CommunityEditor
07-27-2007, 02:54 PM
Up to 2 million helmets issued by the military between 1980 and 2003 may have been manufactured with substandard Kevlar.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the Sioux Manufacturing Corp. of Fort Totten, N.D., for allegedly producing Kevlar that did not meet minimum standards for safety, which would violate its contract with the Defense Department, according to investigation documents obtained by Military Times.
The Kevlar went into helmets that are part of the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops, which is being phased out by the four services. The Marine Corps has migrated to the Lightweight Helmet, while the Army is phasing in the Advanced Combat Helmet. Both services began phasing out the PASGT helmets in 2003.
At issue is the density of the Kevlar cloth — woven by SMC — that is attached to the shell of the helmet and provides ballistic protection. According to the minimum standard dating back to 1987, each square inch of cloth must contain 35 vertical strands and 35 horizontal strands.
“It appears until April 2006, SMC may not have ever complied with the 35 x 35 standard weave density in its construction of complete PASGT helmets or its manufacture of Kevlar helmet cloth,” according to the Justice Department’s Investigative Summary, which was sent to the Pentagon on April 9. “This practice potentially impacts an estimated 2,000,000 PASGT helmets.”
The investigation found the weave density dropped to as low as 32.5 strands.
While the Army and Marine Corps are phasing out the PASGT helmet, the Air Force still issues it. The DoD spokesman said he could not release the official number of troops — mostly airmen — in theater with the older helmet.
The Army has purchased more than 800,000 ACHs. Neither the Defense Department nor Marine Corps Systems Command would release the number of new Marine helmets that have been purchased thus far.
The new helmets are designed to stop a 9mm bullet, which the PASGT helmet was not.
The companies that manufacture the new Army and Marine Corps helmets do not have a relationship with SMC.
The Justice Department began investigating after it “received information” about the company in May 2006. Federal authorities raided its headquarters one month later and seized official internal company documents, according to the DoJ letter.
Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2007/07/military_helmetinvestigation_070727/
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the Sioux Manufacturing Corp. of Fort Totten, N.D., for allegedly producing Kevlar that did not meet minimum standards for safety, which would violate its contract with the Defense Department, according to investigation documents obtained by Military Times.
The Kevlar went into helmets that are part of the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops, which is being phased out by the four services. The Marine Corps has migrated to the Lightweight Helmet, while the Army is phasing in the Advanced Combat Helmet. Both services began phasing out the PASGT helmets in 2003.
At issue is the density of the Kevlar cloth — woven by SMC — that is attached to the shell of the helmet and provides ballistic protection. According to the minimum standard dating back to 1987, each square inch of cloth must contain 35 vertical strands and 35 horizontal strands.
“It appears until April 2006, SMC may not have ever complied with the 35 x 35 standard weave density in its construction of complete PASGT helmets or its manufacture of Kevlar helmet cloth,” according to the Justice Department’s Investigative Summary, which was sent to the Pentagon on April 9. “This practice potentially impacts an estimated 2,000,000 PASGT helmets.”
The investigation found the weave density dropped to as low as 32.5 strands.
While the Army and Marine Corps are phasing out the PASGT helmet, the Air Force still issues it. The DoD spokesman said he could not release the official number of troops — mostly airmen — in theater with the older helmet.
The Army has purchased more than 800,000 ACHs. Neither the Defense Department nor Marine Corps Systems Command would release the number of new Marine helmets that have been purchased thus far.
The new helmets are designed to stop a 9mm bullet, which the PASGT helmet was not.
The companies that manufacture the new Army and Marine Corps helmets do not have a relationship with SMC.
The Justice Department began investigating after it “received information” about the company in May 2006. Federal authorities raided its headquarters one month later and seized official internal company documents, according to the DoJ letter.
Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2007/07/military_helmetinvestigation_070727/