Integrated Load Carriage System (ILCS)

Human Factors Engineering

Change for a reason:

1. Backpacks with attached waist-belts don’t work with 1st line gun belts and body armor. The backpack belt is routinely not used and tied out of the way.
2. Stand-off from bolsters moves your center of gravity, which throws off balance and coordination. In the struggle for balance, missteps cause ankle and knee injuries that require evacuation.

An avalanche of other problems:

1. Excess weight on the shoulders and spine crushes spinal discs and causes irreparable damage.
2. Rucksack palsy cuts off circulation to the hands resulting in numb hands, nerve damage and difficulty shooting.
3. The non-functioning backpack suspension becomes parasitic weight, like carrying rocks to a gun fight.
4. Injuries, fatigue and crippled performance equal force degradation, compromising mission readiness and battlefield success.
5. The life cycle cost of musculoskeletal injury care, post middle east conflict, is estimated to exceed $500 million annually, not to mention our brothers living with a lifetime of pain post service.

Simple solution:

The ideal solution is to make your 1st line gun belt support
the weight of torso borne equipment. The biomechanics and ergonomics are improved; the soldier can achieve peak performance.