Mobile, bullet-resistant shields will strengthen U.S. Army arsenal

On Nov. 13, President George W. Bush signed into law the 2008 Defense Appropriation Bill, which included $3.5 million for the U.S. Army to procure additional MDFPs. The Army received its first shipment of the mobile shields last March to safeguard soldiers during combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Congressman James Walsh and Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer supported the 2008 Defense Bill, which included not only the Defenshield allocation, but also another $13.2 million for defense contractors in the central New York area.

Each MDFP features a mobile platform that offers a full field of vision. Personnel standing behind the platform receive head-to-toe protection from bullets, blasts and dangerous fragments, yet can return fire or call for back-up assistance. In addition, the shields can be used to cover and remove injured personnel from battlefields.

Ready for instant deployment, the MDFPs are ideal for situations where combative locations change frequently and without warning. Each MDFP shield travels on all-terrain tires or casters. Stationary models also are available.

The MDPFs are currently deployed at entry control points in various Iraqi cities, as well as a range of military bases, the Pentagon, courthouses and nuclear facilities.

The Defenshield product line is available through the GSA Schedule to all federal agencies and to state, local and municipal law enforcement under the Justice Department 1122 program. Additional funding is available through the Homeland Security Grant Program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security.

Footage of the MDFPs in combat use, defeating building-top snipers in Iraq, have recently appeared on Military.com video files. Links to the videos are available on Defenshield’s Web site.

To access the video links or additional information about the bullet-resistant shields, visit http://www.defenshield.com/.