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UF PRO’s New MultiCam Low Temperature Line

Wednesday, October 14th, 2020

The UF PRO MultiCam® Low Temperature Line consists of upgraded versions of four existing UF PRO products:

• Delta AcE Plus Gen.2 Winter Tactical Jacket
• Delta OL 3.0 Winter Tactical Jacket
• AcE Winter Combat Shirt
• Hunter FZ Gen.2 Softshell Jacket (available later this year)

Each of the four in its upgraded form is designed for use in conditions from mild to well-below zero degrees Centigrade; additionally, the new MultiCam fabric, from which the quartet is constructed, promises significant performance advantages such as greater durability and a dramatically lower noise signature, according to Armin Wagner, UF PRO’s head of product development.

“This new MultiCam fabric allows wearers to operate more comfortably and efficiently in extreme cold environments characterized by everything from icy winds to snow or drizzling rain,” said Wagner. “The material is a laminate,” he said. “The outer face-fabric is made of texturised, soft-to-the-touch, 100-percent polyamide that overlays a highly breathable inner polyurethane membrane. The outer layer is woven together by a special ripstop technique. Consequently, these garments last longer—they’re just way more durable, as seen in their greater resistance to tearing, peeling, and friction.”

The other major performance edge offered by the MultiCam Low-Temperature Line is its quietness, according to Wagner. “These upgraded garments make very little noise while the wearer is walking or running,” he said. “Normally, laminate material makes an unmistakable sound that can be easily heard. But this new MultiCam fabric, because of its composition and softness, doesn’t give off that telltale noise.”

The Delta OL 3.0 Tactical Winter Jacket is for the ultimate in cold-weather outerwear. It’s designed for scenarios where the wearer will be stationary for long periods in the worst possible weather conditions – such as high winds driving rain or snow. The elbows are also reinforced with CORDURA® nylon fabric for extra protection.

The Delta AcE Plus Gen.2 Winter Tactical Winter Jacket, meant to be worn when when engaging in strenuous activities in very cold conditions, features thermal-insulating G-Loft filling in the sleeves and 37.5™ microfleece as a lining.

The AcE Winter Combat Shirt is designed to be worn like a normal combat shirt, under a plate carrier or with a rucksack, but in the lowest of temperatures.

Later this year the company is going to add also the Hunter FZ Gen.2 Softshell Jacket to the MultiCam Low-Temperature Line-up.

UF PRO makes advanced-technology jackets, shirts, pants, hats, caps, and accessories for military and law-enforcement units worldwide. For more information about the UF PRO MultiCam Low-Temperature Line, go to ufpro.com/multicam-low-temperature-line

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing, Materials, Press Release | Comments Off on UF PRO’s New MultiCam Low Temperature Line

Polartec and Houdini Launch 100% Recyclable and Circular Mono Air Houdi

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020

Pioneering fabric developer Polartec announces the launch of its award-winning Polartec® Power AirTM – the first 100% recyclable and circular fabric technology engineered to reduce fiber shedding – through a special collaboration with Swedish sportswear brand Houdini and the Mono Air Houdi.

With a focus on sustainability for both brands, the Houdini Mono Air Houdi was created to address the issue of plastic and textile waste on a larger scale. At the forefront of the design is the revolutionary soft and smooth Polartec Power Air fabric technology. Seen as the next generation of fleece, the innovative platform offers advanced thermal efficiency by encapsulating lofted fibers within a multilayer, continuous yarn fabric construction. This highly durable and long-lasting mono material knit construction is completely circular and engineered to reduce microfiber shedding by 80%. With its cutting-edge outdoor performance, the jacket pushes boundaries both in terms of sustainability and functionality.

“Polartec Power Air is a step forward in reducing the environmental impact of what we make and wear,” says Steve Layton, President of Polartec. “This groundbreaking technology can be a real enabler for circularity. It’s processes and constructions like these which make circularity possible. And it’s designs like Houdini’s which help show the world how clothing can be made sustainably.”

Read more about Polartec, Houdini and Project Mono Air here.

