GORE-TEX Military Fabrics

Archive for the ‘International’ Category

QuietKat Selected by Guadalajara Police for Patrol eBikes

Saturday, October 12th, 2024

Irvine, CA – QuietKat, a leader in all-terrain electric bikes, is proud to announce that its Patrol 10 eBikes have been selected by the Guadalajara Police Department for their patrol operations. The department has received the first batch of Patrol 10 eBikes, which are specially equipped with law enforcement (LE) lights, a siren, and a public address (PA) system to enhance the safety and efficiency of their patrol units.

This milestone was achieved through the dedicated efforts of QuietKat’s distributor in Mexico, YATLA. Their hard work and persistence were key to securing this important contract with the Guadalajara Police. YATLA’s team is also in the process of establishing a comprehensive service center to provide ongoing maintenance and support for QuietKat eBikes across Mexico. This facility will play a crucial role in expanding the use of QuietKat’s products throughout the country.

Additionally, special thanks go to QuietKat’s Latin America representative, Mauricio Piña, whose strategic guidance has been instrumental in advancing the brand’s presence and securing key partnerships in the region.

QuietKat looks forward to supporting law enforcement agencies across Mexico as they embrace eBikes as an eco-friendly, reliable solution for modern policing.

For Military, Law Enforcement, and OGA Sales please contact Ross Botha at Ross@Quietkat.com

NFM Group’s THOR MCVS Light Weight – Our Lightest Load-Bearing Vest Yet

Friday, October 11th, 2024

This year at EUROSATORY 2024, NFM launched the new THOR™ Modular Combat Vest System Light Weight (MCVS-LW). Exceptional light weighted and packed with advanced features, THOR™ MCVS LW stands as a pillar in the THOR™ product line.

PERFECT BALANCE OF WEIGHT, FIT, AND FUNCTIONALITY

At NFM we understand that true protection goes beyond ballistic defense. That’s why we have made it our mission to develop protection that is lightweight and comfortable, ensuring constant protection.

The THOR™ MCVS-LW is engineered with this principle in mind, offering a perfect balance of weight, fit, and functionality for military and law enforcement personnel. The THOR™ MCVS-LW is designed with a core focus on reducing unnecessary weight while maintaining optimal performance.

The MCVS-LW shaves off close to 500 grams in comparison to an equal configuration of the MCVS 3.0, offering an exceptional blend of lightness, fit, and functionality.

The THOR™ MCVS-LW delivers unmatched comfort and modularity without compromising on its lightweight design, making it an ideal choice for diverse operational environments.

Our mission at NFM has always been to provide the best possible protection and solutions for those who serve on the front lines. The THOR™ MCVS-LW is a testament to this commitment, offering unparalleled weight efficiency and quick-drying capabilities without compromising on ballistic protection.

– Tor Inge Thun, Chief Product Officer at NFM

ADVANCED FEATURES AND SUPERIOR DESIGN

The THOR™ MCVS-LW is constructed from laser cut flame retardant, hydrophobic and colorfast laminates, permitting to integrate functionalities such as pouch attachment interface. The Omega material used in the vest excels in water operations, ensuring no added weight when exiting the water and allowing for rapid drainage.

“The MCVS-LW’s design leverages the unique properties of the Omega material, enabling users to maintain high mobility and comfort even in wet conditions. This vest is truly a game-changer for operations involving water”, says Thun.

The user-focus is always at the centre of our innovation, always developing to enhance the operational capabilities.

“The THOR™ MCVS-LW is designed with the end-user in mind, ensuring they have the best possible equipment to perform their duties effectively and safely”, says Thun.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Weight: 1054 grams size Large

Slim G-hooks on the shoulders

Flame resistant, hydrophobic, and noiseless

Protection against ballistic threats

MOLLE/PALS compatible laser cut, pouch attachment system

MAIN FABRIC: Cordura 560 DTEX PU FC IRR FR, laminate alpha 2 FR (FC IRR)

KEY FEATURES

Optimal weight-performance ratio: The vest’s low weight does not come at the expense of protection, ensuring optimal performance in the field.

Modular design: Primarily set up for plate carrier configuration, the MCVS-LW offers the same modularity as the MCVS 3.0, allowing users to customize their loadout as needed.

