Sea Systems - Blast Mitigating Seat Cushions

For personnel crewing a light fighting vehicle such as an HMMWVs the quality seating is of paramount importance. Not only can a well designed seat reduce the jolting discomfort that traversing rough terrain entails, but more importantly, through mitigating the blast from a mine or roadside bomb, it can help prevent serious injury or even death.

Virginia-based company Sea Systems has developed the seat cushions incorporating the Mitigator™ high impact system that is currently used by US Navy, Marine, Army and Coast Guard vehicles to reduce the effects of the vibrations, and mitigate impacts and blasts. More than 50,000 Mitigator products are currently used by the US military in Iraq and other locations worldwide.

Blast mitigating seat cushions for HMMWVs

More than 30,000 new HMMWV (M1152) have been equipped with seats that incorporate a MitiGator layer in the commander’s seat to mitigate blast forces encountered when the vehicle is hit by a land mine or IED. The seat was so well received that 500 units that incorporates standard cushions were refused by the Army until the seats were replaced with cushions that use MitiGator™ technology. Blast testing was carried out at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. In May of 2006 the first 500 vehicles were fielded in Iraq.

Vibration-reducing seat cushions for EFVs

All prototype vehicles of the USMC’s Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) are currently equipped with vibration reducing MitiGator seat cushions. These cushions have been proven to reduce whole body vibration by as much as 60%, drastically reducing the discomfort encountered during extend periods of traversing rough terrain. Sea Systems has manufactured about 200 additional seat cushions for the EFV featuring silicone MitiGator technology which is specifically designed to not burn during their severe flame resistance testing (1365°F for 30 minutes).

MitiGator seating systems for the EFSS

MitiGator seating systems are also being evaluated for use the expeditionary fire support system (EFSS) wheeled vehicles. In this case Sea Systems builds the complete seat for delivery to American Growler, who is the sub-contract vehicle manufacturer to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. Several prototype vehicles will be delivered this summer, while production is scheduled to start in December 2008. In this case, the vehicle weight was stressing the undercarriage of wheeled vehicle so much that the ride was too rough for occupants.

Shock absorbent seats for high-speed boats and attack helicopters

MitiGator systems are also in use aboard Navy small high-speed boats. These fixed deck matting systems allow boat operators to reduce the shock and jolts delivered to their knees, ankles, hips and back by hi-speed operations over rough water. Currently SEAS is a sub-contractor to several OEM boat manufacturers for the Navy (Edgewater Power Boats, Almar Boats, Oregon Iron Works).

In addition to the original SBIR Phase I-II program to develop the Cobra helicopter seat cushion system for NAVAIR Crew Systems, there have been several Phase III efforts with them as well. Sea Systems has negotiated a five year Phase III IDIQ (contract #N68335-03-D-0096) to explore other applications for the MitiGatorä technology as well as to allow for purchase of production items. This contract vehicle has been used to purchase cushions for the UH-1 and AH-1W helicopters.