Misplaced Pages

#26973

19-641: It is a lightweight plate carrier intended to supplement the Modular Tactical Vest. Key issues with the previous MTV, specifically ergonomics, have been remedied with the addition of new features such as adjustment buckles and improved padding on the shoulders. These new improvements are intended to make the vest much more comfortable to wear in comparison to the MTV. It resembles the Eagle Industries MBAV and has staggered MOLLE webbing on

38-641: A number of NATO armed forces, especially the British Army and the United States Army since the late 1990s. MOLLE uses the Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) webbing equipment – rows of heavy-duty nylon stitched onto the gear – to attach equipment. This method has found use on civilian gear, and as a result, the term MOLLE is used outside the military for PALS-type webbing. The system's modularity results from

57-625: A very secure fit which can be detached with moderate effort. New types are laser cut out of single piece fabric rather than webbing straps sewn onto fabric. This is common on many new tactical items from backpacks to chest rigs. The spacing is the same standard so new lasercut ladders are 100% backwards compatible with older pouches made for webbing strap construction rigs. The PALS grid consists of horizontal rows of 25 mm (1 in) commercial item descriptions (CID) A-A-55301A (replacing Mil-W-43668 ) Type III nylon webbing (most commercial vendors use Type IIIa), spaced 25 mm apart, and reattached to

76-582: Is also a variety of attachment methods including the Alice Clip , the Natick snap, and soft, interwoven straps. The PALS system has begun to be adopted by other forces, such as the British Army , who use it on their Osprey body armor . PALS consists of webbing sewn onto the load-bearing equipment and corresponding webbing and straps on the attachment. The straps are interwoven between the webbing on each of two pieces and finally snapped into place, making for

95-474: Is often considered "MOLLE-compatible" or is called a "MOLLE" system. Increasingly, non-military manufacturers are incorporating PALS onto outdoor equipment. There are three general modes of attachment in the MOLLE arena; the "Natick Snap", which uses a polyethylene reinforced webbing strap with the 'pushthedot' snap fastener for security; the polymer "Malice" clip, developed by Tactical Tailor as an alternative to

114-746: The Individual Integrated Fighting System (IIFS) and also LBV-88, it was intended to replace the older All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE). The IIFS had its roots in the vests used by US Navy SEALS and other special operations forces in Vietnam . Developed at Natick , it consisted of the Individual Tactical Load Bearing Vest (ITLBV) and the Field Pack, Large, Internal Frame (FPLIF). A modified version of

133-580: The M16 rifle . Though the IIFS did not live up to its expected purpose, it did lay the groundwork for future equipment. MOLLE was developed at Natick labs in the mid-1990s following the IIFS's introduction. Army leadership believed that the PALS system now presented an opportunity to completely change the way equipment was made. It was conceived as a lighter and more durable system for carrying equipment, and would lighten

152-606: The Natick Snap concept, which interweaves like the Natick Snap but terminates in a semi-permanent closure that requires a screwdriver or other flat-tipped object to disengage; and a variety of attachments that fall into the "Weave & Tuck" category, in which the end of an interwoven strap is tucked into an item's backing after attachment to a vest or pack (Paraclete's SofStrap and Spec Ops Brand's hybrid attachment). The PALS grid consists of horizontal rows of 25 mm (1 in) webbing , spaced 25 mm apart, and attached to

171-458: The PALS allowing for the attachment of various compatible pouches and accessories. This method of attachment has become a de facto standard for modular tactical gear, replacing the all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment (ALICE) system used in the earliest modular vest systems, which is still in use with many police forces. Even before the introduction of MOLLE, a light system of load-carrying equipment had been developed. Known as

190-553: The U.S. Army's Soldier Plate Carrier System demonstration. The Improved Scalable Plate Carrier (ISPC) was introduced in 2011; it is expected that the Improved Modular Tactical Vest (IMTV) will replace the ISPC. MOLLE Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment , or MOLLE (pronounced / ˈ m ɒ l . l iː / MOL -lee ), is the current generation of load-bearing equipment used by

209-495: The backing at 38 mm (1.5 in) intervals. The stitchings are spaced 38 mm (1.5 in) apart, with a range of 35–40 mm (1.4–1.6 in) considered acceptable in practice. Newer styles come in various laser cut fabric, most commonly 1000D cordura nylon (some vendors use 500D–600D). The benefits often quoted for laser cut single piece style is significant weight saving especially on plate carriers/rigs and items with large amount of ladder area as well as less bulk. Another consideration

SECTION 10

#1732787562027

228-515: The backing at 40 mm (1.5 in) intervals. The stitchings are spaced 38 mm (1.5 in) apart, with a range of 35–40 mm (1.4–1.6 in) usually considered acceptable in practice. Pouch Attachment Ladder System The Pouch Attachment Ladder System or PALS is a grid of webbing invented and patented by United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center used to attach smaller equipment onto load-bearing platforms, such as vests and backpacks. It

247-511: The chest. The SPC was fielded to combat units operating in the War in Afghanistan in 2008 as a lightweight alternative to the MTV, where it has proved popular because of the region's mountainous terrain. Marines now typically deploy with both the MTV and SPC, with commanders setting the requirements for which vest should be worn based on threat levels. The Scalable Plate Carrier was analyzed for

266-575: The combat field pack from the old Vietnam-era M1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE) was adopted for use in the system. Designated the Combat Patrol Pack, it was actually used as a three-day pack for training purposes. The IIFS was meant to be a replacement for the ALICE system in infantry units, though it was intended for ALICE to be used in most others. Attached to the vest were four ammunition pockets for holding 30-round magazines for

285-408: The field (since mitigated), that the zippers have a tendency to burst when stuffed full and that the pack's straps lack sufficient length to be used with bulky body armor. The first generation of this system used a ball and socket joint between the frame and rucksack belt (which in itself formed the waistbelt of the MOLLE vest). This method led to numerous lower back injuries due to the ball (mounted on

304-511: The frame) missing the socket on the waistbelt and hurting the user's body. Subsequent redesign of the SDS MOLLE led to the deletion of this feature and the vest (FLC) and ruck/frame became separate non-integral items. The term MOLLE is technically only used to describe the specific system manufactured by Specialty Defense Systems, but is also casually used interchangeably to describe generically all load bearing systems and subsystems that utilize

323-604: The soldier's load. The MOLLE system was introduced in 1997, but did not see widespread issue until after the September 11 attacks in 2001, and was used by U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq . Early criticisms of the MOLLE system emerged, particularly from the Army. Many of these criticisms have centered on the sustainment-load pack and frame, due to the external plastic frame being too fragile and subject to breaking in

342-480: The woven PALS ( Pouch Attachment Ladder System ) webbing for modular pouch attachment (though PALS is proprietary to Natick Labs , most use MOLLE and PALS interchangeably). Derivatives based on the MOLLE attachment method (such as the Tactical Tailor MALICE clip system) have also been developed. Any system that utilizes modular attachment methods and is usable with U.S. general issue MOLLE components

361-454: Was first used on MOLLE rucksacks, but is now found on a variety of tactical equipment, such as the U.S. Improved Outer Tactical Vest , Interceptor body armor , USMC improved load-bearing equipment backpack and Modular Tactical Vest . It is used to attach items such as holsters, magazine pouches, radio pouches, knife sheathes, and other gear. A wide variety of pouches are commercially available, allowing soldiers to customize their kit. There

#26973