KDH wins $6 Million Nape Pad Insert Contract and Opens New North Carolina Facility

KDH Defense Systems, Inc., a leading body armor manufacturer for the Department of Defense, announced today the award of a sub-contract with the Industries of the Blind, Inc. in support of the U.S. Army's Universal Nape Pad procurement. KDH Defense Systems will produce 520,000 Nape Pad Inserts for the Industries of the Blind over the next 12 months.

In March of 2007, the U.S. Army announced its plan to field Universal Nape Pads intended to better protect the Soldier's neck area from ballistic fragmentation. The pad easily attaches to the existing rear strap of the Army Combat Helmet (ACH) and further complements the Army's "systems-of-systems" approach to force protection. KDH Defense Systems was awarded this ballistic insert sub-contract, to complete the Army's follow-on acquisition objective of the Nape Pad, as a result of its superior ballistic performance during initial testing.

KDH Defense Systems plans to perform a portion of the Nape Pad contract at its new state-of-the-art facility in Eden, North Carolina, located in Rockingham County, a Qualified HUBZone Region. "The increased manufacturing square footage, access to skilled textile workers, and the factory's new compliment of automated equipment will enable us to deliver ahead of schedule and position us well for the award of pending future contracts, " said Dave Herbener, President & CEO of KDH Defense Systems. KDH Defense System's Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) design was recently down-selected as one of four finalists in the latest phase of competition to supply the U.S. Army with light-weight plate carriers. The Army has announced its plan to potentially field up to 100,000 plate carriers in order to provide Soldiers in Afghanistan with greater mobility, improved cooling capability, and a reduction to the combat load.

Established in 2003, KDH Defense Systems, Inc. is a Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concern with a manufacturing facility and corporate offices located in Johnstown, PA. Since 2004, KDH Defense Systems has been the leading supplier to the U.S. Navy of mission specific maritime and releasable body armor.