Posted in Clothing, Materials, Press Release | 2 Comments »

US Army Tests Aluminum Foam for Protection Against Blasts

Monday, October 12th, 2020

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – Forward Operating Bases are typically surrounded by barbed wire, concrete barriers, gates, watchtowers and other infrastructures. A new material – aluminum foam – may be a possible solution for additional force protection, due to its ability to absorb energy from blasts.

The aluminum foam is added to panels clad with steel that are part of existing structures or bolted together to create larger structures. The panels are also used in jersey style barriers to protect against truck bombs.

Aluminum foam was recently tested in a lab and at an explosives testing range at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, with funding from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense- Global Capability Programs Foreign Comparative Testing program. The FCT program provides funding to acquire, test and evaluate mature products from foreign industry that may fill a capability gap or satisfy an urgent need. The aluminum foam is manufactured in South Korea and Canada.

“In products where you need a good amount of strength and stiffness that aluminum provides but not all the weight, using the foam opens up a lot of engineering design space without increasing cost,” said Calvin Lim, engineer at Picatinny Arsenal.

Aluminum foam is inexpensive to produce, and it can be made into various sizes and shapes, including panels. While it is currently manufactured and shipped from South Korea and Canada, several companies in the United States are interested in expanding production to make aluminum foam. Creating an affordable supply chain in the U.S. will eliminate difficulties with shipping the product outside the country and create additional jobs in the U.S.

Testing to verify and confirm the manufacturers’ claims was conducted at Picatinny Arsenal. Explosives were initiated next to the aluminum foam panels, which were held in place with I-beams.

“These tests showed how the aluminum foam prevents energy from being transmitted to the other side. To fully replicate previous test data, a higher amount of explosives is needed,’’ Lim said.

Testing was initially conducted in South Korea; during testing, the panels absorbed the energy from the blast, collapsing its cellular structure and preventing any damage from transmitting to the other side. The tests at Picatinny Arsenal, as well as upcoming tests, will determine if aluminum foam will be beneficial for the Army overall, as well as other services.

The FCT program provided funding to purchase additional aluminum foam for Insensitive Munitions testing with XM1128 artillery. This was proposed as a low cost, easy to implement packaging solution to reduce the sensitivity and collateral damage in sympathetic reaction and fragment impact scenarios. This testing has been slated but delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to military uses, aluminum foam is used in a variety of applications including sound mitigation, highway barriers, and storm debris mitigation because of its unique properties.

Because of its versatility, aluminum foam has sparked interest and possible use for military ground vehicles, aircraft and watercraft due to its low weight, stiffness and buoyancy. Lighter vessels and vehicles will not only move faster and use less fuel, they will require fewer refueling trips and enable Soldiers to maneuver more easily.

The Army is working with several companies on additional energy and resource savings, including an energy conscious solution that melts raw scrap aluminum to create aluminum foam. This will reduce steps in the recycling supply chain, which will lead to cost savings.

Future efforts could include using aluminum foam to rapidly manufacture, ship and erect buildings quickly in key locations. Recent research shows many allied countries and adversarial countries have already been using aluminum foam to protect civilian and defense employees.

By Argie Sarantinos, CCDC Public Affairs

Posted in Armor, Army, Guest Post, Materials | 4 Comments »

Natick Soldier Center’s New Fabric Enhances Cybersecurity, Subzero Weather Durability

Thursday, October 8th, 2020

NATICK, Mass. – The Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, or CCDC SC, is working with industry to develop a new shelter fabric that will increase durability in subzero conditions and provide electromagnetic, or EM, shielding. The EM shielding will prevent the detection of EM emissions that are generated within a Command Post shelter and provide cybersecurity to Command Post wireless networks.

CCDC SC’s Expeditionary Maneuver Support Directorate is working with industry partners to develop the new laminate systems with higher performance and durability. Kristian Donahue, a chemical engineer in EMSD at CCDC SC, explained that General Purpose, or GP, shelter fabrics are currently made with a coating that becomes brittle at subzero temperatures. This impacts the durability of the fabric, the environmental protection of the shelter, and the light discipline aspect of signature management. Light discipline refers to luminous signs that can lead to the detection of the presence of troops and military facilities.

