Military

Carrington Textiles unveils thermal camouflage

15 February 2024

A fabric that can reduce the size of the heat signature of its wearer when they are viewed through thermal observation devices has been developed by Carrington Textiles of Adlington, UK.

Comfortable ripstop fabric for military uniforms wins award

15 November 2023

The developer of a lightweight, durable and comfortable fabric for the production of military uniforms has been presented with an accolade at the Protective Clothing Industry Association Worldw

Research programme to develop smart textiles for military applications

20 September 2023

A research programme that will see smart textiles developed for military applications has been launched by the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), the research and developm

TenCate Advanced Armour becomes Integris Composites

13 September 2023

TenCate Advanced Armour, of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has been renamed Integris Composites.

FREE CONTENT: Pincroft unveils night-stealth camouflage

6 September 2023

A fabric with a camouflage design that helps to prevent it from being seen in low light through night optical/observation devices (NODs) is to be demonstrated by Pincroft of Chorley, UK, at DSE

FREE CONTENT: Synthetic muskox wool could be used as insulation for Arctic environments

17 May 2023

The use of synthetic variants of muskox wool as insulation in military uniforms for Arctic environments is being explored by researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patter

Three-dimensionally woven parts for hypersonic vehicles

28 April 2023

The US Army has awarded a US$4-million contract for the development of composite parts for hypersonic vehicles to Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) of Rochester, New Hampshire, USA.

DuPont launches lightweight, flexible aramid fibre

24 April 2023

A flexible and lightweight aramid fibre has been launched for the production of soft armour by DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware, USA.

Comfortable ripstop fabric for military uniforms

27 March 2023

A lightweight, durable and comfortable fabric has been launched by Carrington Textiles, of Adlington, UK, for the production of military uniforms.

FREE CONTENT: Prototype jacket provides thermal camouflage

29 September 2022

A computer-controlled jacket that could one day make its wearer invisible to infrared (IR) cameras is being developed by researchers in the UK, who have created a prototype to test the concept.

Aurora Specialty Textiles successfully navigates supply-chain challenges

Established in 1883, Aurora Specialty Textiles specialises in applying coatings and finishes to textiles. In an interview with John McCurry, Aurora’s President, Marcia Ayala, describes the company’s business philosophy, the challenges posed by the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic and her plans for the future.

Camouflage sheet makes soldiers nearly undetectable

9 July 2021

A camouflage sheet renders soldiers virtually invisible to the naked eye and thermal imaging equipment, claims its developer, Polaris Solutions of Givat Haim, Israel.

DSM and MKU develop high-performance, lightweight ballistic protection

27 April 2021

A soft-armour vest made primarily from Royal DSM's unidirectional (UD) ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, Dyneema) is to be supplied to Sao Paulo police by MKU Ltd.

Gentex to supply protective equipment to South Korean air force

19 February 2021

Gentex Corp of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, USA, has signed a US$20.6-million contract to supply sets of equipment that protect against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats to

Thin, lightweight body armour

27 January 2021

A range of ballistic body panels made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres is – for its level of performance – the thinnest and lightest currently available, say its US dev

Apex Mills explores the potential of trailblazing knitting technology

Specialising in state-of-the-art knitted technical textiles currently offers incredible challenges as well as numerous opportunities. As competitors fail, for instance, manufacturers can acquire new capabilities and new customers. One such company, reports John McCurry, is Apex Mills, which made its first acquisition in 2019.

3M completes sale of ballistic-protection business

3 January 2020

3M has completed the sale of its ballistic-protection business to Avon Rubber Plc for US$91 million.

Military funding continues to be a big boost for innovation

Textiles remain at the forefront of the ongoing global race to protect military personnel from existing and emerging threats, particularly smart textiles, and particularly in the USA, according to Sarah Gibbons.

FREE CONTENT: Progress made on development of flame-retardant polyamide–cotton fabrics

3 October 2019

Flame-retardant (FR) polyamide (PA)–cotton fabrics are being developed by Alexium and Pine Belt Processing for use by the US Military.

Avon Rubber agrees to buy 3M’s ballistic-protection business

7 August 2019

3M is to sell its advanced ballistic-protection business to Avon Rubber Plc for US$91 million.

Lightweight ballistic protection material

6 June 2019

A lightweight yet effective ballistic protection material that is more comfortable to wear that existing solutions has been developed by Blücher of Erkrath, Germany.

Textile innovations continue to help keep military personnel safe

From camouflage for daytime and night-time operations in a variety of environments to flame-retardant materials, the latest developments in textiles and textile technologies remain key factors in providing protection and reasonable comfort for military personnel, reports Adrian Wilson.

Anti-radar composite fabric

2 July 2018

A fabric reinforcement that enables composites made with it to avoid detection with radar has been developed by Richard Chi-Hsueh of San Diego, California, USA.

Slow, but safe—the latest innovations in antiballistic fabrics

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Charlotte Brandt from technical textiles specialist Arville reviews the advances that have been made in the development of antiballistic fabrics, examining the challenges that continue to be met by manufacturers.

Blast simulations offer clues to better antiballistic protection

24 January 2018

Manufacturers striving to improve the design of their body armour could find guidance from the work of a group researchers in the USA.

