September 28, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land
By: Shawn Snow
Marines will soon be getting their hands on a new lighter and better fitting plate carrier.
On Wednesday, the Defense Department announced that a five-year contract of $62,612,464 was awarded to Vertical Protective Apparel LLC, a New Jersey-based company, to produce the Corps' Plate Carrier Generation III.
The contract calls for a maximum of 225,886 new plate carriers over a five-year period.
The Corps has been in collaboration with the Army for new lighter and better fitting plate carrier and ballistic armor since a policy update in 2016 from the Capabilities Development Directorate called for a fit update.
“The legacy carrier fit the span of the Marine Corps, but this new system is more tailorable to fit Marines of various sizes with three new smaller-stature options,” Flora “Mackie” Jordan, body armor engineer for the Infantry Combat Equipment Team at Marine Corps Systems Command, said in a command release. “We wanted to give as much mobility back to Marines as possible by reducing the weight and bulk of the vest without decreasing ballistic protection. We were able to reduce the weight of the vest by 25 percent.”
The Corps managed to shave an inch-and-a-half from the bottom and removed some material from the shoulders.The new fit will help lighten the load and reduce fatigue on the battlefield.
The new plate carrier is "less bulky, lighter in weight, and provides a smaller overall footprint than the current plate carrier while maintaining the same soft armor coverage and protection level," Barbara Hamby, a spokeswoman for Marine Corps Systems Command, told Marine Corps Times last July, while describing a prototype of the new plate carrier.
The new carrier also comes with a quick release, which will help Marines take the carrier off faster than the legacy system
Marines are also amid plans to procure lighter ballistic armor.
January 31, 2024 | International, Aerospace
The move follows a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that lifts some restrictions on what range fees the Space Force can collect.
December 31, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
https://www.defensenews.com/outlook/
October 14, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
ARMY Longbow Ltd., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $32,154,552 modification (P00001) to contract W58RGZ-20-F-0464 for generic spare parts kits for AH-64E Apache helicopters. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2024. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (India, Morocco, Netherlands, and United Arab Emirates) funds in the amount of $32,154,552 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Spence Brothers, Saginaw, Michigan, was awarded a $19,304,000 firm-fixed-price contract to modify the Union Street Dam and a bi-directional fish passage. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Traverse City, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 2, 2024. Fiscal 2021 Great Lakes Fishery Commission funds in the amount of $19,304,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911XK-21-C-0001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Altamira Ltd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $11,875,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 130 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Pennsylvania, with an Oct. 12, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-21-D-0051). https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2380512/source/GovDelivery/