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30-713: The ACH is currently in the process of being phased out and replaced by the Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH), an improvement upon the ACH derived from its design; however, both the ACH and the newer ECH are being replaced by the Integrated Head Protection System . The Advanced Combat Helmet was first fielded beginning in 2003 in limited numbers to eventually replace the PASGT helmet . In 2006, 102,000 helmets were ordered from ArmorSource, of which 99,000 were delivered when

60-705: A derivative of the FAST helmet, known as the Maritime (MT), offers a 35% weight reduction. The FAST helmet and its derivatives also use UHMWPE , and the technology includes new manufacturing processes developed at ARL, in collaboration with U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development And Engineering Center and Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier. ARL and its partners received the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program Achievement Award in 2009 for work on ECH. Picatinny rail The 1913 rail ( MIL-STD-1913 rail)

90-436: A great variety of accessories and attachments are now available and the rails are no longer confined to the rear upper surface ( receiver ) of long arms but are either fitted to or machine milled into the upper, side or lower surfaces of all manner of weapons from crossbows to pistols and long arms up to and including anti-materiel rifles . Because of their many uses, 1913 rails and accessories have replaced iron sights in

120-617: A large contingent of deployed U.S. Marines. When they return, they will be turned in. The Lightweight Helmet and Modular Integrated Communications Helmet will still be used for training and noncombat purposes. PEO Soldier also confirmed that the Army will field the helmet. Fielding was scheduled to begin in October 2013. The Marine Corps' ultimate goal is to issue the ECH to all 182,000 Marines. Prior to enhancements under ManTech, every ballistic helmet in

150-571: A patent for the rail in 1995. Swan has visited civil court against Colt and Troy industries regarding patent infringement. The courts found that Troy had developed rifles with rail mounting systems nearly identical to the MIL-STD-1913 rail. A metric -upgraded version of the 1913 rail, the STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rail , was designed in conjunction with weapon manufacturers like Aimpoint , Beretta , Colt , FN Herstal and Heckler & Koch , and

180-459: A v50 test, guns were unable to attain the velocity required to get 50% of the fragments through a helmet. The helmet's design allows for the addition of devices such as communications and night-vision equipment. The ECH has a 4-point chinstrap/napestrap head retention system. The Marine/Navy and Army variants are differentiated in that the Marine/Navy version uses an X-Back retention system (called

210-552: Is also commonly seen with a mounting bracket on the front for night vision devices. These brackets often come in one of two designs; a tan or black "tombstone" shape that attaches to the helmet with a single screw through the center, or a larger tan diamond-shaped mount that attaches with three screws, one at each corner. The ACH can also be fitted with Picatinny rails on the sides of the helmet for mounting flashlights or digital cameras. The Lightweight Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II ( LW-ACH Gen II ) weighs one pound less than

240-642: Is an American rail integration system designed by Richard Swan that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It forms part of the NATO standard STANAG 2324 rail . It was originally used for mounting of scopes atop the receivers of larger caliber rifles . Once established as United States Military Standard , its use expanded to also attaching other accessories, such as: iron sights , tactical lights , laser aiming modules , night vision devices , reflex sights , holographic sights , foregrips , bipods , slings and bayonets . An updated version of

270-604: Is at times called the 'Picatinny Rail', in reference to the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey . Picatinny Arsenal works as a contracting office for small arms design (they contracted engineers to work on the M4 ). Picatinny Arsenal requested Swan's help in developing the rail, but did not draft blueprints or request paperwork for a patent. That credit goes to ARMS Inc's Richard Swanson, who conducted Research and Development and achieved

300-476: Is thicker; they can be differentiated from the ACH by the different chinstrap. The ECH helmet's shell is made of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene ( UHMWPE ) material. The helmet provides 35% better protection against small-arms fire and fragmentation than the ACH, and it protects against certain rifle projectiles. The helmet is compatible with camouflage fabric helmet covers. The helmet has been shown nearly impenetrable to fragments fired by test guns. In

