Air Force Research Lab biomedical engineers are working with the Air Force Human Systems Group and helmet-manufacturer Gentex to design and test a breakaway version of the Gentex chin-nape strap. The trick, say AFRL officials, is to develop a strap that ensures the helmet stays on long enough during high-speed ejection from an aircraft but not so long that it leads to neck injuries. The new strap’s metal buckle is designed to break away at a “predetermined force level to minimize stress on a pilot’s neck.”
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
