#2: Dismounted IED Defeat

Army Challenge # Category 1b: Force Protection – Soldier and Small Unit

Problem Statement: The spectrum of threats encountered by Soldiers in Small Units is varied and complex; current equipment, clothing, and other protective measures do not provide adequate protection without adding significant mobility challenges.

Challenge: Increase the level of individual protection for male and female Soldiers at reduced total weight and volume while enabling increased physical and mental agility, particularly over extended periods. The goal is to reduce the number and severity of injuries and casualties (including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes).

Who: Individual Soldiers

What: Develop technologies to increase protective gear performance while reducing weight and volume – protection from weapon threats, blast, fire, insect-borne diseases, weather conditions including excessive heat/cold, and chemical/biological threats.

Objectives: Identify trade space to enable holistic protection design and implementation on the individual Soldier and in Small Unit; optimize level and area of protection against threats while reducing total weight of individual protective gear/equipment by 50% and total volume by 30% from baseline; improve clothing, helmet, Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear, fire retardancy, insect repellant, etc.