Hardwire to supply soft armor to the U.S. Marine Corps.
September 27, 2019
For Immediate Release
HARDWIRE SELECTED TO SUPPLY SOFT ARMOR BALLISTIC PROTECTION TO THE U.S. MARINE CORPS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
Pocomoke City, Maryland – The U.S. Marine Corps announced today that Hardwire, LLC (“Hardwire”), a leading manufacturer of armor and protective systems for military, law enforcement, infrastructure, and consumer applications, has been selected to manufacture and supply the Gen III ballistic protection for the Marines for the next five years. This small business set-aside contract, awarded under a multi-year competitive procurement process, has a total value of $42.7 million.
“The Marines are one of the most feared and effective fighting forces in the world, and with Hardwire’s soft armor – the lightest, thinnest protection available – they become even faster and more capable,” said Hardwire’s CEO, George Tunis. The Gen III soft armor offers the last layer of ballistic and fragmentation protection for the Marine user.
The Hardwire soft armor manufacturing process is totally unique in the soft body armor industry. This proven Hardwire technology presses the armor materials with millions of pounds of force at precise temperatures and then softens the material into flexible layers similar to softened leather. This process produces unique shock physics that transfer incoming projectile energy onto a greater area, resulting in superior ballistic performance and less trauma to the Marine. The end product is a highly durable ballistic panel that forms to the user’s body for maximum comfort. The high degree of automation in the manufacturing process also improves cost effectiveness by, among other innovations, not using a single sewing machine like older, out-of-date armor producers.
Tunis said, “Our armor is up to 50% lighter and 65% thinner than older Kevlar®-based systems. But most importantly, we consistently stop the threats that our Marines face while still lightening their equipment load.” Hardwire was selected for this program as the best value to the Marine Corps based on performance, weight savings, manufacturing, and price.
In 2018, under a similar five-year contract, USSOCOM selected Hardwire as its soft armor supplier. In addition, Hardwire makes the lightest weight NIJ-certified soft armor for law enforcement officers.
About Hardwire, LLC
Hardwire has been in the armor protection and military vehicle design business for almost two decades, providing armor for vehicles, aircraft, boats, personnel, and infrastructure. Hardwire, LLC is a HUBZone Small Business located in Pocomoke City, Maryland. (www.hardwirellc.com)
For further information, please contact:
Emily Tunis