Donahue stated that the team was already able to successfully develop a new GP tent material that eliminates the low-temperature durability issues, a significant milestone which will help benefit the EM shielding work as well.

“Our goal is to also add additional functionality to this GP tent fabric by integrating an electromagnetic shielding material into the GP fabric,” said Donahue. “This EM shielding fabric will prevent the EM emissions generated within a Command Post shelter from being detected by adversaries, as well as provide cybersecurity to wireless networks operating within the CP.”

Donahue explained that EM shielding is important for both security and Soldier safety.

“Electromagnetic emissions can be detected by adversaries therefore giving away your position,” said Donahue. “Those emissions can also be intercepted and exploited by cyber warfare units.”

The new shelter fabric is also lower weight, thus reducing the logistical footprint. Moreover, there is no longer the risk of increased volume associated with the current fabric, which may become stiff at subzero temperatures and the stiffness can affect volume. In certain cases the increased volume may interfere with moving and packing.

The new fabric technology will also enhance Soldier protection and lethality.

“With increasing peer and near-peer adversaries, the ability to maintain Command and Control and Communications becomes highly imperative,” said Donahue. “The ability to maintain C3 while not being detected is important in the ability to increase unit survivability and unit lethality. The ability to deny detection during a multi-domain battle will ensure dominance on the battlefield.”

By Jane Benson, CCDC SC Public Affairs

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Materials, Shelter | 4 Comments »

D3O Impact Protection Specified by US Army

Thursday, October 1st, 2020

Thursday 1 Oct, 2020 – D3O is proud to be the specified helmet suspension pad supplier in the recently awarded Integrated Helmet Protection System (IHPS) Suspension System contracts. The split awards to VisionCorps (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), and Winston-Salem Industries For The Blind Inc. (Winston-Salem, North Carolina), are Firm Fixed Price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts, with deliveries through 21 June 2023. Under the terms of the contract, D3O will deliver up to 100,000 suspension pad sets per year. Building on D3O’s past performance delivering IHPS helmet pads to the US Army as a sub-tier supplier during the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) program phase, these latest awards cement D3O’s market position as a leading provider of next generation head protection to the US Armed Forces.

The IHPS is one of four subsystems of the cutting-edge Soldier Protection System (SPS), a modular, scalable, tailorable platform designed to defeat current threats at a reduced weight in comparison to the Army’s existing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) system. SPS increases the warfighter’s survivability, mobility and modularity by optimizing soldier protection while effectively reducing weight with the latest technologies and managing all lifecycle aspects of personal protective equipment. SPS provides the soldier with multiple levels of protection tailorable to a broad range of missions.

The IHPS consists of a helmet, with provision for adding mandible protection and/or ballistic visor for mounted use. The system is designed to protect a soldier’s head, enabling soldiers to configure its various components to optimize protection to the specific threat and mission.

D3O, a UK-based impact protection company with offices and Berry Amendment-compliant production capability in the US, was the first company to simultaneously meet the IHPS system’s rigorous 14 foot/second impact protection requirement while delivering improved performance for the traditional 10 foot/second requirement. The company is now producing a one-size-fits-all IHPS helmet pad system that is also lighter and more comfortable than the previous generation. This reduces soldier burden, allowing for increased survivability, agility, and maneuverability.

To develop the system, D3O leveraged its previous helmet pad design expertise supplying multiple Defense customers, including prominent international protective kit providers, as well as its expertise developing market-leading impact protection across the industrial, sports, motorcycle and electronics markets. The result, developed in collaboration with the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), is a helmet pad set that exceeds the requirements set by the US Army. D3O commenced IHPS Generation I LRIP in summer 2018.

