The U.S. Navy Wants Biosensing Smart Clothing For Its Pilots

The U.S. Navy is looking for new fabrics for pilots' shirts that can be embedded with biosensors to monitor the pilot's physiological health during flight. They also have to be Berry Amendment compliant (at least 50% US-made). And, most important, comfy. https://t.co/zJ9oXxwIaZ pic.twitter.com/QFS5Cqftx1

— Steve Trimble (@TheDEWLine) December 26, 2019

Warzone/The Drive: The Navy Wants Special Fabrics That Can Monitor A Pilot's Health

The "biosensing garments" could help gather information about incidents where aviators suffer hypoxia-like symptoms and about their general wellbeing.

The U.S. Navy is looking into buying specialized fabric to make biosensing suits for its pilots and aircrew, which would be able to collect physiological data, such as heart rates and deepness of breath. This comes as the service, as well as the U.S. Air Force and NASA, continue to conduct research into and search for solutions to the causes of hypoxia-like symptoms that have plagued pilots across various aircraft types in recent years. The new clothing could also collect more general data on the health and wellness of aviators to improve their performance, avoid injuries, and more.

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) released the request for information regarding "physiological monitoring fabrics" for "biosensing garments suitable for Naval aviation" on Dec. 23, 2019. Steve Trimble, Aviation Week's Defense editor and good friend of The War Zone, was among the first notice the contracting announcement, highlighting it in a Tweet on Dec. 26.

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WNU Editor: This is better than having a fit-bit (maybe).

U.S. Marines Are Getting The Clothes And Boots Necessary To Wage War On The Korean Peninsula

Department of Defense

Adam Linehan, Task & Purpose: Marine Corps Says ‘Pajama’-Like Tropical Uniforms Are Coming Sooner Than You Think

If the U.S. actually goes back to war with North Korea, American troops are going to need a uniform that is lightweight, breathable, and provides adequate camouflage in the forest, complete with a solid pair of boots for humping up and down all of those big mountains. Fortunately for Marines, the Corps has been working hard to ensure they’ll have both.

Lt. Col. Christopher Madeline of Marine Corps Systems Command told Marine Corps Times on Dec. 9 that tropical uniforms and boots should be available starting in late 2018. Members of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines began testing several prototypes more than a year ago in Oahu, Hawaii — and the reviews are stellar.

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WNU Editor: It is when I am reading stories like this one that I am get the impression that everything is being rushed.

The U.S. Army Has Boots For Different Weather Conditions

Soldier Systems: US Army Operational Footwear Update

Due to the nature of their line of work, Soldiers care about boots and the US Army has come a long way over the past two decades to offer a wider variety of mission-oriented footwear. We thought it would be interesting to share a few slides from a deck shared recently with industry by PEO Soldier’s PM for Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment. They offer an overview as well as information on the Jungle and Mountaineering Boot efforts as well as the Cold Weather Overboot which has unfortunately been in development hell, in one form or another, since at least the 90s. Please note that photos of footwear in the developmental slides do not necessarily depict the items which have been selected by the Army, but are rather, representational candidates.

WNU editor: I love the Alpine boots. No mention on much each pair of boots cost.

Developing Better Underwear For Soldiers Of The Future

The DARPA Warrior Web concept aims to develop a skin suit with embedded technology to reduce Soldier injuries while maintaining Soldier performance. (DARPA)

New Military Underwear To Give Iron Man Performance -- FOX News

They’re like Underoos for big boys -- but unlike the childhood version covered in Spiderman graphics, these really do give the wearer extra powers.

While on long patrols, often in rugged terrain and extreme temperatures, U.S. service personnel are regularly required to carry a crazy amount of weight. Warfighters often lug 100 pounds or more in body armor, equipment and other essentials.

And as the weight increases, so does the rate of joint and soft-tissue injuries.

Designed by DARPA, the military’s advanced research arm, the Warrior Web undergarment will help prevent injury, reduce fatigue and improve endurance -- and the next phase of testing is about to kick off.

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My Comment: This is innovative .... and it will probably make a difference for soldiers in the field.

Advances In "Intelligence Clothing" Could Save U.S. Military Lives

Photo By U.S. Army Spc. Sara Wakai

Intelligent Clothing Could Save US Military Lives -- Yahoo News/Live Science

When soldiers fall wounded on future battlefields, their smart uniforms may instantly report the location of gunshot wounds or even detect traces of nuclear, biological or chemical attacks in blood and sweat. That intelligent clothing could make a lifesaving difference in medical care and give U.S. commanders a sense of battles unfolding as casualties mount.

The smart uniforms would include medical sensors built into the fabric to monitor the health of U.S. troops, according to a notice issued by the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) on May 7. Such clothes would not only detect where wounds occurred and how deep they go, but also report a fallen soldier's location with GPS coordinates and pass along other critical information for battlefield medics.

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My Comment: This research looks very promising.

Army Gear Gets Tailored For Afghan Mission

U.S. soldiers stand guard near the site of an explosion in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan on March 15. By Rafiq Maqbool, AP

From USA Today:

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — After seven years of combat, the Army is sending soldiers to Afghanistan with tougher, lighter gear to help them deal with the rugged, high terrain.Everything from boots to pants to mountaineering equipment is being redesigned as the military prepares to send 21,000 more servicemembers there by summer. Each new piece of equipment must balance the protection it offers with the weight it adds to a soldier's burden.

The weight of soldiers' gear has become a top concern for the Army. This month, Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff, told U.S. senators the average soldier's load of rucksack, weapon, ammunition, helmet and gear can top 130 pounds. That weight makes soldiers tired and more prone to injury, Chiarelli said.

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My Comment: Are they saying that the uniforms worn for the past 7 years have not been up to spec? I guess there is always room for improvement.