SSD has learned that Crye Precision has been awarded the contract for the SPEAR BALCS Low Visibility Body Armor Vest although no formal announcement has yet been made by the Government. This information is based on a query to the Contracting Office. This was a 100% Small Business Set Aside and the design team has been responsible in the past for the Eagle CIRAS and BAE MBAV, both selected for use by USSOCOM, so the choice of Crye is no surprise. The only remaining Government information on the web is located here.
This is just precious. In a recent press release from the MoD, Colonel Stephen James, Project Team Leader for the Defence Equipment and Support Clothing Team, who was responsible for delivering the new British Multi Terrain Pattern to British forces had this to say, “We have presented the new designs to the US Department of Defense and, following our recommendations, the US Army are about to adopt the same technology for their uniform in Afghanistan.â€
Ok, so there you have it. The recommendation of the British Army, after their experience in adopting MTP a MultiCam-like pattern developed by Crye Precision, is what is responsible for the US Army’s recent decision to field MultiCam to units operating in Afghanistan. I guess it has nothing to do with the results of an arduous selection process carried out by PEO-Soldier and their partners at Natick, AWG, ATEC, and the Infantry Center in which MultiCam was deemed superior to the other candidates.
Pics of Royal Marines on Op Herrick wearing the new Multi-Terrain Pattern developed by Crye Precision for the UK Ministry of Defence have begun to emerge.
This is Lt Col Paul James, Commanding Officer of 40 Commando Royal Marines taking over the Sangin area of operations in Helmand province, from Lt Col Nick Kitson, CO, 3 Rifles.
I think this photo gives the best impression of what I have been talking about. Essentially, the MoD adapted their Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) with the MultiCam color pallet as well as a few Crye tricks.
Program Manager, Special Operations Forces Survival, Support and Equipment Systems (PM SOF-SSES) has released a pre-solicitation for a “non-commercial, non-developmental Modular Integrated Communication Helmet (MICH) Product Improved Helmet, Type I Ballistic System”.
Requirements include “The Type I MICH-BALLISTIC meets or exceeds all of the current MICH helmet requirements with the added benefit of lighter weight and flexible configuration.” Please note the term “flexible”. This is a level of modularity not available on the legacy MICH and screams FAST helmet from Ops-Core or AIRFRAME helmet from Crye Precision although I am sure BAE will have something to throw at this based on their recent work on the Enhanced Combat Helmet combined with Corona.
The pre-solicitation closes 16 March, 2010 with a full and open solicitation to follow later this year.
Days after being named by the US Army as the alternative camouflage pattern for operations in Afghanistan, the MultiCam brand website has received a new look.
One of their featured products is the Oakley Standard Issue Land, Sea, Air boot first exhibited at AUSA last year. It features cleated stipes and drainage holes. Interestingly, it still isn’t available for sale.
On 29 December, 2009, Crye Precision was granted 7,636,948 patent for their “Combat Shirt and Armor System” and this may prove to be just as important as when Crye unleashed their combat uniform on an unsuspecting market. It’s not often when you see a new concept fundamentally change the way we look at something but that is exactly how it worked out. I don’t think Crye even believed it would take off like it did. Even if you consider that the idea was radical at the time, when you saw it, you “got it”. It just made sense. Thinner, wicking material where you wear armor, built in knee and elbow pads. Everyone wanted one and that was the problem. Demand soon outpaced capacity and just like nature, the market place abhors a vacuum. Soon everyone had their own version of a combat shirt. Eventually, Crye caught up with demand, but the genie was out of the bottle so to speak.
The patent is very specific in many areas, almost too much so, and in others like so many patents, it’s virtually obtuse. No idea whether Crye will attempt to defend their intellectual property but at this point with so many versions out there, including the issue Army Combat Shirt and Airman Battle Shirt it would almost be Crye vs everybody. Read it and weep.
Please do not contact Crye over and over asking when these products will be available. The more you harass them, the more you gum up the works. They are all expected to hit the market at various points over the course of this year. Special thanks to Ash from MightyTactical.com for getting this together.
