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11 Feb 16. 3M and Schuberth to Collaborate on Next-Generation Helmet Technology. 3M Deutschland GmbH and Schuberth GmbH have joined forces to develop new and improved ballistic head protection systems for military and law enforcement applications. The agreement outlined plans to collaborate and create custom solutions for end users in the European market. Schuberth will also be a distributor of 3M ballistic helmets manufactured by Ceradyne, Inc., a 3M company.
“The agreement with 3M is an important step for us in strengthening our position in the market segment of ballistic head protection systems,” says Schuberth CEO Jan-Christian Becker. Adds Cheryl Ingstad, 3M business manager, Advanced Ceramics Platform – Defense, “Schuberth is a leader in military head protection and accessories, with a deep understanding of customer requirements. This aligns well with our efforts to understand and translate needs in head protection to exciting, new developments in our products.”
Schuberth is a leading manufacturer of head protection systems for various applications, including motorsports, industrial safety, military and law enforcement. 3M subsidiary, Ceradyne, Inc., utilizes advanced materials and a proprietary manufacturing process to produce lightweight body armor and ballistic helmets, which has helped to make them a key supplier to the U.S. Armed Forces.
Under the agreement, the two companies bring to the market a new generation of products designed to protect military and law enforcement personnel against various types and levels of threats. This is of particular interest, as security concerns are on the rise in many parts of the world.
“Our police and military customers will benefit from this cooperation, as reliable technologies of both companies are immediately available,” said David Cerny, Head of Government Customers at 3M Deutschland GmbH. “Our goal is to offer lighter weight, effective protection in the face of growing threats.” (Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)
11 Feb 16. US Army Plans to Field New Protective Vest, Armored Shirt in 2019. U.S. Army equipment officials are working on a new lightweight, body armor system that combines a plate-carrier style vest with an armored Army Combat Shirt. The new Soldier Protection System is being designed to provide soldiers with as much as a 14-percent weight savings than the current soldier protective equipment, according to Col. Dean Hoffman IV, the head of Army’s Project Manager Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment.
“This is a modular system; if you want to deal with weight, you have got to go super-low, light-weight, but we also have to be able to protect the soldiers,” Hoffman said during recent interview with Military.com. “It gives commanders more flexibility, more options to choose the right level of protection to suit the mission.”
The Soldier Protection System, or SPS, is a full ensemble that goes beyond torso protection and provides the soldier with improved protection for vital areas such as the head and face, Hoffman said.
Currently, the Army issues soldiers the Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or IOTV, which offers torso, neck, shoulders and groin protection against 9mm and shrapnel threats.
Rifle plates such as the Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert and the X-Threat Small Arms Protective Insert offer different levels of front and back protection against high-velocity rifle rounds. Smaller versions of these plates can be worn on each side of the torso for additional protection.
The IOTV weighs roughly 31 pounds in size medium when it equipped with front, back and side armor plates.
The Army also issues the Soldier Plate Carrier System, a more stream-lined system designed to lighten the soldiers’ load, especially during fast-paced dismounted combat operations. It averages just under 22 pounds with front