SOTech is proud to announce both that our Cobra Aid Bag has been added to the CAASOP being approved for Airborne operations and that we have received our US Patent for our unique design. What attracted the Cobra to the attention of the 82nd’s senior medics was it’s configuration to ride closed comfortably on the paratrooper’s back and to open splaying out flat to give quick ID and access to all of the labeled pouches. It’s sleek design can also strap to the paratrooper’s ruck keeping within the jump size limits, and it’s modular pouches allow for reload after the 72 hour sustainment window.
Aid Stations are being targeted and need to move within 2 hours.
In the age of drone warfare, the word coming out of Ukraine was that Russian Artillery targeting aid stations was forcing them to treat and move within two hours. SOTech has been redesigning medical load carriers to be more mobile while comfortable to wear. The Cobra system takes a panel organizer and allows it to quickly zip closed into a super comfortable pack for fast and extended movement.
The SOTech Cobra JAKES (Jumpable Aid Kit and Equipment Sack) is designed to be jumped in conjunction with the MOLLE 4K or as a stand-alone pack. When jumped attached to the MOLLE 4K, it provides more expedient access to treatment than other current aid bags. The JAKES was evaluated by ABNSOTD who conducted a rigging exercise and actions inside the aircraft assessment. The test concluded that the overall risk of rigging, carrying, and using the JAKES during static line parachute operations is low. Solution: AEC published the Safety Confirmation; USAAAS published the updated AUL. This rigging solution will be included in CH. 12 of the CAASOP — from MJM Update 25-01 The Cobra CAAB can be jumped stand alone or piggyback to the MOLLE 4000.
Brigades of the Army’s elite 82nd ABN DIV have been purchasing the Cobra JAKES CAAB after we customized the design to clip and strap onto the outer face of the MOLLE 4000 ruck in a piggyback configuration. An octopus strap condenses the outer pockets flat so the addition of the Cobra CAAB keeps the overall dimensions of the two packs together within the cubed dimension limitations for exiting the aircraft. This also allows the Cobra to splay open perfectly when the MOLLE ruck is dropped presenting the internal pouches for quick ID and access. And it’s modular pouches allow for reload after the 72 hour sustainment window. While the 82nd ABN DIV and 18th ABN CORPS prefer to jump the Cobra piggyback strapped to the MOLLE 4000 ruck, the Rangers, SF and SEALS all requested the ability to jump it stand alone. Per the CAASOP, JAKES is authorized to be jumped with the MOLLE 4K and IHSPR or as a stand-alone pack with the HSPR.
The ability of the tail to fold up and still give access thus allowing wall mounting inside confined vehicle spaces followed the SOF medical doctrine of Ruck-Truck-House. The layout of the pouches allows for the MARCH protocol in labelling and arrangement. And the load space allows for a paratrooper’s 72-hour medical load which coincidentally matches the size required for Prolonged Field Care / Prolonged Casualty Care guidelines.
The Cobra Aid Bags are part of a deployment system that includes travel containers as well as reload sustainment pouches. The Cobra comes with an optional MARCH belt that can function as a hip belt. This is supported by the Cobra pack that can be mounted on a vehicle or shelter wall. This in turn is supported by travel duffel (Medical Organizer Rescue Pack / MORP) which contains 10 reload sustainment pouches that will velcro into the Cobra. The MORP is supported by the Modular Medical Container Insert System / MMCIS Pelican box organizer. The MMCIS comes with a lid pouch organizer, and space for the Cobra, MORP and a tray of sustainment medical items. The whole kit stores inside the Pelican 1660 box. When deployment orders come, the box can be wheeled onto the fixed wing craft for travel. Once in-country, the box can be left in the rear and the duffel can move to the forward AO via rotary wing. Once there, the MORP can stay in the shelter while the Cobra is mounted to the vehicle and the belt mounted to the operator.
The US Patent and Trademark Office recognizes SOTech’s innovative and unique design through its recent award of a utility patent for the Cobra. When we began work on this design, we wanted to combine SOTech’s well known RAMMP hanging panel designs (the large black medical wall hangers with gold labels have been a staple of the Army for decades) with our super comfortable backpacks. Our motivation was the artillery targeting on modern battlefields of aid stations by drone reconnaissance meaning aid stations could come under fire if they are set up for more than two hours.
SOTech also worked with a group of soldiers assigned to a well-regarded academic institution to perform a study on the cognitive improvement for a medic identifying and accessing pouches when they are splayed open versus a top load pack. The Cobra design was markedly faster, and the soldier felt that they were better able to function in their medical task. Pictured is comparison testing between the Cobra and MOLLE 4000. Contact SOTech for additional information.
Pictured above top left to right: Cobra Go Pack, Modular Assault Aid Bag, Cobra Assault Aid Bag-Jumpable, Modular Prolonged Field Care Cobra, and Cobra Modular Aid Station Pack. Below: Cobra Micro Pack and Cobra Mini Pack.
SOTech’s patented Cobra design has evolved into a family of products. Beginning with an assault aid bag, we expanded to a larger prolonged field care bag for Special Forces customers, and an even larger field aid station bag for our Forward Resuscitation and Surgical Teams. Next the SEALS asked us for a smaller Cobra we called the Cobra Go Pack. And concurrently we developed a belt pouch and a fanny pack we call the micro cobra and the mini cobra. Stay tuned for our medical line to drone, communications and EOD carriage.
