Theme 16: Operational Clothing, Load Carriage and Mobility
Objective
Provide a human-centric load carriage and soldier clothing and equipment system to improve interoperability, multi-functionality and adaptability in all conditions. The system will offer increased capability and mobility, be mission configurable, modular and customizable to increase soldier comfort, and reduce "perceived" weight.
SSTRM R&D Priority Focus Areas (in priority)
- Next generation operational clothing
- Hearing protection (dismounted and mounted)
- Enhanced mobility
- Advanced materials and processes to enhance comfort, durability and protection
- Standards and test methods
- R&D infrastructure
- Research tools (instrumentation and simulation)
Description
Operational uniform and carriage systems impact on soldier survivability, sustainability and performance. Among other items, the operational uniform system includes the soldier's undergarments, uniform, handwear and footwear as well as the means to distribute, generate and store power, and to attach electronic systems. The load carriage system includes what the soldier wears and devices used to bring equipment into operations, including robots/vehicles and load carriage assistive devices such as exoskeletons.
Enabling/Emerging Technologies
- Energy-harvesting textiles
- Nano-coatings
- Advanced polymers and elastomers (for fibers, film, matrix, coating, etc.)
- Advanced textile structure (3-D)
- Multi-component textile (coating, membrane)
- 3-D custom fitting (insole)
- Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS)
- Modular pack system
- Exo and endoskeleton systems for assisting in load carriage
- New camouflage designs
Key Challenges/Requirements
- Weight
- User acceptance
- Load carriage
- Protection
- Integration/compatibility
- Footwear
- Comfort
- Modularity
Standards Required
- E-textile test methods
- Enhanced mobility test standard
- Footwear test standard
- Updated Army anthropometry standards
- CBRNE garment performance test standard
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