The debate over mobility versus protection and complaints from the field is by no means new. However, the recent focus on “returning [the Corps] to its high-mobility, high-tempo expeditionary roots” make it seem to be the source of newly focused attention.
Marine Corps System Command, Marine Corps Capabilities Directorate and others are participating in the Marine Corps Load Effect Assessment Program and “Lighten the Load” initiative.
“A middleweight fighter can fight one weight class down or one weight class up,” said George Solhan, Director of Marine Corps Science and Technology, echoing the sentiment of Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos, who originally compared the Marine Corps to a middleweight boxer. [click to continue…]
Line of Fire is about to introduce their newest addition to their glove line, The Jedi.
The Jedi is a super-lightweight and comfortable minimalist tactical glove that is meant for many types of users. It can be used as operational glove capable of resisting high levels of abrasions or tears, or it can be utilized by the average shooter at the range to provide protection while not sacrificing comfort.
Israel’s Agilite (a company founded by veterans of the IDF and the US Army) recently released a run of Limited Edition Tactical Hi-Vests after repeated requests via the Agilite Facebook Page. The Tactical Hi-Vest is an infantry-centric loadbearing rig designed to allow for a full loadout without impeding freedom of movement and maneuverability. The decision to make the Limited Edition A-TACS came, says Agilite’s Elie Isaacson, after a barrage of requests via Agilite’s social media platforms, “…literally from all over the world, from the US to Hong Kong to Denmark.”
Says Agilite’s Eli Freedman, a member of the design team, “The A-TACS AU Hi-Vest is a stock item at Agilite but seeing it in FG too is beautiful.”
The new vests were actually delayed after losing their turn in the Agilite Custom Department. Two of the designers working on them were called to active service as part of an emergency IDF reserve duty activation during the recent Operation Pillar of Defense in the Gaza Strip. It is Agilite policy that designers not just be veterans of the IDF’s own in-house tactical design studio but most also be former operators as well. This operational experience is one of the reasos for their continued design success and high levels of ergonomic design.
“The only downside [to that]“, says Freedman, “is that when things heat up we can be several men down!”
FN Manufacturing has outbid Remington Arms Company and Colt Defense LLC., to win a contract worth just under $77 million to make M4A1s for the U.S. Army, according to an industry source. The award notice was posted on Federal Business Opportunities on Feb. 22 with an initial value of $9,370,615.
This is the latest round in what has become a hard-fought battle to equip soldiers with a better carbine.
The drama all began when the Army chose Remington over Colt, the original maker of the M4, last April to make 120,000 M4s and M4A1 carbines. That award meant that more soldiers would go into combat with the M4A1, a SOF version of the carbine that features a more durable barrel and a full-auto trigger. The Army’s decision to dump the three-round burst setting will give soldiers a more consistent trigger and better accuracy.
Think some of the holsters made by the better quality custom kydex guys are cool? How about a holster for a LAAW from S&S Precision? You will still need the sling, but at least it’s not slapping your back flopping around while you’re patrolling and climbing.
(Note: not really a holster. It’s a retention device. Don’t be so literal.)
Armor Works will soon offer a new line of ballistic knee pads designed to shield soldier’s and Marine’s knee caps from enemy AK-47 fire.
The Arizona-based armor firm showed off a Level 3A version of the new ballistic knee pads on the Shot Show floor. Level 3A protects against 9mm rounds and shrapnel. A more protective version capable of stopping 7.62 x 39mm will be available soon, said William Perciballi, president and founder of Armor Works.
The new knee protection is the result of an 18-month effort with PEO Soldier to continue developing “extremity protection” options for soldiers in combat.
“For law enforcement, we are offering a level 3a, and for the military we are offering an assault-rifle version that is being tested right now,” Perciballi said. “It’s a good application for composite armor because composites have very good shaping capabilities. … We are adapting our military composite armor technology to this product where we mold the product to shape and come up with a ballistic component that hopefully people think is comfortable.”
The guys at Grey Ghost Gear gave Dave Reeder and I a preview of their new Medium Mountain Ruck they are unveiling at Shot Show 2013.
The simple but rugged pack is Grey Ghost’s answer to a request from Army equipment officials for a medium-size pack that blends the best features of the Vietnam-era ALICE and the newer MOLLE packs into one design.
The MMR is a 3400 cubic-inch pack is made from 500 denier Cordura and features a flexible, ITW Nexus polymer frame. The combination weighs 4.4 pounds.
It’s designed to carry about 65 pounds, but testers loaded it up with 300 pounds and still saw no blowouts or tears in the fabric, Grey Ghost officials maintain.
The new pack features an ALICE-style frame sleeve at the top of the ruck and a modern kidney pad and waist belt. The frame is curved to cradle body armor such as the Army’s Improved Outer Tactical Vest and prevent the pack from moving around, designers say.
The debate over mobility versus protection and complaints from the field is by no means new. However, the recent focus on “returning [the Corps] to its high-mobility, high-tempo expeditionary roots” make it seem to be the source of newly focused attention.
