Procurement: July 1, 2003

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The troops in Iraq came up with some good suggestions for improving their body armor. While the standard helmet (variously called the K-Pot for the Kevlar it's made of, or the "Fritz", for it's resemblance to the World War II German head gear) was well liked, more troops have seen the new MICH helmet used by Special Forces. The MICH is built to accommodate a radio inside it, but it not as well balanced as the K-Pot, and thus not as comfortable to wear. Special Forces troops have already addressed that problem by using a BLSS Kit (from Oregon Aero). This is a commercial product from the manufacturer of aircraft seats and pilot accessories. There is a BLSS Kit for the K-Pot, but the MICH needs it more. The kit provides seven air permeable, reverberation damping pads and a four-point chin strap/harness with an integrated nape pad that replaces the helmet liner. In Iraq, it's also been noted that the Interceptor protective vest could be made a lot cooler if a moisture wicking material, and vents, were added to get some of the heat and sweat out.

 

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