For Immediate Release
July 16, 2019
United States Marine Corps Selects Med-Eng EOD 10 Bomb Suit to Protect the Lives of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialists
Major contract award means multiple branches of the U.S. Military will be using Med-Eng bomb suits and helmets
Helps secure highly skilled manufacturing jobs in northern New York state
OGDENSBURG, New York – Med-Eng®, a brand of The Safariland Group, announced today a $10.2M delivery order added to a 2017 contract awarded by the United States Air Force for EOD® 10 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) suits and helmets. This particular delivery order is for the U.S. Marine Corps with all deliveries being made to their bases across the U.S.
This selection by the Marine Corps completes acceptance by multiple branches of the United States military, including the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Army, of the most current Med-Eng bomb suit ensembles to protect EOD teams for years to come. Earlier in 2019, the Army also selected a unique variation of the EOD 10 suit architecture from Med-Eng, as its second generation Advanced Bomb Suit (ABS II).
The Air Force increased its Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract previously awarded to Med-Eng in March 2017 from $11M to $26.5M to allow the Marine Corps to utilize its contract vehicle already procuring EOD 10 ensembles for the Air Force.
“The joint effort between the Air Force and the Marine Corps shows the collaboration across the Department of Defense and the trust and confidence they have in Med-Eng equipment,” said Rob Reynolds, General Manager of Med-Eng. “Overall, it is very encouraging to see how widely the EOD 10 has been adopted and successfully deployed by military, federal and public safety teams across the nation and in 45 countries worldwide.”
The suit and helmet ensembles will be made using the skilled workforce at the Med-Eng production facility in Ogdensburg, New York. Using the Lean manufacturing process, this facility operates under a registered ISO:9001 Quality Management System and is fully compliant with the manufacturing requirements of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard 0117.01 for public safety bomb suits. It has been making blast protective suits for the military, as well as federal and public safety agencies, for more than 10 years.
Brad Williams, president of The Safariland Group, commented, “This is a significant contract win that will bring direct economic benefits to northern New York, including increased employment. Combined with other recent contract awards, we have a very strong basis for expanding our Ogdensburg facility to meet the steady demand for our protective equipment.”
“This is an important milestone in the history of providing personal protection to American EOD operators,” added Reynolds. “A new generation of Med-Eng bomb suits will be entrusted to protect all U.S. military EOD operators against explosive threats, including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).”
About Med-Eng®
The Med-Eng® brand provides integrated and battle-proven solutions for protecting frontline personnel from blast and heat threats. Its Personal Protective Equipment and specialized tools for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), bomb disposal, tactical operations and demining are trusted by military and public safety agencies in approximately 100 countries and territories worldwide. Its Crew Survivability solutions, including customized blast attenuation seats and thermal management systems, protect military vehicle crews and their mission-critical electronics. All Med-Eng equipment is engineered and rigorously tested to help save lives and enhance operational capabilities. Med-Eng is a part of The Safariland Group of brands. For more information, visit www.med-eng.com.
About The Safariland Group
The Safariland Group is a leading global provider of a broad range of safety and survivability products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets. The Safariland Group offers a number of recognized brand names in these markets including Safariland® armor, duty gear and communications, Bianchi®, Mustang Survival®, Med-Eng®, Break Free®, Defense Technology®, Hatch®, Monadnock®, Identicator® and NIK®. The Safariland Group's mission, “Together, We Save Lives®”, is inherent in the lifesaving and protective products it delivers. The Safariland Group is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The Safariland Group is a trade name of Safariland, LLC.
For more information about The Safariland Group, please visit www.safariland.com. For media resources and information, please visit the www.safariland.com/media-center.html.
For further information, please contact:
CGPR
Meryl Rader
908.528.3826
Meryl@cgprpublicrelations.com
For product information, please contact:
Med-Eng
John Carson, Marketing Director
613.851.7136
john.carson@safariland.com