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KDH Wins Major U.S. Army IOTV Award

08.14.2009

JOHNSTOWN, PA, August 14, 2009 -- KDH Defense Systems, Inc., a leading supplierof protective body armor to the U.S. Department of Defense announced today that, after over a year of fierce competition and a rigorous selection process, it has been awarded a contract to supply the U.S. Army with the very latest in body armor technology, the Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) (Contract W91CRB-09-D0049).

This five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract from the U.S. Army REDCOM Acquisition Center, requires the production and delivery of up to 736,000 Improved Outer Tactical Vests and 253,000 Deltoid and Axillary Protection Systems ("DAPS"). Notice of this award came just days after KDH had begun first article production for its firm fixed price contract to supply the Defense Logistics Agency with 65,000 IOTVs.

The news of both IOTV awards took the industry by surprise as KDH, a federally recognized small business, unseated body armor companies more than twice its size, who have dominated the federal body armor market since the initiation of the Global War on Terror. “It was a bit unexpected, but we have been planning and positioning ourselves for some time,” said Dave Herbener, President and CEO of KDH Defense Systems, Inc. “We have been patiently watching market trends, gaining relevant experience with smaller scale contracts, and improving the efficiency in our process in order to provide quality and best value to the government. We have concentrated efforts to lower the cost and improve the performance of our soft ballistic packages in order to provide quality systems, on time, and at a fair and reasonable price.” In June, KDH was awarded a sub -contract with the Industries of the Blind, Inc. in support of the U.S. Army’s Universal NAPE Pad procurement based on exceptional ballistic performance.

“KDH is truly honored the U.S. Army has recognized our commitment to best value and dedication to our Soldiers through this IOTV award. To have emerged as a winner from this highly scrutinized award process displays a confidence in our ability for which we have worked tirelessly and have been patiently awaiting” concluded Mr. Herbener.

The Improved Outer Tactical Vest is the U.S. Army’s latest body armor system designed to reduce weight and provide the Soldier with better body armor coverage. Some of the improvements in design over the IOTV’s predecessor, the Outer Tactical Vest ("OTV"), include increased coverage, lighter weight, a quick-release system and an overall improved fit and load carriage.

Established in 2003 to meet the emerging individual protective equipment requirements of our Service Members, KDH is a qualified HUBZone Small Business Concern headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Focusing on consistent delivery of innovative, high-quality products, KDH has become a fully-integrated contract manufacturer and a leading designer and supplier of superior quality military personal protective equipment. KDH has been the leading supplier of custom maritime body armor systems to the U.S. Navy since 2004. KDH has a variety of high performance soft ballistic packages exceeding the government’s rigorous requirements for use in combat, enabling flexibility in solutions, and best value to the military.

For Information Contact:

Jim Hodges Jack Joy
EXC DIR Sales/Marketing National Sales Manager
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