US Army Next Gen ACH Helmet Contract pushing the envelope of attainable weight reduction

The US Army has awarded Revision Military its Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II (ACH GEN II) helmet contract. This five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) helmet contract, awarded on a full and open competition basis to Revision, has a maximum value of $98,111,803 and estimated completion date of 6 March 2022. Revision’s ACH helmet solution is up to 24% lighter than the legacy ACH helmet system and this contract represents the first large-scale, significant advancement in ACH technology in 15 years.

Since last contracted by the US Army in 2012 – when Revision delivered a total of 180,000 ACH helmets – Revision has invested millions of dollars in new manufacturing equipment and processes, research into the characterisation and optimisation of advanced ballistic materials, and in the building of a world-class team of scientists and engineers in order to evolve the company’s capabilities. Additionally, since 2013, Revision’s Newport, Vermont, USA facility, where helmets for this contract will be manufactured, has expanded by 16,000sqft, and the number of employees that work at this facility has more than doubled. As a result of these ongoing investments, and the development of composite materials technological expertise, Revision was able to exceed the weight reduction requirements stipulated in the Army’s solicitation by a sizable margin: The ACH Gen II solicitation required a minimum 15% weight reduction compared to the current ACH helmet; Revision’s solution offers up to 24% weight reduction over the legacy ACH design, pushing the envelope of attainable weight reduction while maintaining amazing ballistic protection.

“With this solicitation, PEO Soldier challenged the helmet industry, raising the technology bar substantially. Revision answered in a big way, dedicating significant resources to set a new standard for lightweight helmet design and performance,” Jonathan Blanshay, CEO, explained. “Revision has been a proud US Army supplier since 2005, and our investment in this programme epitomizes Revision’s unwavering dedication to forward-thinking head systems technology and manufacturing. In the years since Revision was last contracted by the US Army, we’ve become a much stronger company and head systems technology innovator, securing helmet contracts around the world – including for the British Army’s VIRTUS programme – and emerging as the vanguard of the US helmet industry. We’re excited to provide this cutting-edge technology to troops in the field who will benefit greatly from the improved performance and significantly lower weight of this next-generation head system. In short, Revision has fully modernised the traditional ACH helmet, bringing this crucial equipment up to speed with the fast pace of modern warfare.”