Demonstration showcases new force protection equipment

By Lacey JustingerMay 26, 2009

Armored vehicle prototype
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Water robot
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STAFFORD, Va. (Army News Service, May 26, 2009) -- The 2009 Force Protection Equipment Demonstration was held May 19-21 at the Stafford County Regional Airport to educate and demonstrate new capabilities and products.

The demonstration is held every other year and is sponsored in part by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and the Department of Homeland Security.

"It's important to showcase technology that has a lot of implications for force protection like performing dangerous missions without endangering Soldiers," said Kristina Nicos, visual information specialist from U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command at the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. "It can save their lives."

More than 500 vendors set up booths displaying their product capabilities with hands-on demonstrations and prototypes including communication systems, individual protective gear, robots, armored vehicles and explosive ordnance-detection and disposal equipment. Attendees included Department of Defense officials, law-enforcement officers, along with representatives of federal and state agencies.

Blast, night-vision, ballistics-mitigation and non-lethal demonstrations were held on Quantico Marine Corps ranges throughout the three-day event.

"We like to help the good guys," said John Hubbard and Floyd Tate, vendors displaying a remote-control shooting system.