Tactical Assault Gear is working with the Marine Corps to develop a new heat-resistant, 60mm mortar sling. Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif., tested the new rig at the beginning of this year to help refine the design.
The new sling features a heat shield that can withstand temperatures up to 800 degrees F, so Marines don't have to remove the sling before putting their tubes into action.
Marines wanted that temperature rating to ensure the sling won't melt when the standard 60 mm mortar heats up to an average of 600 degrees F, Julie Kammerer, West Coast account manager for TAG, said at Modern Day Marine 2012.
The experimental model on display at the show was very crude and attached to a piece of cardboard packing tube. The first 50 prototypes are supposed to be delivered to the Marine Corps for further testing by January, Kammerer said.
