At Milipol Paris 2017, the International State Homeland Security Exhibition, Israeli Company SOURCE presents its VIRTUS individual soldier system which integrates combat and protective gear developed by the Company to cope with the challenges and needs of the modern infantry soldier in today’s battlefield.

VIRTUS individual soldier gear equipment from the Israeli Company SOURCE at Milipol Paris 2017

In January 2015 SOURCE signed a multi-year contract with the UK MOD to supply integrated personal protection and load carriage systems to the British Military. The awarded contract is for a firm term of three years, and can be extended, by the UK MOD, until 2026.

Major General Paul Jaques, Director Land Equipment at MOD Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), said: “DE&S is committed to supporting the Armed Forces by providing them with a high standard of equipment and this new personal protection and load carriage system meets that requirement. In challenging troop trials we found it performed exceptionally well and was a step change improvement on the in-service equipment. Key is the integrated nature of the system that enables the soldier to operate far more effectively.”

The Scalable Tactical Vest is the heart of the system and allows the wear of concealable armor, wear as a plate carrier, combining the two as a body armor vest as well as the addition of extremity protection including neck, bicep groin and lower back armor.

The right side of the vest features a Velcro shoulder strap which is used by the wearer to don and doff it under admin conditions. Conversely, the cutaway system is located on the left side of the chest and only releases the left side of the vest. The cutaway consists of upper and lower molded plastic pins that fit through channels in hinge-like buckles, lining up at the left shoulder and left cummerbund area. There is a pull tab that must be pulled outward (perpendicular), away from the vest. To pull up or down means that the opposite pin will not be activated.