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View Full Version : Lightweight plate carriers due in early 2010



bobdina
09-28-2009, 12:14 PM
By Matthew Cox - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Sep 28, 2009 6:14:24 EDT

Call it an early New Year’s resolution, but the Army is pledging to give soldiers in Afghanistan new, lightweight armor plate carriers in early 2010.

The increasing focus on the mission in Afghanistan has meant more dismounted operations for combat troops. Soldiers routinely move and fight on foot over the country’s extremely rugged terrain. And carrying too much equipment can be as deadly as enemy bullets, particularly when soldiers are trying to outmaneuver Taliban fighters accustomed to traveling light in their mountainous homeland.

To help lighten the 130-pound loads many soldiers carry, Army equipment officials plan to select a new plate carrier at the end of September.

“The objective is to get it out there as soon as possible,” Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller, commander of Program Executive Office Soldier, told Army Times.

Currently soldiers wear body armor known as the Improved Outer Tactical Vest, which weighs about 33 pounds with all of its soft armor attachments. The new plate carriers, which would be issued as an alternative to the IOTV, could shave about 16 pounds while providing the same 7.62mm ballistic protection.

Army equipment officials hope to have 57,000 plate carriers, which are slated to be delivered in the Universal Camouflage Pattern, by February to begin issuing them to combat troops, according to the government solicitation.

PEO Soldier launched its plate carrier effort this spring as the Asymmetric Warfare Group and other Army commands prepared to conduct a battlefield assessment to find ways to reduce the heavy loads soldiers now shoulder in the mountains of Afghanistan.

For that assessment, a battalion from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, was issued specially selected, ultra-light combat gear, which includes plate carriers, lighter packs and boots, before it deployed to Afghanistan in July.

About 500 soldiers from 4-4 are wearing the Eagle Industries Modular Body Armor Vest, a plate carrier that’s about 14 pounds lighter than the Army’s IOTV.

The MBAV plate carrier is standard issue to Special Operations Command units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment. The Marine Corps has been using another Eagle-designed plate carrier in Afghanistan since 2008.

While the Army has not decided what units will receive the new plate carriers, Fuller said, “I anticipate it would be [for units] in Afghanistan.”

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/army_platecarrier_092809w/

ghost
09-28-2009, 01:20 PM
Nice. Are these similar to the ones that the Marine Corps is getting?

bobdina
09-28-2009, 03:05 PM
one and the same, the Army's SOF uses them as well so I don't really know why the big delay.

nastyleg
09-28-2009, 06:19 PM
politics in procurment proccess again

dmaxx3500
09-28-2009, 10:15 PM
wasn't there some body armor called ''dragon'' looked like fish scales ,i thought it too was real lite and better at defending our guys

Reactor-Axe-Man
09-28-2009, 10:29 PM
What's the trade-off here? Less shrapnel protection in order to keep the plates for stopping rifle bullets?

Reactor-Axe-Man
09-28-2009, 10:30 PM
wasn't there some body armor called ''dragon'' looked like fish scales ,i thought it too was real lite and better at defending our guys

Dragonscale was anything but lightweight. That was one of the criticisms against it. (Well that and exposure to things like fuel ate the glue that held the ceramic scales in place...)

bobdina
09-28-2009, 10:35 PM
Yeah dragon skin was not what at all they tried to make it out to be, besides the glue failing the "scales" would shift while still glued leaving some areas without the needed ballistic protection . there are lot's of good things when only tested in a certain environment, but when you have to perform in freezing weather, then baking whether a lot of them fail .

nastyleg
09-28-2009, 10:51 PM
Yeah dragon skin was not what at all they tried to make it out to be, besides the glue failing the "scales" would shift while still glued leaving some areas without the needed ballistic protection . there are lot's of good things when only tested in a certain environment, but when you have to perform in freezing weather, then baking whether a lot of them fail .

Dragon skin failed the Army's heat and cold tests. When heated up the glues came undone and the "scales" shifted. During the cold test the "scales" shattered. As for the corrosive properties of JP8, JP4, JP2 it completely destroys all adhesive properties of glue. Think turpentine on steroids.

GTFPDQ
09-28-2009, 10:55 PM
With the loads that combat troops have to carry, its good that they are getting something lighter.

nastyleg
09-28-2009, 11:21 PM
I agree Charlie the minimum wieght is 75lbs it just goes up from there.