Bill VanMullekom, Executive Vice President, said: “Our ultimate goal for the SPS IHPS program is to bring the benefits of next generation D3O Impact Protection to those that need it most. Our next generation helmet pad systems meet the most stringent impact standards while being suited for a wide array of helmet shells, offering maximum protection to the warfighter. D3O invests heavily in its new material and product engineering pipeline initiatives and is proud to serve US Army needs with this latest technology.”

The new offering complements D3O’s helmet pad range, consisting of the original TRUST Stealth and Berry Compliant TRUST Nimbus, the company’s latest lightweight system tested for use in both aramid and polyethylene helmet shells for greater versatility. Nimbus is available in 7- and 9-pad configurations, the latter affording end users the option to remove a single pad to create a channel for over-the-ear hearing communication straps. A study conducted in the second quarter of 2020 to obtain both military and law enforcement user reviews on TRUST Nimbus confirmed it is suitable for wear all day, every day. A majority of users advised this system was better or much better in terms of comfort, breathability, weight and overall than their prior helmet liner, and 100 percent recommended a change from their prior system to the TRUST Nimbus system.

Posted in Army, Helmets, Materials, Press Release | 6 Comments »

Cordura NYCO Goes Into Active Service with Britain’s Crack Commandos

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

Gloucester, UK – 21 September 2020 – Chosen for its durability and high-performance characteristics, CORDURA® NYCO fabric is being used to produce the next generation of highly advanced uniforms for the Royal Marines Commandos, designed and manufactured by Crye Precision and distributed by Level Peaks in a contract with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.

The UK’s renowned Royal Marines Commandos are one of the toughest and most elite forces in the world, operating from polar regions to the tropics and every place in between. From their daring raids on occupied-Europe during World War II, right up to the present day, they have been the spearhead for military action on a global scale and their exploits have won them an awesome and well-deserved reputation.

So, as you would expect, to get the right to wear the famous ‘green beret’ their new recruits undergo one of the most gruelling selection ordeals you could imagine. And the same exacting standards were applied to the CORDURA® fabric used in the new uniforms they are now being issued with as part of the Future Commando Force initiative. The CORDURA® brand takes quality assessment to punishing extremes – with fabric test procedures that include aggressive abrasion testing to push durability to the limit.

This is the key strength of the new uniform which comprises individual Combat and Field ensembles all made from Crye Precision’s comfort weave MultiCam® VTX Ripstop stretch CORDURA® NYCO fabric using INVISTA’s T420HT high tenacity nylon 6,6 fibre blended with cotton. CORDURA® NYCO fabric offers long-lasting comfort and performance for the wearer. The uniform is printed with Crye Precision’s MultiCam® camo pattern by 1947 LLC through an exclusive international manufacturing license agreement.

Along with delivering the enhanced durability required for the Commandos in action, this fabric is a foundation for a new uniform that is lighter weight, has comfort stretch, has higher tear-strength, is faster-drying and is more breathable than typical 50/50 nylon/cotton uniform kit. Meaning it can be trusted and relied on in the most extreme and hostile environments on earth – from frozen wastes to jungle and deserts.

Crye Precision, the ultimate specialist in combat apparel

The Royal Marines uniform has been designed and engineered by a company with unrivalled in-depth knowledge of the specific demands of combat and tactical operations. Crye Precision are the ultimate specialists in their field and work closely with global military professionals to develop new and technically superior generations of combat apparel and related kit incorporating unique technologies.

Why did they choose CORDURA® fabric? Gregg Thompson, Co-Founder Crye Precision, sums it up this way: “The next generation uniform is always our focus, and the fabric is always the starting point. We need people who understand what we’re trying to do. Who are willing to partner with us to help us get there. For us, CORDURA® is that partner. They set the technical standard and pretty much our entire line has some kind of CORDURA® element in it. It’s so reliable, it just performs in every situation.”

