Ops-Core is introducing a new mount for the Contour HD camera at Warrior Expo West. Designed to adapt the popular helmet camera to an Ops-Core ARC rail, it affixes to the camera so it can easily be attached to and detached from the helmet. The design also facilitates where it fits on the rail in order to accommodate other items.
Ops-Core will also be exhibiting their full range of helmet solutions including the new Sentry which debuted at SHOT Show as well as the very popular BaseJump helmet.
UK Intelligent Armour has introduced new variants of their MACH 1, 2 & 3 series helmets that integrates Ops-Core rails and VAS shrouds. MACH stands for Military Advanced Combat Helmet and all three helmets offer NIJ IIIA protection. The MACH 1 is similar in shape to a US ACH while the MACH 2 takes a mid-cut approach similar to the TC-2002. Finally, the MACH 3 features a high cut like the TC 2001 to accommodate large comms/ear defender systems. The addition of the Ops-Core components adds a great deal of versatility to these designs although we are unsure why they didn’t go all the way and also include the excellent Ops-Core chin strap as well as an optional Occi-dial liner.
All three models are available in Tan, Green, and Black from www.body-armour-protection.co.uk
Additionally, Intelligent Armour Limited will be at the Counter Terror Expo in London this week in stand M50 in the National Hall at London Olympia. They will have reps from Blackhawk, 5.11 Tactical and Karrimor SF. Additionally, CEO Alex Bomberg will be giving a 20 Min lecture on Special Forces body armor during one of the workshops.
Start up Impakt Protective Inc will be featured on the CBC – “The National” at 10pm after the national news in a program called – “Hits and Head Injuries.”
Impakt Protective has been developing a new kind of sensor to detect concussions in hockey, football, ski and Lacrosse helmets. Very important implications considering the amount of Traumatic Brain Injuries our troops are experiencing.
If you’re like me and don’t get CBC news – check out http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/about/tonight.html.
Watch the video here: www.cbc.ca
For the first time, U.S. Forces will be equipped with combat helmets capable of providing reliable protection against rifle fire (an as yet undisclosed .30 threat) at close range and at any angle. Such an advancement, long the Holy Grail of armored headgear designers, has been achieved through the use of an advanced thermoplastic composite mixture by Ceradyne, maker of advanced hard armor inserts for ballistic vests and vehicles.
Called the Ceradyne Diaphorm Ballistic Helmet, the design is twice the price of current Army and Marine Corps helmets, but provides up to 70% improvement in ballistic protection while remaining light enough to meet current requirements. Moreover, use of advanced construction techniques makes production simpler by allowing molding of the shell without having to cut or dart materials, as has been done previously. This allows creation of a seamless, multilayered form that is weather and chem/bio agent proof.
The U.S. Army is expected to field some 200,000 of the helmets beginning in the fall of 2011, with units bound for Afghanistan being the first recipients.
-Mike Perry
Grey Group Training has put out an excellent article explaining how to combine the new Wilcox Industries’ flush mount retractable NVG Lanyard with Norotos’ Universal Shroud. These new Wilcox lanyards are designed to flush mount on an Ops-Core VAS mount, but many troops are running Norotos mounts which do not have a lanyard. It seemed like a great combination to Grey Group, kind of like peanut and chocolate so they worked out how to mash them together.
Learn how here community.greygrouptraining.com.
Check out the entire 2011 lineup from Ops-Core. The only thing is, they are always busy developing new products so this is really more of a snapshot in time than a definitive look at their products.
Princeton Tec continues to develop the MPLS line and informed us that the NVG adapter plates developed jointly with Ops-Core are now ready for action. This only increases the versatility of the Remix Pro and EOS which can also be worn using the standard elastic headstrap or PALS adapter.
Not only did Ops-Core have their new Sentry ACH helmet on display but they also debuted the Skull Crusher. All I can say is, where the heck was this thing 25 years ago? While it adopts the name of its OEM forebearer, it is anything but. Wearing NODs can cause headaches in and of themselves, let alone when you are wearing an issue headset. Ops-Core has taken the pain out of the harness. Not only does it offer three points of adjustment to the head portion, it also features Ops-Core’s excellent chinstrap system with another four points of adjustment. And let’s not forget, it was actually designed by folks who know something about how the human head interacts with loads and what’s more, how to make them more comfortable and stable.
The Sentry ACH is truly the next generation of protection. The Gallet-designed MICH (ACH) originally incorporated a more traditional cradle-style suspension system. When pads were incorporated sizing tariffs were skewed in order to ensure proper fits for the troops. Ops-Core developed an entirely new shape to accommodate their new high impact suspension system.
Additionally, it actually provides more coverage than an ACH, is lighter weight, and allows the use of the rail mounted ARC Peltor Headset as they will tuck up underneath the sides of the helmet. Traditional headband-style earphones can also be worn.
