PRU-70

The PRU-70/P22P-18 (V) is an Armored Survival Vest (ASV) that is intended for aircrews. It will be fielded in 3 sizes (small, medium, and large) and was designed in house by Navair's Human Systems Division. The vests will be manufactured by Peckham Vocational Industries in Michigan and will be fielded to Navy and Marine aircrew (not pilots) in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The PRU-70 merges both the aircrew survival vest and the latest in body armor. The new system was developed to fit the entire range of body types represented by the men and women in current U.S. aircrew population. The PRU-70 is also designed to reduce the bulk, weight and heat stressors commonly encountered by helicopter aircrews flying six or more hours on combat missions.

The PRU-70 is also constructed from a material called Halo-Tech. Halo-Tech is as fire retardant as the Nomex material used for flight suits and yet is far more durable. The PRU-70 will also be the first of the survival clothing items produced in the new Coyote Brown camouflage color. The Coyote Brown color was developed to blend into the environment of 70 percent of the world’s land masses.

The PRU-70 replaces three different items of aircrew clothing; the standard AIRSAVE Survival Vest, the separate body armor system that is worn beneath the AIRSAVE survival vest and the current PRU-60B. According to the manufacturer, this results in reduced cost and configuration management for both forces in combat and in logistic terms, due to the PRU-70’s ability to be worn as a stand-alone survival vest by simply being configured with or without life preservers (as authorized) and by adding or deleting body armor as needed.