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Mayflower’s new Assaulter Panel

By: Rob Curtis

24-04-2011

No word on price yet, but hot off the sewing line is the soon-to-be-released Mayflower Research and Consulting Assaulter Panel. They’ve designed it to carry items for short-duration missions. The Assaulter Panel is based around a 50 oz. water bladder with two large pockets and a cinch strap. The top main pocket has an internal slab of velcro to attach the SOCOM issued NODs protective sleeve and the bottom med pouch is tear away and has dividers and elastic retainers inside to fit most standard IFAK requirements.

The pockets open very wide for easy, fast access to NODs, batteries, medical supplies and whatever else you need for a short-duration operation. I haven’t seen the back yet, but I’m guessing it locks into the back of a vest using PALS. Mayflower says the Assaulter Panel will be available by mid-summer and that the company is already working on a setup for a 100 oz. water bladder.

Brits combine “custard” with Kevlar to make body armor 3x lighter, 10x tastier

By: Rob Curtis

09-07-2010

Technology

We’re getting this from a BBC report (the same folks that called the 9mm “powerful” the other day…) so the details are a little loose. But, those gun-hating Brits have come up with another way to shield their subjects from flying lead.

BAE materials scientists have combined shear-thickening liquid with Kevlar to make a new armor material that uses 10 layers of treated Kevlar fabric to achieve the equivalent ballistic protection of 31 layers of untreated fabric.

“It’s very similar to custard in the sense that the molecules lock together when it’s struck,” explained Stewart Penny, business development manager in charge of materials development at the company.

It sounds like the shear thickening liquid acts like that d3o stuff (in the video above) that harden up when hit with a shovel.

Hit the link for their story and a little video.

BBC News – Liquid armour ‘can stop bullets’.

Tactical Tailor MultiCam MAV

By: Stickman

12-05-2010

Product Announcement

Got Multicam? Tactical Tailor does, and they’ve got it in gear you can probably use.

The two piece Modular Assault Vest (MAV) is one of Tactical Tailors more popular offerings, and with good reason. The MAV gives a lot of configuration options, and goes on quick over armor and plate carriers. More than one MAV can be set up if you are alternating missions, saving you from pulling pieces on and off your equipment, which is a pain when you get short-notice tasking or changes. The two piece TT MAV is shown below worn over concealment armor along with the Arc’teryx combat jacket.

Click the image to jump to more info and images.

Mayflower’s 10 pounds of plate carrier, including plates

By: Rob Curtis

20-01-2010

Product Announcement

Mayflower Research and Consulting had a few new pieces of gear tucked away around the show. We caught sight of a new plate carrier and came to find out it was the first time their new Lightweight Plate Carrier has seen daylight. The rig with plates weighs less than 10 pounds thanks to a set of level III-equivalent special threat plates made from dark matter and ground-up dragon’s teeth.

Body Armor For Your “Special” Night Ops

By: Rob Curtis

13-06-2009

Off-Duty, Product Announcement

It’s not often you need body armor that’s this concealable, but if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Tactical Corsets poses the age old question “Why should men get all the high-speed low-drag tactical toys?”

They’ve taken the LBV idea to a new level, but don’t call it cute. It’s MILSPEC, they say. Heck, they’ve even got a PALS compatible lipstick pouch in T&E. No word on ballistic protection. But that might not be that important becuase the enemy will either be laughing to hard to shoot straight or asking for your number.

Marines Lead Agent on Enhanced Combat Helmet

By: Rob Curtis

20-04-2009

Programatics

Looks like the Marines are putting their money behind a the 7.62mm resistant helmet. We heard about SOCOM’s MICH Enhanced program back in December, but now it looks like the SYSCOM, PEO Soldier and Natick are all in the market for a new helmet. According to Marine Corps Times reporter Dan Lamothe’s story, the Marines will likely get an upgraded shell without addressing the unpopular pad system.

Mystery Solved – Backpack Finally Hearts Armor

By: Rob Curtis

10-03-2009

Product Announcement

The Mystery Cinch is a 1″ wide strap that secures your pack’s shoulder straps to your body armor, shown here on an Eagle Industries RAV, using existing PALS channels. With the cinch’s ends secured at the front edges of your vest’s armholes, it wraps around your pack straps, keeping them from sliding off your shoulders. It also obviates the need for a sternum strap.

As a bonus, on smaller packs that don’t need a waist belt it creates a ghetto one-point release that lets the wearer shrug his shoulders out of the pack straps once the cinch is split. MR used one of ITW Nexus’ newer buckles called the MQRB, which is a beefy metal buckle that will hold up better than a typical sternum strap.

The anchor points go under the PALS without weaving so you can mount something over it. The cinch will work with all backpacks whose straps are long enough to accommodate it and will cost about $30.

XSAPI To Be Bought, Shelved

By: Rob Curtis

05-02-2009

Contracts

Here’s a headspinner: After the DOD awarded an initial contract for 120,000 new XSAPI plates, the brass told congress in a hearing yesterday that they plan on shelving the plates because the extra 1/2 pound adds too much weight to an already heavy IBA.

X-SAPI Plate Power Pack & M41A Pulse Rifle Is Your Ticket Into the Space Marines

By: Rob Curtis

10-10-2008

Product Announcement

BAE Systems has developed a great way to power future warrior systems by adding a battery pack to the back of an X-SAPI plate. The Power Pack is getting spiraled out of their Integrated Warrior System (IWS) program and could provide power for tech laden operator’s current kit before it sees duty as part of Ground Soldier System or Land Warrior.

At it’s heart is a 480 watt/hour dry-cell, thin-film array that adds 2.5 lbs to the plate. Taking a hit may knock out a portion of the battery, but not the whole thing. And, if you missed that, they are DRY. No acid is going to eat through you or the steel decks of the research facility on LV-426, Ripley.

Support YOUR troops

By: Rob Curtis

10-10-2007

Product Announcement

With a pitch that includes getting a shot in the groin from a baseball that’s lit up YouTube for a few months, Nutty Buddy inventor Mark Littell seems to be onto something. If you haven’t seen the video of the former pro baseball player taking one from a pitching machine, then you’re missing out on an office wince-fest.

His newest product, shown for the first time at ArmorWork’s AUSA booth, is the Ballistic Groin Protector. It takes the athletic supporter a huge step forward by introducing fragmentation protection for your most precious cargo. Armorworks has done some preliminary tests, but a National Institute of Justice rating is still a little ways down the road. Unit price was unavailable on the show floor, but it will come in a few sizes to suit your ego. Not to be sexist, the company is also working on a verision that offers groin protection for females.

Mayflower’s new Assaulter Panel

Brits combine “custard” with Kevlar to make body armor 3x lighter, 10x tastier

Tactical Tailor MultiCam MAV

Mayflower’s 10 pounds of plate carrier, including plates

Body Armor For Your “Special” Night Ops

Marines Lead Agent on Enhanced Combat Helmet

Mystery Solved – Backpack Finally Hearts Armor

XSAPI To Be Bought, Shelved

X-SAPI Plate Power Pack & M41A Pulse Rifle Is Your Ticket Into the Space Marines

Support YOUR troops

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