SafeguardTM 3002-A1 NBC Protective Suit: Best Protection and Highest Wearer Comfort for Worldwide Missions, Jan 2007

 
Winnenden, January 2007 – Whether it is the icy cold in Canada or the oppressive heat in Malaysia the Kärcher Safeguard^TM protective suits are suitable for missions in all climatic zones. Last year, many armed forces and civil defence organisations placed their trust in the innovative textiles from Kärcher Futuretech. The delivery of Safeguard^TM 3002-A1 to the Canadian Army has proved to be a perfect contract. Nearly 30,000 protective suits have been delivered to Canada since the middle of 2005, another 15,000 suits will arrive in the second largest country of the world by the middle of 2007. “The Canadian Army has been wearing the protective suits during their mission in Afghanistan since the middle of last year – and they are very satisfied with them“, says Christoph Seitz, product manager for NBC protective clothing at Kärcher Futuretech describing the first impressions from the Canadian camp. The Kärcher Safeguard^TM systems stand out due to a homogeneous filter material and a low surface weight while at the same time providing excellent wearing physiological properties.

The functional principle of the Safeguard^TM 3002-A1 mainly consists of several textile layers including an activated carbon layer. This highly innovative protection system, i.e. a new generation of permeable NBC protective clothing, provides more wearer comfort and an outstanding protection against nuclear, biological and chemical threats as well as thermal effects, and convinces with a unique aerosol protection feature.

Great progress is being made in the area of development. Shortly, Kärcher Futuretech will launch an even lighter and even more comfortable Safeguard^TM protective suit, the so-called “lightweight version”, which, nevertheless, provides the same excellent protection. “On a medium-term basis, an increased demand in the area of civil defence can be expected“, describes the Kärcher Futuretech textile expert, Christoph Seitz, his prognosis and points out the order of the Austrian COBRA anti-terror force that will be equipped with the Safeguard^TM 3002-A1 from February 2007.

The Saudi Arabian Armed Forces have been relying on the properties of the Safeguard^TM 3002-A1 since 2006 (for the second time), and so do the Portuguese Air Force, the Danish Army and special units of the German and Austrian police. The Safeguard^TM 2002-HP, a highly permeable two-piece protective suit with a high wearer comfort, was procured last year by the armed forces of Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and the Portuguese Marines 

At exhibitions all over the world, future customers have the chance to convince themselves of the advantages of the highly innovative Kärcher Safeguard^TM systems directly at the Kärcher Futuretech stand. In the first half of the year 2007, Kärcher Futuretech will present the suits at the IDEX (in Abu Dhabi from 18th to 22th February), at the LanDef (in Geelong, Australia from 20th to 24th March), at the Global Security Asia (in Singapore from 26th to 29th March) and at the CBW Symposium (in Göteborg, 22th to 25th May).

Details:

Safeguard™ 3002-A1, the first real combat suit with integrated NBCF protection, combines the benefits of NBC protection with those of a combat suit. The Safeguard™ 3002-A1 offers a high level of protection against radioactive fall-out and biological and chemical warfare agents while at the same time allowing air and water vapour to escape.  This reduces the chance of heat stress and thereby prolongs the wearing time considerably.

The Safeguard™ 3002-A1 with its integrated NBC and F protection (F = protection against flames) is worn in the case of an NBC attack in place of a conventional combat suit directly over the underwear. In addition, it protects its wearer against fire and thermal radiation.

The Safeguard™ 3002-A1 protects the skin of its wearer against a large variety of chemical warfare agents in compliance with the NATO standards. Even after ageing with sweat, it offers an outstanding protection against mustard gas (HD) at a concentration of 10 g/m² for 24 hours.

Technical Data:

Total mass (g/m²)  <= 460

Air permeability (mm/s)  >= 150

Substrate Test and Falling Drop Test (µg/cm²)  < 4

Thermal resistance (m² K/W) <= 0.02

Water vapour resistance (m² Pa/W)  <= 6.5

Kärcher Futuretech plans, develops and produces systems and devices that help to solve the problems of the future. Kärcher Futuretech Systems with their patented, forward-looking problem solutions are in daily use within more than 100 armed forces, civil defence and relief organisations all over the world.