Soldier Integrated Protective Ensemble-Advanced Clothing Subsystem
(SIPE-ACS)

GEOMET was the prime contractor and system integrator for development of the SIPE-ACS during the years 1990 through 1993. The ACS was a modular system designed and developed to allow Army field commanders to selectively dress their soldiers for the intended missions and battlefield conditions. The SIPE ACS was designed for a multiple-threat environment, including hazardous chemical protection, and thermal flame.

The ACS consisted of a:

• body-protective component which included a flame-resistant advanced combat uniform, a ballistic protective module, chemical-biological protection modules and a passive/active cooling module
• handwear component that included both combat and chemical protective modules
• footwear component
• load-bearing component
  

The ACS was fully integrated with an advanced headgear subsystem and a microclimate conditioning subsystem. GEOMET system integrators interacted and coordinated with several material producers and fabricators to produce the various components of the protective clothing system. During the design effort, many candidate materials were defined and tested to select the best ones for the final ACS design.

GEOMET's in-house Chemical Surety Materiel (CSNM) laboratory enabled the GEOMET system integrators to screen a wide variety of materials and select the ones most likely to meet the program objectives. The GEOMET system integration team worked closely with various material producers to modify and refine the final selections and produce prototype garments for the final design.