QuadGard Arm and Leg Protection Against IED's

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) led a government-university-industry team that developed the QuadGard arm and leg body armor from initial concept to industrial production over a period of 17 months. QuadGard provides extremity protection against fragments from conventional munitions and improvised explosive devices (IED's) in an innovative flexible design, based on combat casualty trends. Weighing only 10 lb, it achieved a high level of acceptance during test and evaluation by warfighters for its flexibility and comfort. The first three design phases were performed under an Office of Naval Research program, from April to December 2004. The final design phase and preparation for production was performed for the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) in the spring of 2005. More than 4800 sets of QuadGard were then procured by MCSC for use by 50-caliber turret gunners and shipped forward for operations in Iraq between October 2005 and January 2006. An additional 300 sets were purchased by the Joint IED Defeat Task Force. These were delivered in November and December 2005 for test, evaluation, and operational use in Iraq by additional Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force units. Finally, 100 sets were purchased by the Naval Facilities Expeditionary Logistics Center in January 2006 for the Navy's Seabees in Iraq. Published in NRL Review, p73-81, 2006.