Advanced protection: With front and back ballistic protection panels and plates, the MCVS-LW safeguards against high-speed fragments, handgun, and rifle ammunition, protecting vital anatomical structures within the thorax.

Load bearing capacity: The laser-cut pouch attachment system on the vest’s front, back, and sides ensures efficient load distribution and easy access to mission-critical equipment.

Enhanced mobility and comfort: The padded shoulder supports distribute pressure evenly, while the front and back comfort pads enhance airflow, reducing moisture buildup and ensuring maximum comfort.

Quick release mechanism: The slim G-hooks on the shoulders and Tubes® buckles on the sides allow for quick release and easy closing, providing a secure fit that is easy to manage even with gloved hands.

Field repairability: The waist Tubes® can be easily exchanged by the user without the need for specific tools, ensuring the vest remains functional in the field.

Mehler Systems Presents: Riot Gear Market Insights

Thursday, October 10th, 2024

FULDA, GERMANY (09.10.2024)

Björn Klar, Key Account Manager at Mehler Protection annd expert in riot gear and body armour, recently discussed the evolving market for riot gear amid increasing civil unrest and public safety concerns. Valued at approximately USD 6.1 billion in 2022, the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% through 2032, indicating a rising demand for advanced protective equipment.

Q: How has demand for riot gear evolved?

A: Demand for riot gear has increased significantly in recent years due to rising instances of civil unrest, protests, and demonstrations around the globe. This trend is primarily driven by heightened public safety concerns and a strong emphasis on officer protection. As these events become more frequent, law enforcement agencies are investing in advanced gear to ensure the safety of personnel on the frontlines. This evolution highlights the need for innovative and effective solutions that can withstand unpredictable situations.

Q: What factors influence riot gear requirements?

A: Several factors impact the types of riot gear adopted by law enforcement agencies. Regional needs play a significant role; higher-risk areas often prioritize investments in premium, technologically advanced protective solutions, while regions with tighter budgets may opt for more cost-effective options. Additionally, local climate conditions, legislation, and law enforcement practices shape gear selection. At Mehler Protection, we collaborate closely with our clients to provide tailored solutions that align with their operational needs and financial constraints.

Q: How are governments modernising riot gear?

A: Governments and security firms are actively seeking ways to modernise riot gear to enhance personnel safety in unpredictable environments. This includes integrating advancements in material science to create gear that is both durable and versatile, addressing not just physical threats but also the comfort needed for prolonged use. At Mehler Protection, we place a strong emphasis on user feedback, ensuring our products evolve to meet the changing dynamics of public safety. This collaborative approach helps us refine our offerings based on real-world experiences.

Q: What are law enforcement’s top priorities whenselecting gear?

A: For law enforcement professionals, the primary concerns when selecting riot gear are protection, mobility, and comfort. In high-pressure situations, officers require gear that effectively shields them from physical threats while allowing for swift movement. Comfort is also crucial, as officers need gear that supports extended use without causing fatigue or strain. Moreover, adaptability is essential; the gear must be versatile enough to meet the diverse challenges encountered during various missions.

Q: How does Mehler Protection ensure agility and comfort in its gear?

A: At Mehler Protection, we prioritise both protection and comfort through our innovative design philosophy. Our modular gear allows officers to adjust their level of protection based on the specific demands of each mission, enhancing flexibility without compromising safety. We use lightweight, breathable materials to ensure comfort during extended operations, which helps reduce fatigue. Additionally, our gear incorporates advanced features like fire and chemical resistance, maintaining high-performance standards while ensuring officers remain agile and responsive in the field.

Q: What innovations are on the horizon?

A: The future of riot gear at Mehler Protection is focused on incorporating cutting-edge materials and exploring the integration of smart technology, such as AI-powered features for improved situational awareness. Our aim is to develop gear that not only offers robust protection but also enhances operational efficiency through real-time adaptability. We are also committed to sustainable manufacturing practices, ensuring that our innovations contribute positively to both security needs and environmental goals. By investing in research and development, we strive to set new standards in protective gear, continually aligning our efforts with the evolving needs of frontline professionals.

For more information about Mehler Protection and its offerings, please visit www.mehler-protection.com.

Carrington Textiles Aligns All Cotton Fabrics with Better Cotton

Monday, October 7th, 2024

Adlington, United Kingdom: Carrington Textiles, a global leader in the manufacture of workwear, flame retardant and defence and security fabrics, has made a significant announcement underlining its commitment to sustainability by pledging exclusive support for the Better Cotton initiative with all the company’s products containing cotton.

