Front-End Analysis of Load Bearing Equipment for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps.

Abstract

The purpose of this Front End Analysis (FEA) was to conduct a quick but comprehensive analysis of the overall load-bearing requirements of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. A unique facet of this project was to provide a draft Statement of Need in addition to the formal technical report. Steps taken to define the requirements for a Load-Bearing system included a market (product) survey of 46 foreign and domestic commercial and military packs, a technical literature review of load-bearing equipment and research, review of past user surveys by Natick and the Infantry School, an FEA survey of approximately 2000 users from five Army locations and two U.S. Marine Corps locations, as well as a two-day workshop with selected users of current load-bearing equipment. Results support the need for two load-bearing systems, one modular and one specially designed for extreme conditions. Key requirements identified involve equipment compatibilities, padding, and features for fitting systems to the population of users. The capacities and features for the modular system are approximately those found on a number of different current pack systems. The main system should be a modular system of varying capacities to accommodate a wide range of users. The second system should be designed for the special added space requirements of extreme cold weather. The data suggest the main pack of the modular system should have a capacity equivalent to the current All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE)-large pack plus a detachable assault pack. The analysis revealed a need for a standard load classification and terminology system to facilitate discussions about the requirements for load-bearing systems.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA295874

Entities

People

  • D. P. Leitch
  • Gerald S. Raisanen
  • James B. Sampson
  • John Kirk

Organizations

  • United States Army Soldier Systems Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army
  • Classification
  • Domestic
  • Infantry
  • Lightweight
  • Literature
  • Literature Surveys
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Forces (United States)
  • Standards
  • Workshops

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space