The Soldier Integrated Protective Ensemble (SIPE) program is the initial step in developing an integrated modular clothing and equipment system for combat ground troops of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
.
Testing
The field portion of the Soldier Integrated Protective Ensemble (SIPE) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) was conducted at
Fort Benning, Georgia
Fort Benning is a United States Army post near Columbus, Georgia, adjacent to the Alabama–Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia border. Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees ...
, from September through November 1992. Individual task performance-data were collected by the Test and Experimentation Command (TEXCOM) Close Combat Test Directorate, and collective task performance data were assessed by personnel from the U.S. Army Infantry School (USAIS). Soldier impressions on and suggestions for the SIPE equipment were collected. As a technical advisory service to the SIPE ATD, U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and
Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
(ARI) personnel collected this data. The SIPE, configured as a head-to-toe individual
fighting system
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preser ...
, demonstrated considerable potential for enhanced soldier capabilities and operational effectiveness. However, the equipment, only prototype in nature, affected test soldier performance and attitude. The enhanced communications capability and thermal sight on the rifle, as well as some items of clothing, were deemed very acceptable; other items were rejected or insufficiently tested. Further testing would be beneficial.
Psychological effect
This system will increase lethality, mobility, survivability,
command and control
Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
and overall protection of the troops. This environmental chamber study compared physiological responses of volunteers exercising in
MOPP 0, MOPP 1, and MOPP 4 with equivalent SIPE configurations, including SIPE 4 with and without ambient air microclimate cooling (MCC). Responses to all uniforms were compared over 100 minutes of continuous treadmill walking at 30.0 deg C, 50% rh. Responses to MOPP 4 and SIPE 4 with no cooling were also compared over 100 minutes at 18.5 deg C, 50% rh. Responses to MOPP 4 and SIPE 4 MCC were compared over four hours of intermittent work-rest cycles at 30.0 deg C, .50% rh. There were no differences between MOPP 0 and SIPE 0, MOPP 1 and SIPE 1, and MOPP 4 and SIPE 4 with no cooling (in both environments) . Core temperature, skin temperature, heat storage, and
heart rate
Heart rate (or pulse rate) is the frequency of the heartbeat measured by the number of contractions (beats) of the heart per minute (bpm). The heart rate can vary according to the body's physical needs, including the need to absorb oxygen and excr ...
were lower in SIPE 4 MCC than in MOPP 4; while
evaporative cooling
An evaporative cooler (also known as evaporative air conditioner, swamp cooler, swamp box, desert cooler and wet air cooler) is a device that cools air through the evaporation of water. Evaporative cooling differs from other air conditioning sy ...
was greater in SIPE 4 MCC than in MOPP 4. Three volunteers completed the 4-hour tests in SIPE 4 MCC with similar advantageous trends apparent from the cooling. It is concluded that the SIPE clothing did not increase thermal strain compared to equivalent MOPP levels, and MCC, (although increasing uniform weight by approximately 10 kg) reduced thermal strain at 30.0 deg Celsius.
A Physiological Evaluation of the Soldier Integrated Protective Ensemble (SIPE) Clothing System
References
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Military technology
United States Army equipment