The announcement was made on the occasion of World Cotton Day on 7th October 2024, an ideal opportunity for Carrington Textiles to highlight its commitment to developing workwear fabrics that not only offer high levels of quality and performance, but also support the production of responsibly sourced cotton globally.

What is Better Cotton?

It’s an initiative that promotes sustainable cotton farming practices to improve the environment and the livelihoods of farmers while ensuring high-quality cotton for consumers.

In 2019-2020, Better Cotton licensed over 2.4 million farmers from 23 countries across five continents. Together, these farmers produced 23% of the world’s cotton.

Better Cotton is sourced via a chain of custody model called mass balance. This means that Better Cotton is not physically traceable to end products, however, Better Cotton Farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton in equivalent volumes to those sourced.

How can this benefit customers?

When customers buy any of Carrington Textiles fabrics containing cotton, Better Cotton Credits or BCCUs are generated. These BCCUs can be claimed by a registered company directly on the Better Cotton Platform and used to communicate the responsibly source nature of the fabric’s cotton by using hang tags, labels and other marketing materials.

Neil Davey, Carrington Textiles’ Managing Director, announced this pivotal commitment to sustainability reflecting the company’s dedication to reducing its environmental footprint and providing customers with responsibly sourced materials.

Neil stated, “With 99% of fabrics from our FR, workwear and defence ranges containing cotton, this is a huge step towards our sustainability efforts, all of which we are proud to cover in our latest Sustainability Report. This initiative is expected to have a lasting positive impact on our products and the planet.”

Saab Receives Additional Mobile Air Defence Order from Lithuania

Sunday, October 6th, 2024

Saab has received an additional order from Lithuania for the Mobile Short-Range Air Defence (MSHORAD) solution. The order value is SEK 1.2 billion and deliveries are scheduled 2026-2029.

Saab announced the initial MSHORAD order from Lithuania in July 2024. With this additional order, a second battery within the Lithuanian armed forces will be provided with Saab’s mobile air defence capability.  

“We are proud to continue supporting the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ short-range air defence capability. MSHORAD is a highly mobile solution which enables the user to quickly and effectively identify and counteract air threats,” says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

“The acquisition of the Mobile Short-Range Air Defense System (MSHORAD) will enhance the Lithuanian military’s capability to counter potential enemy air attacks. The advantage of this system is its mobility, making it a highly necessary system for Lithuania,” said Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kas?i?nas.

The order includes Mobile Firing Units, Mobile Radar Units and a Command- and Control (C2) system. Saab will integrate MSHORAD into JLTV vehicles manufactured by the U.S. company Oshkosh before delivery to the customer.

MSHORAD is Saab’s mobile air defence solution. The system consists of the Mobile Radar Unit based on the Giraffe 1X radar, the Mobile Firing Unit based on the RBS 70 NG, all connected with GBAD C2, which is Saab’s command and control system for ground-based air defence.

Rheinmetall and Honeywell Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Develop New Technology

Friday, October 4th, 2024

Düsseldorf-based technology group Rheinmetall and the U.S. industrials company Honeywell have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish strategic cooperation in various fields of technology. The two companies intend to cooperate on new visual systems and auxiliary power units for vehicles, among other things.

Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, said: “From auxiliary power units and visual devices to building automation, the list of potential areas of cooperation for our two companies is long. We are grateful to have gained Honeywell as a strategic partner given their long history of innovation and broad technological portfolio.”

Matt Milas, President of Defense and Space, Honeywell Aerospace, said: “We are excited to collaborate with Rheinmetall AG to bring our cutting-edge technology to support the missions of our allies across the world. New and existing programs will benefit from our joint development, production and sustainment efforts across an extensive list of global defense platforms.”

Together, the companies intend to develop new visual systems that leverage the existing capabilities of the Honeywell 360 Display, a driver vision system that includes a variety of thermal imaging and daylight cameras distributed around the vehicle. With the system, a pair of glasses mounted on a driver’s helmet uses augmented and mixed reality technologies to deliver advanced levels of situational awareness and provide a 360-degree view – even without direct vision through windows or periscopes. The Honeywell 360 Display would provide an immense capability boost for existing fleets of tactical vehicles, such as the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, as well as for new builds of modern weapons systems.

