 6th, 2015
Imagery Of The Gentex HGU-56/P Rotary Wing Helmet System
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015Last week, we featured a press release from Gentex regarding the new Gentex HGU-56/P Rotary Wing Helmet System, however one of our readers pointed out that there was no associated imagery to accompany the release. Gentex got the message and sent along some imagery of the new system. The original press release, now with accompanying imagery, has been reproduced down below:
Carbondale, PA, October 29, 2015. Gentex Corporation, a global leader in personal protection and situational awareness solutions for defense forces will demonstrate their industry leading lines of Gentex, ALPHA, and Ops-Core helmet systems for air applications at the SAFE Symposium, November 2 – 4, Orlando, Florida. Featured among them will be their latest innovations, the Gentex HGU-56/P Rotary Wing Helmet System with Ops-Core Accessory Rail Connectors (ARC), and the ALPHA 900 Search and Rescue (SAR) Helmet System, part of the ALPHA 900 Cross-Platform Helmet System line.
Gentex has integrated the Ops-Core ARCs into the designs for the standard and improved HGU-56/P Helmet Systems. This pairing allows aircrew users to easily add mission-enhancing components such as cameras and illuminators, without compromising the helmet system’s industry leading protection.
Combining the open architecture of the Ops-Core ARCs with the Gentex HGU-56/P Helmet System creates a platform for access to a broadest of capability upgrades to support both current and future operations. The ALPHA 900 SAR Helmet System is water resistant and optimized for air-to-sea search and rescue operations, and is compatible with all major aircraft ICS systems and portable radios.
“The Gentex HGU-56/P with Ops-Core ARCs and the ALPHA 900 SAR Helmet System exemplify Gentex Corporation’s continued effort to expand our product line, allowing us to offer a full range of innovative solutions to the customer” said Robert McCay, vice president, Aircrew Systems, Gentex Corporation. “Gentex is dedicated to providing the most comprehensive portfolio of aircrew headborne systems and services to meet the needs of global aircrew personnel.”
Adding to the depth of Gentex Corporation’s comprehensive product line featured at SAFE, is their newly acquired line of hearing and communications products, which will be on display in booth #302. The recent acquisition of Aegisound, an established provider of products that significantly improve hearing protection, safety and communications in high noise environments, expands Gentex’s hearing and communications product offering to global defense and industrial personnel, as well as the F-35 program portfolio. In addition to hearing and communication products, Gentex will supply eye protection, the helmet system platform, and respiratory protection system to the elite aircrew entrusted to command the F-35 Lightning II.
Subject matter experts from the Gentex team have also been invited to give a presentation on the evolution of the aircrew industry’s needs over the last six decades, and how these needs drive the development of aircrew helmet systems and capability upgrades. The presentation which is titled, Past,
Present and Future of Aircrew Helmets, will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Bonaire 1-2-3. Visit the Gentex Corporation booth #307 to see the tactical optics line; dazzle laser defense eyewear, a line of laser protective flight-helmet mounted visors and spectacles that help pilots combat emerging laser threats, as well as our line of respiratory and CBRN protection products. Two Helmet System briefings focusing on the design capabilities of helmets, oxygen masks, visors, microphones and laser eye protection will also be held during the symposium.
Gentex Features New HGU-56/P With Ops-Core Rails And Other Advances In Rotary Wing Helmet Systems At SAFE Symposium
Thursday, October 29th, 2015Carbondale, PA, October 29, 2015. Gentex Corporation, a global leader in personal protection and situational awareness solutions for defense forces will demonstrate their industry leading lines of Gentex, ALPHA, and Ops-Core helmet systems for air applications at the SAFE Symposium, November 2 – 4, Orlando, Florida. Featured among them will be their latest innovations, the Gentex HGU-56/P Rotary Wing Helmet System with Ops-Core Accessory Rail Connectors (ARC), and the ALPHA 900 Search and Rescue (SAR) Helmet System, part of the ALPHA 900 Cross-Platform Helmet System line.
Gentex has integrated the Ops-Core ARCs into the designs for the standard and improved HGU-56/P Helmet Systems. This pairing allows aircrew users to easily add mission-enhancing components such as cameras and illuminators, without compromising the helmet system’s industry leading protection.
Combining the open architecture of the Ops-Core ARCs with the Gentex HGU-56/P Helmet System creates a platform for access to a broadest of capability upgrades to support both current and future operations. The ALPHA 900 SAR Helmet System is water resistant and optimized for air-to-sea search and rescue operations, and is compatible with all major aircraft ICS systems and portable radios.
“The Gentex HGU-56/P with Ops-Core ARCs and the ALPHA 900 SAR Helmet System exemplify Gentex Corporation’s continued effort to expand our product line, allowing us to offer a full range of innovative solutions to the customer” said Robert McCay, vice president, Aircrew Systems, Gentex Corporation. “Gentex is dedicated to providing the most comprehensive portfolio of aircrew headborne systems and services to meet the needs of global aircrew personnel.”
Adding to the depth of Gentex Corporation’s comprehensive product line featured at SAFE, is their newly acquired line of hearing and communications products, which will be on display in booth #302. The recent acquisition of Aegisound, an established provider of products that significantly improve hearing protection, safety and communications in high noise environments, expands Gentex’s hearing and communications product offering to global defense and industrial personnel, as well as the F-35 program portfolio. In addition to hearing and communication products, Gentex will supply eye protection, the helmet system platform, and respiratory protection system to the elite aircrew entrusted to command the F-35 Lightning II.
Subject matter experts from the Gentex team have also been invited to give a presentation on the evolution of the aircrew industry’s needs over the last six decades, and how these needs drive the development of aircrew helmet systems and capability upgrades. The presentation which is titled, Past,
Present and Future of Aircrew Helmets, will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Bonaire 1-2-3. Visit the Gentex Corporation booth #307 to see the tactical optics line; dazzle laser defense eyewear, a line of laser protective flight-helmet mounted visors and spectacles that help pilots combat emerging laser threats, as well as our line of respiratory and CBRN protection products. Two Helmet System briefings focusing on the design capabilities of helmets, oxygen masks, visors, microphones and laser eye protection will also be held during the symposium.
MTek Launches FLUX Carbon-V Helmet for Pre-Order
Friday, October 16th, 2015We mentioned the FLUX Carbon-V helmet from MTek in May during a trip to Rampart Range Day in Canada. They’ve just updated their website (and company name) for pre-order of the FLUX.
Offered in Bump and Ballistic models, the helmet’s name is an acronym; Future Lightweight Undercut eXpandable and is derived from the Latin fluxus meaning “flow”. As you’ll recall from our earlier story, this boltless design features an amazing level of undercut which conforms closer to the base of the skull. Boltless means that there are no bolt holes into the shell of the helmet but rather the rail and Wilcox shroud retainers are adhered directly to the shell. The liner system is similarly attached. Interestingly, the accessory rails are M-LOK compatible.
The suspension system is made up of three components. In addition to an impact liner, there are two sets of foam multi-thickness comfort pads. Finally, the Cam-Lock retention mounts via Inverseclip.
We’ve mentioned several other brands in the helmet’s description. MTek didn’t build this whole thing in a vacuum. They worked with several partners to make the FLUX Carbon-V helmet happen including Magpul, Helmet Comp and Wilcox.
