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U.S. Army Testing Personal Cooling Suits
DJ BenBen writes to tell us that they Army is currently testing some 500 liquid cooled vests with Humvee crews in Iraq. From the article: "The Humvees with add-on armor were fitted with air conditioners after TARDEC engineers in Warren, Mich., were given the requirement to figure out how Soldiers in armored vehicles could be kept cool under the desert sun. Some of the same engineers had designed the add-on armor kits for the M-998 and M-1025 Humvees in theater. But with the extra armor and doors closed, temperatures inside the vehicles could reportedly reach more than 130 degrees. 'It's like putting somebody in a toaster oven on low heat,' said Charlie Bussee, an engineer at TARDEC."
Heat isn't affecting soldiers as much as an inadequate rifle round ".223." The 223 was meant for spray and pray fire superiority in the jungles, at low cost, and low weight. The military needs to invest in a decent round i.e. 308/7.62x#! That can effectively go through things and have enough power for any infantry soldier to take out an engine block. Soldiers die because of an inexcusable round, because its cost effective. Even the days of the tumbling 223 are over due to using NATO specs. And for fracks sake how about a decent sidearm! Give them all one! You buddy must have the same Mag!