330-545: The Advanced Combat Helmet and its predecessor the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet , the ECH is instead constructed using thermoplastics instead of the ballistic fibers used on previous-generation combat helmets. The US Army is in the process of replacing it with the Integrated Head Protection System . The ECH's profile is very similar to the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) but

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360-616: The Class I) and the Army uses the H-Back retention system (called the Class II). A high cut variant of the ECH with side accessory rails and a contour similar to the Ops-Core FAST (Future Assault Shell Technology) helmet already in use by special operations forces was issued to Marine combat arms units beginning in 2021. Unlike in the earlier version of the helmet, the distinctive D-ring attachment at

390-409: The MIL-STD-1913 rail and the similar Weaver rail are the size and shapes of the slots. Whereas the earlier Weaver rail is modified from a low, wide dovetail rail and has rounded slots, the 1913 rail has a more pronounced angular section and square-bottomed slots. This means that an accessory designed for a Weaver rail will fit onto a MIL-STD-1913 rail whereas the opposite might not be possible (unless

420-470: The U.S. military used a thermoset-based combination of aramid fiber with a PVB -phenolic resin. Although there have been improvements in the aramid fibers, the material and processing technology in the ACH had not changed in 30 years. The ManTech program focused on addressing technology barriers that inhibited a new class of improved ballistic materials, including new grades of Dyneema, Spectra, and thermoplastic coated aramids. The Army helmet fabrication goal

450-620: The contract was fulfilled and properly closed. In 2007, the Army introduced a ballistic "nape pad" that attaches to the ACH's rear suspension system. Of these, 430,000 were to be issued in the Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI). Beginning in 2008, the Army's Program Executive Office Soldier outfitted soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division and 4th Infantry Division bound for Iraq with helmet-mounted sensors designed to gather data on head injuries (or traumatic brain injuries) caused during IED detonations. The data collected will help with

480-759: The contractor. In May 2009, 34,218 ACHs made by the Gentex Corporation were recalled. Certain screws attaching the chinstrap and other parts to the helmet did not conform to specifications in the contract. The screws failed ballistics tests at extreme temperatures. Gentex alleges its subcontractor had fabricated compliance certificates for the screws. An OCP cover for the Advanced Combat Helmet began fielding in late 2009 for soldiers deployed in Afghanistan. On March 7, 2016, Armorsource LLC agreed to pay $ 3 million to settle False Claims Act allegations. Revision

510-471: The design of improvements to the ACH's suspension and chin strap systems. In May 2009, 55,000 of these were in storage and 44,000 were in use by U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel. The 44,000 helmets in use by service members were recalled by the U.S. Army in May 2010 due to potentially defective materials being used. Eventually, the contractor agreed to pay a $ 3 million fine, without admitting to any wrongdoing by

540-458: The end of the rail and then locked in place. It is similar in concept to the earlier commercial Weaver rail mount used to mount telescopic sights , but is taller and has wider slots at regular intervals along the entire length. The MIL-STD-1913 locking slot width is 0.206 in (5.23 mm). The spacing of slot centres is 0.394 in (10.01 mm) and the slot depth is 0.118 in (3.00 mm). The only significant difference between

570-610: The introduction of the Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV). The pad reduces soldier deaths from fragmentation wounds to the neck and lower head. The ACH comes from the factory painted sand tan, grey, black, or forest green. It is often worn with cloth helmet covers in various camouflage patterns including Universal Camouflage Pattern , Operational Camouflage Pattern , and the USAF's ABU pattern . The helmet cover may also have small squares of infrared reflective material on

600-499: The jawline is not present in this design. In an effort led by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), ECH development began in 2007 under the Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program. In July 2009, more than $ 8 million was awarded to four vendors for five helmet designs. Mine Safety Appliances was awarded $ 4.7 million, Gentex Corporation was awarded $ 1.8 million, BAE Systems Aerospace & Defense Group

