Probably not, but it seems weird to us here at Kit Up! that engineers at Natick wouldn’t know about a system that’s been out for nearly two years that addresses the same issue they worked on here.
Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center initiated an Immediate-Action prototyping effort in support of Soldiers in Operation Enduring Freedom. The result is the High-Capacity Ammunition Carriage System which enables a machine gunner to carry and fire up to 500 rounds of linked ammunition from a rucksack-like carrier…
…The initial concept was field-crafted in OEF by a Soldier who used obsolete load carriage frames and harnesses, spare parts, and readily available dunnage held together by bungee cords and nylon zip ties.
Good on the Joes in The ‘Stan who jury rigged their own machine gun ammo carrier out of duct tape and bailing twine, but why did Natick and NSRDEC spend so much time (45 days) and resources to build their own “authorized” version when Tyr Tactical has been marketing their Machine Gunner’s Assault Pack for a couple years?
The MICO meets the Army’s requirements (500 rounds of 5.56 or 7.62 ammo) and all it would have taken is a phone call to get to the field. In fact, we wrote about it here back in mid-May.
Look, we’re all for the field expedient innovation and good on Natick for jumping on this and delivering something so quickly to troops in the field. But it seems that the effort could have been better spent on a product that’s not readily available in the tactical marketplace instead of one that’s been featured in booths from AUSA to Modern Day Marine.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: We received the release on this project from Natick’s news feed. Tyr had no input whatsoever on the original Kit Up! post, but we are seeking comment from them.)
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmm, natick creating exoskeleton…. natick making ammunition packs….
China in the south china sea… ww3?
= Fallout 3
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090804115…
Aren't they just TESTING the exoskeleton, not creating?
What backpack was Jesse the Body Ventura using with the minigun in Predator? Did Tyr make that one too?
This may seem facetious, but sjl777 is right to point it out. The idea of feeding an infantry MG from a pack with a flex chute has been around since this 1987 flick, at least. It's 'prior art' for Tyr AND Natick.
Actually, it goes back further than that. The Predator backpack was based on similiar lash ups used by a few SEAL M60 gunners during Vietnam. They took ammo cans and chutes intended for M60D helicopter door guns and hooked them up to backpack frames.
However, the backpack ammo supply concept goes back even further. A linkless variation was devised for the original AR-10 rifle. The chute had a magazine interface at the end which plugged into the rifle's magazine well.
Like I said in the post back in May, I got to see this product first hand at the Modern Day Marine Expo. I don’t know about the Natick version, but the TYR version will hold 1000 rounds. I guarantee the TYR version has a better design and better materials too. This situation doesn’t sit well with me. Natick should be looking to small USA owned businesses for this kind of thing.
Maybe the $4000 per unit price tag from Tyr had something to do with it.
I sure as h*ll don't want to spend that kind of money when Natick can come up with something similar that hopefully costs less. Let Tyr produce the Natick design if we want to help small business, but just because they are a SB does not mean we have to buy what they are selling.
But at what R&D expense did Natick incure –at the tax payers expense? Given the low field need fo rthis system, why not buy off the shelf?
No, but they should have to respect their intellectual property like everyone else(in this country). Stealing a company's idea and then offering them the production doesn't help if you're a small idea shop(Tyr, Mystery Ranch, Granite Gear) and not a mass producer(BAE, Eagle, Propper).
This is a very direct, straight-up RIP OFF! We hosted the first test firing of Tyrs' MICO last December [2010].
Just goes to proove, there is no honor in nylon.
RA
US PALM
Well, considering that the Army spent a metric boatload of cash to develop their own improved magazine follower when Magpul's was firmly established in the marketplace… I'd say that the "Not Invented Here" syndrome is alive and well.
1. Find something cool in the private sector.
2. Re-invent it and claim credit.
3. Profit.
Sounds like what China does.
Nice Its not a new idea ammo back packs have been tried since Vietnam so no one can claim 100% credit here
probobly because Tyr's is four grand!
sounds like the marketing guys at Tyr were not doing their job very well……
cool idea though.
I've always thought that there are some very clear conflicts of interest at Natick. Individuals there can profit off good ideas of others. It's why we still have the MOLLE plastic frame junk.
Keep in mind that the government can only get the junk for a GSA authorized company. Like in my Maintenance section we can get Snap-On tools but not Matco because Snap-On is a GSA suppler. It would be great if a unit could take a government local purchase card and get exactly what they need but it does not work that way most of the time.
I love this thing. I've had one for years. It saves time by not having to reload when you don't "have time to bleed"
As much as I like the idea of high capacity, I have two issues with this:
1) How easy is it to untangle a hang-up in the chute?
2) Does it make it too easy to exceed a sustained rate of fire?
Colbalt barrels may address the latter, but I'd want to know about the failure modes and timelines for corrective action after the gunner goes for an unplanned swim in a mudpit.
LMFAO!!!!! HEY JASON HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET YOUR GEAR RIPPED OFF FOR A CHANGE!!??
Older than you think it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPrJVD2xc1A
They all rip off each other just like in the music industry, nothing really new like Mark has pointed out so very well!. This is what makes for better weapon systems though by sharing taking from this and that and combining to make something better more effective. We see it in so many everyday items in our normal lives.
Who carries the gunners pack, or does he stuff his MRE's in his jockstrap?
I've never heard of this. Is it actually in service and being used by troops in the field? Or is it still in testing?
just seems like it would malfunction or break too easily. mud, dust, shrapnel, debris, water, i dont know but its still cool.
Everyone ripped off the nameless vietnam era SEALS that would use the same setup to feed their m60E. Google that for more info.