Natick Researchers Developing Overhead Threat Protectors for Soldiers

Photo via Natick Research Center

Researchers at the Natick Soldier Research Center are working on a new system called the Overhead Threat Protection (OTP), which would be used to protect warfighters with an easy-to-set-up overhead ballistic protection system.

This OTP would be used primarily in expeditionary base camps, said an announcement, and can be set up by four people in less than two hours.

“Having the addition of overhead protection really gives Soldiers peace of mind from day one,” said Karen Horak, lead program engineer, Collective Protection Systems Team, Expeditionary Basing and Collective Protection Directorate at NSRDEC, in the release. “With this system, the Soldiers have protection from multiple threats affecting base camps. This really allows them to be mission focused.”

The system would protect against threats to the base camp and “leverages technology developed by NSRDEC and the University of Maine for the Modular Ballistic Protection System, or MBPS. The MBPS provides sidewall protection against similar basecamp threats.”

It is in the testing phase. Read more here.