Rep. Chris Carney from Pennsylvania’s office issued a statement that Federal Prison Industries aka UNICOR has ceased production of ballistic helmets and waived right of first refusal for future helmet bids. UNICOR enjoys preferential treatment in contracting for many items purchased by the federal government. In addition to manufacturing the more than 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets recently recalled by the Army, UNICOR currently holds two helmet contracts. One contract with the Army is for 600,000 ACH and the other with the Marines is for 100,000 lightweight ballistic helmets. In both cases helmets have failed to pass first article testing and consequently not a single helmet has been delivered for either contract, both of which are 18 months overdue.
Tags: UNICOR Posted in Helmets | Comments Off on UNICOR Suspends Helmet Production
SOCOM might still be seeking a new Low Visibility Body Armor Vest but you can buy Beez Combat System’s version right now. The BCS B (BALCS) LBAV low profile carrier accepts BALCS cut soft armor inserts and SAPI plates and the front and back external plate pockets allow easy access. The LBAV is perfect for use with a chest rig or ops where concealment is paramount. The Berry Compliant carriers are available in MultiCam, Coyote, Ranger Green, UCP, and Black.
Last week we began to hear some rumblings from industry that the Advanced Combat Helmets sold to the Army by ArmorSource were actually produced by sub-contractor UNICOR (federal prison industries). UNICOR has first right of refusal for numerous commodities purchased by the government. For example, try to buy office furniture for a government building without going to UNICOR first. UNICOR is no stranger to manufacturing helmets, nor to making a mess of the deal. Some PASGT Helmets produced by UNICOR between 1980 and 2006 were found to have been incorrectly manufactured with not enough Kevlar. At that time, UNICOR was working as a sub-contractor to produce helmets for Sioux Manufacturing Corporation. So, unfortunately for ArmorSource (formerly known as Rabintex USA), the Army’s statement last week about removing the helmets from service makes it seem that they are under investigation by the Department of Justice. Perhaps they are, but the investigation is being handled by the US Attorney for Eastern Texas which also happens to be near the UNICOR facility in Beaumont, Texas that produced the helmets in question. This makes it seem to be a UNICOR-centric issue and begs the question whether UNICOR has any business manufacturing personal protective equipment for the military.
Norwegian manufacturers CombatKit have introduced their new Admin Pouch. Designed to fit behind magazine pouches, this MOLLE compatible pouch features a two way zip closure with shock cord. An inner pocket holds pens and other admin supplies and when opened can be used as a writing surface thanks to the 2mm hard plastic in the front of the pouch which is covered with clear plastic in order to read maps or checklists.
About two years ago, Leatherman was approached by two SFCs from the Army Marksmanship Unit at Ft Benning about creating a tool for everyday utility use in addition to weapons maintenance. During the two-year development period, they tested (in Iraq and Afghanistan and bases here in the US) and refined the tool with the official unveiling of the resulting Military Utility Tool at this year’s SHOT show. The product that Leatherman developed is available in both Utility and EOD models. Other than intended use, the major differences between the two are inclusion of a blasting cap crimper and C4 punch (replaces weapons punch) on the EOD model. Obviously, the Utility MUT will suffice for the vast majority of users and that is one of the things that really attracts me to the MUT. It is designed for use by Military, LE, as well as civilian shooters. As you can see from the brochure from Leatherman, a lot of thought went into the development of the MUT.
I had a chance to handle a MUT last week and some of the features that really stick out for me are the bolt override tool, the inclusion of a wrench that ingeniously stores in the sheath’s MOLLE webbing, the replaceable bronze scraping tool for removing carbon buildup from the weapon, and compatibility with OTIS cleaning kit tool heads. This video gives you a great idea of how the MUT works. This is the EOD variant so the remember that the EOD-specific tools will not be on the Utility model.
The MUT is made in the USA and comes with a MOLLE compatible sheath in Coyote. If there is any drawback to the MUT it is that it is not available in FDE. Black is just so passe. I am really looking forward to this hitting the street later this summer as it offers a couple of features not found anywhere else.
PEO-Soldier is seeking a Flame Resistant Uniform Unit level Repair Patch Kit that has the capability to provide Infra Red (IR)/Flame Resistance (FR) protection in a self contained kit. According to the requirement, the “IR/FR Uniform Repair Kit must contain 8 patches (2 3×3,2 4×4, 2 5×5, and 2 5×7 inch kits) made of self adhesive Fire Resistant material that are intended to be used to repair Flame Resistant MultiCam & UCP uniform items.” The patch also needs to “adhere to the FR Army Combat Uniform (FR-ACU), the Improved Combat Vehicle Crewman Coverall (ICVC) and the Aviation Aircrew Combat Uniform (A2CU) or other flame resistant clothing items, covering any holes, rips or tears.”
They have already completed a sources sought notice and should begin to consider technologies soon in order to begin fielding this summer.
We have covered Drifire‘s flight suits in the past but we just received some updated marketing data on their latest incarnation after taking a look at it at the recent ADS Warrior Expo. Available in both Khaki and MultiCam, the Phenix II exceeds Air Force safe to flight characteristics and provides not only FR protection but also moisture wicking and antimicrobial properties. The Khaki variant would be well suited for PMCs operating in IED environments. There are a few other new products coming down the pike from Drifire in the near future so keep your eyes peeled.
Weaponeer.net is an online resource for the DIYer of a different ilk; the home gunsmith. Sure they have a few parts kits for sale but these are limited and mainly consist of some rather obscure products. The real bread and butter are the forums where members can help each other out with various aspects of a project. Unlike many other sites, Weaponeer.net provides more in-depth information on such advanced skills as welding, casting, and refinishing. It was well worth a look.
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