Level Peaks – meeting NATO’s needs

The new uniforms are supplied by Level Peaks under its five-year contract with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. This British company describes its central objective as the introduction of more effective, integrated uniform systems. Jim Clarke- Programme Director for Level Peaks says:

“We are very excited by this initiative. With Crye Precision’s world leading designs and CORDURA® fabric technology we are able to supply troops with a solution that is lighter, stronger and more comfortable. It will be worn by troops rapidly deployed to war zones, combat missions, commando raids, or providing humanitarian assistance”

1947 LLC – Full-service military solution provider

The Crye MultiCam® VTX printed fabric is exclusively supplied by 1947 LLC who are a full-service textile solution provider specializing in military, tactical, and industrial products. 1947 LLC have worked with Crye Precision since the pattern was originally developed and are extremely pleased and proudly support this opportunity to introduce this new and innovative fabric into the European theatre for the NATO forces. Ben Galpen co-Founder of 1947 LLC says: “Entering into a new market is always exciting for our company but this is especially rewarding as we are honoured to support NATO and its mission.”

CORDURA® NYCO, the fighting fabric

CORDURA® NYCO intimate blend nylon/cotton technology was specifically created for military and tactical applications and has a 40-year heritage of success and proven performance in the field. The current range of innovative fabrics based on NYCO technology includes Crye’s NATO selected VTX Stretch Ripstop. The Crye MultiCam® VTX NYCO stretch mobility fabric is powered by INVISTA’s latest high tenacity fibre technology – Type 420HT – for the ultimate in lightweight strength, comfort and enhanced durability.

Allen Mortimer Military EMEA director for INVISTA CORDURA® concludes:

“Through close consultation with military experts – including experienced veterans – we are constantly evolving CORDURA® fabrics to face new scenarios in different theatres of conflict. We’re proud to know that this fabric now provides NATO troops with a tougher way to handle the toughest missions – and we salute the Royal Marines as the first unit to lead the way forward”.

Posted in Materials, Press Release | 11 Comments »

Cordura Truelock Fabrics from HLC Industries

Tuesday, September 15th, 2020

Introducing the latest video of INVISTA™ CORDURA® TRUELOCK™ Fabrics within HLC Industries Inc., In-Stock Program of Solution Dyed colors: Coyote 498 – Black – Ranger Green – Wolf Gray – Tan 499, in 500D and 1000D, well stocked and ready to ship at the moment’s notice.

Contact: peter@hlcindustries.com for samples and marketing materials.

Posted in Materials | Comments Off on Cordura Truelock Fabrics from HLC Industries

Black Collar Arms Forged Carbon Fiber Components

Thursday, September 10th, 2020

Austin, TX (09/07/2020) — Originally developed as a joint effort between Lamborghini and Callaway Golf Company, the forged carbon fiber process can produce complex shapes one-third the weight of titanium, yet stronger. Partnering with manufacturing company McVick, Black Collar Arms is excited to bring the world of forged carbon fiber components to a firearm near you.

Available first are Forged Carbon Fiber One-Piece Scope Mounts in 30mm and 34mm ring sizes. Despite weighing in at a scant 5.2 ounces, these forged carbon fiber scope mounts are as stiff and rigid as if they were machined from steel (three times stiffer than aluminum!) with just 1/6th the thermal expansion of aluminum.

These are the most rigid scope mounts on the market and maintain flawless zero in any condition. As if the gorgeous carbon fiber aesthetic wasn’t enough!

Forged Carbon Fiber One-Piece Scope Mounts are the first in an upcoming line of forged carbon fiber components currently being designed by Black Collar to be manufactured by McVick exclusively for Black Collar. Expect further optic mounting solutions plus other accessories and components, including AR-15 parts.

Quality is extremely high, but current production capacity is low. Mount availability will be rather limited with small batches arriving at Black Collar weekly while we gradually invest in increasing capacity.

Despite the limited and exclusive nature of the Forged Carbon Fiber One-Piece Scope Mounts and their physical advantages over aluminum mounts, not to mention their drop-dead gorgeous looks, MSRP is in-line with other premium scope mounts.

More information can be found at: blackcollararms.com/product/forged-carbon-fiber-one-piece-scope-mounts

Posted in Materials, Press Release, Weapon Accessories | 7 Comments »