630-467: The original ACH while offering the same ballistic protection. Enhanced Combat Helmet (United States) The Enhanced Combat Helmet ( ECH ) is a combat helmet designed in conjunction of a joint program of the United States Marine Corps and United States Army to replace the current combat helmets in use by the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy , and Air Force . Although similar in shape of

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660-477: The point that the entire lower brim of the helmet is "flat" compared to the PASGT which curves upwards at the back. This is to allow greater compatibility with communications headsets and improve hearing when headsets are not used. The ACH uses ballistic fiber such as kevlar and twaron . In 2007, the Army developed and introduced a ballistic "nape pad" that attaches to the ACH's rear suspension system and coincided with

690-709: The rail is adopted as a NATO standard as the STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rail . Attempts to standardize the Weaver rail designs date back to the early 1980s from work by the A.R.M.S. company and Richard Swanson. Specifications for the M16A2E4 rifle and the M4E1 carbine received type classification generic in December 1994. These were the M16A2 and the M4 modified with new upper receivers where rails replaced hand guards. The MIL-STD-1913 rail

720-719: The remaining two would be tested in November. If the program proceeded as planned the Army would acquire 200,000, the Marine Corps would acquire 38,500, and the Navy would acquire 6,700. Ceradyne won the competition to produce the Enhanced Combat Helmet in March 2012. In July 2013, the U.S. Marine Corps ordered 3,850 helmets for deployed Marines, to be fielded before the end of 2013. The Marine Corps plans to buy 77,000 helmets, enough to outfit

750-415: The sides, top, and rear which illuminate when viewed through thermal imaging , allowing for friend or foe identification during combat. The helmet can also be fitted with an elastic band with a pair of glow in the dark "cat eye" patches, similar to those seen on the older PASGT helmet. A pair of Cordura straps can be mounted on the rear of the helmet to aid in the retention of protective goggles . The ACH

780-457: The slots in the Weaver rail are modified to have square bottoms). While some accessories are designed to fit on both Weaver and 1913 rails, most 1913 compatible devices will not fit on Weaver rails. From May 2012, most mounting rails are cut to MIL-STD-1913 standards. Many accessories can be secured to a rail with a single spring-loaded retaining pin. Designed to mount heavy sights of various kinds,

810-572: Was approved by the NATO Army Armaments Group (NAAG), Land Capability Group 1 Dismounted Soldier (LCG1-DS) on May 8, 2009. Many firearm manufacturers include a MIL-STD-1913 rail system from factory, such as the Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle . The rail consists of a strip undercut to form a "flattened T" with a hexagonal top cross-section , with cross slots interspersed with flats that allow accessories to be slid into place from

840-514: Was awarded $ 764,000, and 3M subsidiary Ceradyne was awarded $ 729,000. Testing in September revealed that each helmet failed in ballistic and/or blunt force tests. In February 2010, the Navy joined the program and issued their own requirements. Marine Corps officials suggested design improvements such as better materials to industry and testing resumed in June 2010. Three vendors were to be downselected, and

870-534: Was awarded a contract for the ACH II contract. The ACH and Lightweight Helmets will eventually be replaced by the Enhanced Combat Helmet and Integrated Head Protection System . The shape of the ACH is virtually identical to the MICH TC-2000. Compared to the PASGT helmet, the front brow is eliminated to improve upwards visibility and allow easier mounting of night-vision goggle brackets. The side brim has been raised to

900-589: Was to develop an entirely new methodology for mass-producing complex shapes and combining layers of different thermoplastic materials. During this time, ARL and partners created a new molding technology, which included a manufacturing process reducing labor by 40% and waste by 70%. The ManTech program has also produced the Ops-Core FAST helmet, fielded by the Green Berets , the Navy SEALS , and other special operations forces. The FAST helmet offers 25% weight reduction;

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