HMMWV Seats

The problem with HUMVEE seats

One weakness of HUMVEES in protecting against IED attacks can be seen by looking at HMMWV seats. The first generation of HMMWV seats consisted of little more than a thin foam pad, clad in green canvas, attached to a basic seat frame. Later models enhanced the comfort with the addition of “high back” seats that offered a more sculpted, ergonomic design. However, they were nonetheless not able to offer troops the energy absorption protection that they needed and deserved.

While IEDs may be most associated with parts of the world like Iraq and Afghanistan, they are fast becoming a common presence on battlefields all over the world. Even as early as 2007, IEDs had already become the primary cause of death among coalition forces, responsible for nearly 63% of deaths.

In recent years, IED incidents have taken place in 66 countries, with eight countries recording more than 1,000 civilian casualties as a result of the weapons.

As such, ensuring their continued survivability (including the troops who rely on them) is of the utmost importance. Proper seating is an essential.

Rethinking crew safety and survivability

Mobius Protection Systems specializes in designing and manufacturing blast-protected seats that help shield troops and military vehicles against the threat of attacks such as IEDs and anti-tank land mines. The seats, which are created using high end materials, offer a high degree of comfort and ergonomic design for troops riding in them. More importantly, they offer the ultimate protection that is vitally needed.

The seats are based on our very own patented SPIRAL technology, a light, single element system that provides full 360-degree energy-absorbing capabilities. Our SPIRAL tech has also consistently achieved extremely low DRI (Dynamic Response Index) measures in testing: one of the most important benchmarks to examine when it comes to crew safety and survivability in IED attacks.

The seats work by isolating and shielding the crew from the body of the vehicle that they are travelling in. Should an underbelly explosion from an IED or other explosive device take place, Mobius’ seating system will attenuate the explosion’s force, including shockwaves. This is true even in multi-hit assaults.

The seats — and protective seat belts — have been designed to offer maximum protection for personnel from the lightest 5th percentile female to a heavy 95th percentile male. The results are clear: Even in a vehicle like the HUMVEE that was not designed with threats like IEDs in mind, Mobius’s blast-resistant seats offer an upgrade that allows the vehicles to continue playing an active role on the front line. All without having to put troops in unnecessary harm’s way in the process. They truly are a game-changer.

Retrofitting seats into existing military vehicles is what do

One of the big advantages of Mobius’ blast-protecting seats is that they can be retrofitted into existing military vehicles. This is a solution that’s adapted to the vehicle, and not vice versa. Mobius’ seating solutions can — and have — been fitted into the largest range of military vehicles including, but not limited to, MRAPs, Main Battle Tanks, Armored Personnel Carriers, Infantry Combat Vehicles, Light Tactical Vehicles, MPVs, and of course the HUMVEE. The seats are installed in a range of crew seat positions using mountings on the floor, wall, or roof.

At a time when many military forces consider of replacing the HUMVEE at some point in the future, but without necessarily wanting to immediately, this makes Mobius’ HMMWV seats solution a particularly valuable one. As anyone who has worked in procurement or engineering in this area will know, there is enormous complexity when it comes to finding reliable solutions that will meet all the safety and functionality standards you care about. Mobius’s blast-protecting seats do exactly that.

A partner in your journey to better seats

Mobius isn’t just a designer and seller of military seating solutions. We function as a valued partner to our customers, which is why our products have been used by so many military forces around the world. In short, we strive to deeply understand the problems our customers may be facing — and deliver answers that will work for them. Our experienced and dedicated teams bring combined decades of accumulated experience in this field. We are selling a turnkey solution for our partners: offering expertise, collaboration, and a product that’s unmatched in quality.

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to get in touch. We have a team of trained professionals who can advise and work with you on every stage of the process when it comes to adopting the Mobius PS blasting-protecting seats.