Source Tactical Gear this month began deliveries of the new Virtus ‘Scalable Tactical Vest’ (STV) to the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD), under a new multi-annual contract awarded earlier in 2015. Under the contract the Israeli company will deliver 14,000 Virtus soldier combat suite kits this year, to be followed by annual deliveries of about 10,000 kits through 2017. As the UK Ministry of Defense has a requirement for up to 82,000 kits, it has also secured options to continue purchasing them through 2026. Source is the prime contractor for the Virtus Kit, which includes more than 50 different items designed, developed and produced by the Israeli company and by subcontractors in the U.K., Canada, Israel and the U.S.
The Virtus Soldier System is a new, fully integrated personal protection and load carriage system developed by Source for the British Army. The system employs the Dynamic Weight Distribution (DWD) system, enhancing the operational effectiveness of the dismounted combatant. The Virtus system is the first combat suite to employ the DWD as part of a standard kit. Developed by Source over the past three years, the DWD was unveiled at the Shot Show in Las Vegas this year; it’s European debut was at IWA in Germany in March. The DWD was presented for the first time as part of a complete integrated soldier system at DSEI 2015 in London, following the delivery of first systems to the MOD.
