Revision, the company with which most troops are familiar due to their sunglasses and eye protection is expanding officially marking its expansion into the Soldier Systems helmet business with a significant 3-year contract to develop the U.S. Army’s next-generation head protection system. The $1,990,340 award is for Revision to continue the design, development and demonstration of a modular and scalable headgear system for mounted and dismounted soldiers, and to mature it to a Technology Readiness Level 6. The new system is intended to provide impact protection improvements over current generation helmets and the integration of electronics and power. It will also allow soldiers to tailor their protection level and operating equipment to the specific mission at hand.
“The current situation is that head-borne protection and functional capabilities have not been designed as an integrated platform using Soldier-centric design principles. This has prevented the optimization of weight, balance and sub-component integration” noted Don Lee, Project Engineer, Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. He went on to say, “This development contract supporting the Helmet Electronics and Display System – Upgradeable Army Technology Objective is expected to develop integrated headgear system technologies to include upgraded ballistic and impact protection, integrated CBRN mask, full face protection, and integrated heads-up display and sensor inputs for actionable information to Soldiers and Marines. We anticipate the final outcome will be tools and technologies that will allow the U.S. Army and USMC to field well-balanced, optimized headgear systems that will provide improved head protection, allow for increased situational awareness, and increased mission performance allowing our Soldiers and Marines to be the decisive edge on the battlefield.”
This new helmet design will integrate a trauma liner, communication system, heads-up display, CBRN mask and enhanced night vision goggles. The fully integrated and fully modular system will also feature a visor and mandible guard option designed to provide better blunt force, blast and ballistic protection than a “As the nature of combat has changed, the type of trauma seen on the battlefield has also changed with increasing numbers of soldiers suffering from head and traumatic brain injuries, whether caused by blunt force, blast or ballistic impacts.
Based on extensive head protection systems research and development, Revision believes it has the technological, scientific and impact testing knowledge to design a new helmet and head protection system that can help to reduce brain injuries while also providing lighter weight and superior ballistic head protection.
The battle against soldier head injuries is on. Our aim is to develop the very best protection that new design, materials and processes can bring to those who are serving the country” said Jonathan Blanshay, CEO of Revision Military. He continued, “Through the experience gained and global market-leading position achieved in a relatively short period of time with the eyewear business, Revision is confident that expansion into cutting-edge, integrated head protection systems for the military is a natural growth step. We are honored to have been selected for this crucial Natick developmental project.”
Revision’s contract announcement comes at a pivotal time in the company’s history. In late 2010, the company announced an official corporate name change— from Revision Eyewear Ltd. to Revision Military Ltd.—to encompass its new head protection business. In June 2011, the company began operations at its new, Composite Center of Excellence and later this fall, the company expects to launch Batlskin™, its first generation, fully integrated, modular soldier protection system.
Here are a couple of concept photos of the new headgear Revision is working on. If the qualify and troop protection of its eyewear is any indication, their headgear stands to save many lives on the battlefield.
