22 octobre 2024 | International, Aérospatial
28 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre
Here’s how the Corps could shave about 6 pounds off your body armor
By: Shawn Snow
The Corps is in the beginning stages of researching a new, lighter alternative ballistic body armorplate for counterinsurgency style conflicts that is nearly six pounds lighter than the legacy plates.
And on Thursday, it held an industry day with 16 companies vying to produce the Corps' latest body armor.
The goal is to reduce battlefield fatigue and provide commanders with flexibility on the type of armor protection they decide to carry into combat, according to Keith Pierce, the armor team lead for Infantry Combat Equipment at Marine Corps Systems Command.
While the current Enhanced Small Arms Protective, or ESAPI, have been highly effective in saving lives on the battlefield, they weigh nearly a combined 15 pounds, the Corps wants to shave that down to roughly 8.6 pounds for a medium-sized Marine, Pierce said.
But don't expect the ESAPI to disappear just yet.
The new plates are being crafted for low intensity threat environments like the counterinsurgency style wars that have embroiled American forces for nearly 20 years.
While the new plates will “defeat a preponderance of threats” in low intensity conflicts, the ESAPIs will still be “critical in some threat environments,” Pierce explained to Marine Corps Times.
But the changes to the new plates are still likely to be minimal.
The Corps has decided to keep the same basic shape of the ESAPI, and there's unlikely to be any major changes in materials used to construct the armor plates
“The materials for plates haven't had a big tech leap,” Pierce said. “A lot of people are trying to find that next leap.”
The Army recently fielded a new plate, but its relatively of the same construction as the ESAPI, according to Pierce.
“There may be incremental changes ... like the ceramic improving a little bit,” Pierce explained.
But Pierce said he didn't expect any major changes over the next five years.
“We are looking at some unique things,” he added.
A lot of data and analysis is being pored over, to include assessments of the threat environment by the intelligence community for the construction of the new plates.
So far, the Corps has tested a prototype of the lighter plates and found Marines had nearly eight percent faster mobility over the heavier ESAPIs.
The new plates — when combined with the new Plate Carrier Gen III system — will reduce a Marine's load burden by a total of eight to 10 pounds, according to Pierce.
The Corps expects to award a contract sometime in fiscal 2019 for the lightweight plates, and fielding might kick off in 2020, Pierce said.
Sur le même sujet
-
-
29 janvier 2020 | International, C4ISR, Sécurité
SAIC awarded a $325 million Department of Homeland Security SETA III multiple award IDIQ contract
Reston, Va., January 27, 2020 – Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) has been awarded a multiple award indefinite-delivery, indefinite- quantity contract worth a ceiling value of $325 million with the Department of Homeland Security for Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) support to the Science and Technology Directorate. “SAIC understands the importance of our homeland security mission, and the leading-edge services and solutions we bring to it,” said Bob Genter, SAIC senior vice president and general manager of the Federal Civilian Customer Group. “We look forward to collaborating with the Science and Technology Directorate of DHS to engineer systems that keep our Nation secure and safe.” SETA III provides professional, scientific and technical services to DHS's Science and Technology Directorate. SAIC will provide technical assistance for mission-critical engineering and technology tasks including: Technology scouting Program planning Project justification and defense Vulnerability and risk assessment and mitigation Budgets and performance Project execution Transition and commercialization Program evaluation and analysis SAIC is one of five awardees of the DHS SETA III contract and will compete for task orders to support the Science and Technology Directorate's mission to meet the research and development needs of the DHS components. The contract has a five-year period of performance and SAIC will help DHS with researching and organizing scientific, engineering, and technological resources and leveraging these existing resources into technological tools to help protect the homeland. About SAIC SAIC® is a premier technology integrator solving our nation's most complex modernization and readiness challenges. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian, and intelligence markets includes high-end solutions in engineering, IT, and mission solutions. Using our expertise and understanding of existing and emerging technologies, we integrate the best components from our own portfolio and our partner ecosystem to deliver innovative, effective, and efficient solutions. We are 23,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has pro forma annual revenues of approximately $6.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release contain or are based on “forward-looking” information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “guidance,” and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Legal Proceedings” sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC's expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others. SAIC Media Contact: Lauren Presti 703-676-8982 lauren.a.presti@saic.com View source version on SAIC: https://investors.saic.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2020/SAIC-Awarded-a-325-Million-Department-of-Homeland-Security-SETA-III-multiple-award-IDIQ-Contract/default.aspx
-
23 octobre 2023 | International, Naval
Philippines rethinks military modernization plan after China clashes
Lawmakers have relayed support in passing supplemental budgets for intelligence and materiel acquisitions related to South China Sea operations.