yes, but $s drive everything... The fact is the technology is capable of producing light-weight armor that can stop any designated threat, but your talking big $$$s that DoD will not pay...
you can have it:
A. strong,
B. light-weight,
C. cheap
pick any two...
I vote to drop "C". In the end, "C" becomes the most expensive option anyway. If the Air Force deserves its "golden bullet" aircraft, our grunts deserve nothing less for their gear, too.
We've already developed the most technologically fearsome Army and Marine Corps ever seen, even if it was unintentional. Why shortchange ourselves on the most important component?
Agree, I understand and agree 100% ........ yet we see troops buying gear out of their own pockets such as ACOG’s and then the DOD sees the good and buy em buy the thousands.
I think we’ll see lots of technical breakthroughs in the future that will be on the DOD shopping lists for the ground pounder.
My teams bought and fabricated our own gear for the most part to make our gear ultra lite and durable. We had parachute riggers and machinist’s assigned as well as National Lab sorts willing to help us where needed. We sought out new and improved gear at expositions and shows where industry was trying to sell. One of the best things we snagged off the shelf were Ops Inc Suppressors for our weapons. This old guy was making em in his garage . We learned of him thru word of mouth and sought HIM out and paid cash for our stuff.
Common for the GI to try and get the best he can get as there is no store on far off shores........
DOD needs to step up with an existence load that is well under 30 pounds without munitions or team gear.