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Featured Projects
Focus Area:
Protection
Project Cost:
$11.135M (IWTSD), $2.385M (Israel)
Project Duration:
45 Months (In Progress)
Performer:
Caeli
Deliverable:
Hybrid Closed Circuit Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (CC-SCBA) with Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR)
End User:
5th Special Forces Group
75th Ranger Regiment
57th Sapper Company
National Guard Bureau – Civil Support Teams
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Israeli Defense Forces (Israel)
Description:
The Combined Respirator Unit for Subterranean (SbT) Operating Environments (CRUSOE) is a hybrid closed-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus (CC-SCBA) which incorporates an optional powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) allowing the user to switch between the two levels of protection based on situational threat. The system has a low profile for operating in tight spaces, weighs less than 25 pounds, and provides 4 hours of supplied air and up to 8 hours of filtered air.
Operational Impact:
Subterranean environments necessitate the use of specialized equipment for performing missions under harsh conditions where operators encounter confined spaces, the air may not be breathable, and logistics are burdensome. Existing respirators are bulky and only provide 30 to 40 minutes of breathable air without refilling, adversely impacting the operational tempo. The CRUSOE respirator with its compact, lightweight form factor, provides the warfighter with the maneuverability to operate in confined SbT environments while enabling sufficient time on target to perform complex missions with minimal disruption.
Transition:
IWTSD is pursuing safety certification necessary to facilitate future acquisitions. The performer is implementing a commercialization strategy and is potentially being incorporated into a program of record.
