by David Crane david@defensereview.com This new holster is definitely worth a look for anyone looking for a high-tech belt-slide (outside-the-waistband) holster for either open carry or concealed carry (CCW). It’s called the CQC SERPA Holster, and it’s brought to you by Blackhawk Products Group, formerly Blackhawk Industries. The CQC SERPA Holster utilizes the SERPA Active Retention System. Unlike the Tactical …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Advanced body armor is going to be increasingly important for 21st Century infantry combat. However, just as important, or perhaps even more important, will be to have effective camouflage, so your enemy doesn’t see you in the first place. It’s simple logic, "what you can’t see, you can’t hit." Effective disruptive camouflage is thus going to …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com The U.S. Army has just unveiled their new combat uniform that will replace the current Battle Dress Uniform (BDU). Their calling the new uniform the "Army Combat Uniform" (ACU). The ACU is a wrinkle-free, and features a digitized camouflage pattern (digital camo). The U.S. Army Program Executive Office Soldier (PEO Soldier) has a page that explains …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefRev’s previous article on Spray-On Elastomeric Polymer Armor was titled "U.S. Military Testing Spray-On Polymer Armor". The spray-on polymer armor is being used to reinforce evertything from Humvees to Government buildings against both ballistic and explosive threats. In that story, we didn’t include the name of the company that is applying the polymer armor coating because …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com The U.S. military is currently working with a spray-on elastomeric polymer coating that can perhaps stop everything from bomb fragments to bullets. The exact elastomeric polymers the U.S. military is working with are polyurethane and polyurea, which can be combined with each other. The main selling point for spray-on polymer armor is that its very light …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com May 27, 2004 This article was modified/updated on 12/16/04. Pinnacle Armor Inc., out of Fresno, California, is currently producing some of the most advanced hard and soft ballistic armor solutions in the world. This includes Pinnacle’s flexible hard armor systems, which employ a combination of highly advanced ballistic ceramic composite and titanium composite technology and ballistic …

by Noah Shachtman Ever since they tangled with the Red Coats, American generals have been giving their grunts more and more and more gear to lug — from rations to radios, body armor to batteries. Now, for the first time, the Army has decided to junk the old uniforms and start from scratch. "We’re stripping the soldier down to his …

by Noah Shactman The U.S. Army is betting $92 billion that the wars of the future should be fought with smaller, lighter, more manueverable vehicles. But some military officials and defense contractor executives are saying that that these technology-laden Future Combat Systems (FCS) are too weak to withstand urban conflicts, like the one currently playing out in Iraq. Like the …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com There’s a new sniper/long-range-interdiction rifle builder in town, and his name is Jered Joplin. Jered took over Patriot Arms Inc. in 2000, and is, according to gunwriter Al Paulson, currently one of the youngest builders of high-end custom sniper rifles in the United States. He’s particularly unique in that he guarantee’s, in writing, 1/2 MOA five-shot …

Future Force Warrior (FFW) is currently being developed at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center (NSC). According to the NSC website, "Future Force Warrior (FFW) is the Army’s flagship Science and Technology initiative to develop and demonstrate revolutionary capabilities for Future Force soldier systems. An integrated system of systems approach is being employed to support the Army transformation to a …