Tough matrix for future armour systems

1 November 2017

Researchers in the USA have developed an experimental device to test the durability of high performance and robust polymers that appear to strengthen themselves under a rapid series of impacts.

US Army set to test spider silk as an antiballistic material

19 May 2017

The first samples of a spider silk produced by genetically engineered silkworms have been delivered to the US Army for independent testing.

Coloured retroflective materials

20 July 2016

A US company has developed a patented range of coloured retroreflective materials.

D3O launches new Trust range

29 October 2015

Having raised £13 million in private equity funding, D3O has just opened The Lab—its new global headquarters and dedicated innovation, development and testing centre in Croydon, UK.

Wearable assistance for the front line

7 August 2015

UK technology and design consultancy Cambridge Design Partnership has developed a wearable device that measures and monitors the vital signs of multiple trauma patients for emergency response in di

Alexium targets European markets

7 July 2015

Six customers in the European markets for automotive, workwear and military fabrics, with a combined sales potential of US$15–20 million in the next 12–18 months, are already being

Point Blank sold

6 June 2015

A private equity firm in the USA has completed the acquisition of Point Blank Enterprises, a specialist in soft armour and anti-ballistic protection.

Composites protect solar panels

1 January 2015

A lightweight solar panel system for military forces was unveiled by IDG Europe of Lidingo, Sweden, at the Innovative Energy Solutions for Military Applications (IESMA 2014) conference and exhibition

Lightweight ballistic protection

1 January 2015

The core antiballistics component of a new system for soldiers in the US Army is to be supplied by Point Blank Enterprises of Pompano Beach, Florida, USA.

Market trends favour lightweight polyethylene fibres for armour

The emerging trends in the markets for body and vehicle armour strongly favour lightweight materials and, Nick Butler reports, DSM Dyneema has responded by developing a technology to make its ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibre a stronger candidate for such applications than ever before.

US Army to assess TenCate's anti-blast technology

1 October 2013

TenCate Advanced Armor of Newark, Ohio, USA, says it has signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the US Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) that w

Warp-knitted aramid spall liner

1 October 2013

An anti-ballistic spall liner for the interior of military vehicles was launched by Teijin Aramid at the defence and security exhibition DSEI, held in London, UK, on 10-13 September 2013.

Simple coating allows gloves to operate touchscreens

1 October 2013

A formulation that can be applied to a glove to allow the wearer to operate touchscreen devices has won recognition by the US Department of Defense (DoD).

Military cuts prompt urgent responses from US textile suppliers

As the US military significantly reduces the amount of fabric it is buying, mostly from domestic suppliers, John McCurry investigates how some companies are responding to a loss of orders that have helped sustain their industry over many years.

Smart textiles in defence applications

1 March 2013

Suppliers of smart materials, including textiles that incorporate electronics, have until 12 April 2013 to respond to a call for research proposals issued by the UK Government's Ministry of Defence (M

Wool base layers for Italian sailors

1 December 2012

Italy's navy is set to order thousands of garments developed by a UK company to provide next-to-theskin protection and performance in action.

US Air Force tests fabric treatment for protection against chemical and biological agents

1 October 2012

Alexium International Group Ltd has won a contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Tyndall, Florida, USA, to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of a fabric treatment developed

US army assesses dry nonwoven wipes for decontamination

1 June 2012

The US Army is testing a nonwoven wipe containing activated carbon for decontaminating equipment exposed to chemical agents.

Canadian military opts for TenCate flame-resistant fabrics

1 December 2011

TenCate Protective Fabrics of Union City, Georgia, USA, has won two contracts to supply flame-resistant (FR) fabrics to Canada's military forces.

Australia's Defence Forces extend trial for TenCate fabric

1 December 2011

Trials of combat uniforms by Australia's Defence Forces are to continue with an additional 10 000 uniforms to be supplied by Crye Precision of Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Water packs for infantry made lighter in weight

1 November 2009

Backpacks used by soldiers to carry water have been made lighter by the use of Invista's Cordura fabrics.

US Army opts for Abrams fabric

1 November 2008

Milliken & Co's Abrams flame-resistant (FR) textile has been chosen as the only approved fabric for the US Army's improved Combat Vehicle Coverall (iCVC).

Kermel to supply camouflage fabrics to the FrenchArmy

1 August 2008

Kermel, a French manufacturer of protective clothing, is to supply its Kermel(r) V50 and VMC40 camouflage fabrics to the French Army.

Joint launch of armour product by TenCate and DSM at Milipol 2007

1 November 2007

A new armour product inTenCate'sAresshield(r) range was introduced at Milipol (held in Paris, France from 9-12 October 2007).

Better camouflage

1 June 2005

A team at the US Marine Corps has a developed a socalled "disruptive camouflage" suitable for use in the visible and infra-red (IR) ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum.

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16 April 2024

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Aurora Specialty Textiles successfully navigates supply-chain challenges

Apex Mills explores the potential of trailblazing knitting technology

Military funding continues to be a big boost for innovation

Textile innovations continue to help keep military personnel safe

Slow, but safe—the latest innovations in antiballistic fabrics

Market trends favour lightweight polyethylene fibres for armour

Military cuts prompt urgent responses from US textile suppliers