Lightweight Helmet
Encyclopedia
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
replacement for the PASGT
Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops
Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops, sometimes abbreviated to PASGT, was a combat helmet and ballistic vest used by the American military from the mid 1980s until 2005, when the system was succeeded by the Lightweight Helmet, Modular Integrated Communications Helmet, and Interceptor body...
combat helmet
Combat helmet
A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat. Helmets are among the oldest forms of personal protective equipment and are known to have been worn by the Akkadians/Sumerians in the 23rd century BC, Mycenaean Greeks since 17th...
. As it is nearly identical to untrained eyes in shape to the PASGT, it is still called the Fritz helmet or K-pot (due to its resemblance to the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional boiled-leather Pickelhaube with the Stahlhelm during World War I in 1916...
). Though heavier than the Army's Advanced Combat Helmet
MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmet
The Modular Integrated Communications Helmet , is a combat helmet used by the United States Army. It was developed by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center to be the next generation of protective combat helmets for use by the U.S. Army...
, its larger size also offers more protection and is lighter than the PASGT. Featuring a V-neck strap and improved fit, it is much more comfortable than the PASGT. It entered service in late 2004 and completely replaced the PASGT in 2009.
As with the PASGT helmet, it is an olive drab color, and can be fitted with cloth helmet cover
Helmet cover
The helmet cover was first used by French soldiers during World War I.Helmet covers are usually made out of canvas or cotton and come in many camouflage designs, for example: woodland, desert or urban, and different camouflage patterns like MARPAT, CADPAT and ACUPAT. It can also be used for UN...
s in desert and woodland MARPAT
MARPAT
MARPAT is a digital camouflage pattern in use with the United States Marine Corps, introduced with the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform , which replaced the Camouflage Utility Uniform. The pattern is formed by a number of small rectangular pixels of color...
camouflage patterns, as well as a mounting bracket on the front for any sort of night vision device, such as the AN/PVS-7 night vision goggle or AN/PVS-14
AN/PVS-14
The AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Device is in widespread use by US Armed Forces as well as NATO allies around the world. It uses a third generation image intensifier tube, and is manufactured by Litton Industries as well as the ITT Corporation...
monocular
Monocular
A monocular is a modified refracting telescope used to magnify the images of distant objects by passing light through a series of lenses and sometimes prisms; the use of prisms results in a lightweight telescope. Volume and weight are less than half those of binoculars of similar optical...
night vision device (MNVD). Marines currently can be issued with a sling suspension or a pad suspension to fit the inside of the helmet to the head. A nape
Nape
The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is referred to by the word nucha, which also gives the adjective corresponding to "nape" in English, "nuchal"....
protection system adds ballistic protection to the rear of the head was also added as to reduce strain and improve comfort to the back of the neck.
Users
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- United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
& attached United States Navy personnelFleet Marine ForceThe United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
- United States Marine Corps
See also
- Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops Helmet
- Army Combat UniformArmy Combat UniformThe Army Combat Uniform is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army. It is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform worn during the 1980s and 1990s. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its...
- Marine Corps Combat Utility UniformMarine Corps Combat Utility UniformThe Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform is the current battledress uniform of the United States Marine Corps. It is also worn by Navy personnel assigned to Marine Corps units . Field testing began in 2001, the uniform debuted in 2002, and the changeover was completed in October 2004...
- Modular Tactical VestModular Tactical VestThe Modular Tactical Vest or is a bulletproof vest originally adopted by the United States Marine Corps in 2006. The MTV was designed as a solution to shortcomings in the current, decade-old interceptor body armor and was selected after a rigorous proposal and examination process by the Marine...
- SPECTRA helmetSPECTRA helmetThe SPECTRA helmet or CGF Gallet Combat Helmet is the ballistic helmet currently in use in the French military, as well as in the armies of several other countries. Built by CGF Gallet , it weighs , is available in two sizes, and is made from Spectra fibers, produced under license from Honeywell...
- Interceptor body armorInterceptor body armorInterceptor Body Armor is the United States Army's primary bulletproof vest. The Interceptor design replaced the older fragmentation protective Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops body armor system, introduced in the early 1980s...
- KevlarKevlarKevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...