Honeywell and Rheinmetall also intend to collaborate on auxiliary power units that are used in tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles when they are in a position and not moving under their own power. With auxiliary power units, the operating time and operational readiness of a turret system can be significantly increased while still maintaining a low thermal and acoustic signature. Auxiliary power units are a supplement to battery storage and can also be of great interest for stationary tasks, including in the protection of critical infrastructure or properties.

The planned strategic cooperation also aims to explore other areas of collaboration between the two companies, including localized maintenance and support for other Honeywell products installed on strategic platforms utilized by the Bundeswehr.

By leveraging their collective resources, Rheinmetall and Honeywell intend to pursue joint approaches in the field of industrial high-energy applications, specifically in building automation (e.g. air conditioning and ventilation, lighting, access control) and overarching thermal management. The companies will explore how a compact solution consisting of a high-performance battery coupled with an auxiliary power unit and a cooling system could supply the necessary electrical primary energy, including the dissipation of heat, for future weapon systems.

Rheinmetall and Honeywell are also in talks about closer cooperation with regard to capabilities in the areas of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS) and electronic warfare. As the cooperation progresses, the implementation of the individual measures will be specified in the coming weeks and months.

NP Aerospace Receives Contract from BeMOD to Deliver Remaining Light Tactical Transport Vehicles

Thursday, October 3rd, 2024

NP Aerospace, the global vehicle integrator and armour manufacturer, has today announced the award of a contract by the Belgium MOD (BeMOD) to deliver the remaining 87 Light Tactical Transport Vehicles (LTTV). The original LTTV programme was to deliver 199 of the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG based vehicles to the BeMOD. The contract to deliver the remaining vehicles has been novated following NP Aerospace’s acquisition of the assets of Jankel Armouring Limited, announced on 10 June 2024.

As well as the production of new LTTV vehicles, this contract also includes lifetime in-service support to the LTTV vehicle fleet for which NP Aerospace will use its proven Vehicle Systems, Services and Spares business unit to deliver. In addition to the LTTV contract, NP Aerospace has also signed an in-service support contract with BeMoD for their Rapid Reaction Vehicles (RRV) fleet, a product for which NP Aerospace also now owns the intellectual property.

NP Aerospace will commence the ramp up of the production plan adopting a fresh approach, with operations being established in their Coventry facilities. As already agreed with the customer, a particular emphasis will be placed upon working to the required quality standards and timescales.

NP Aerospace has a fully established vehicle related, UK-based supply chain in place and will be employing proven best practices to deliver a production programme that meets and where possible, exceeds customer expectations, bringing delivery back on track.

The LTTV vehicle is designed to provide a modular and configurable tactical support vehicle that benefits from unique, removable mission modules that enable the vehicle to be re-roled rapidly for operational platform versatility. With a payload of over 3 tonnes, dependent on the final vehicle specification, the LTTV has 3 core variants for Special Operations support, including an ambulance variant. Alongside a user-configurable, fully integrated suite of military sub-systems that includes a removable ballistic protection kit, a Roll-Over-Protection-System (ROPS), weapon mounts and communications fit.

Lieutenant Colonel Jean-François Gennotte from BeMoD said: “We are very pleased with the acquisition of the assets of Jankel Armouring Limited by NP Aerospace, which allowed us to novateour existing contracts and to keep our fleet supported. The long record of experience in this sector of NP Aerospace looks very promising and we are looking forward to a long lasting and hopefully fruitful cooperation.”

James Kempston, NP Aerospace CEO, commented: “following on from our recent announcement regarding the acquisition of Jankel Armouring Limited’s assets, we’re very pleased indeed to announce the award of this major contract, having been novated to us by the BeMoD customer.” He added: “We’re now putting everything in place to get the LTTV programme up and running and delivering to the customer’s expectations. This is great news for NP Aerospace, for our UK supply chain and for Coventry as we continue to create and/or sustain high skilled jobs in the region and across our supplier partnerships.”

Catch Up with Ocean State Innovations at Upcoming Future Forces Forum in Prague

Thursday, October 3rd, 2024

OSI / Ocean State Innovations will be attending the FFF / Future Forces Forum in Prague – October 16-18th, 2024