Hypthetical Army field knife design

[tallwingedgoat]

Okay, here's the hypthetical question.

The Army wants to buy 1 million+ field knives to replace the kabar type knives. There is to be a design competition, let's see what you can come up with.

Here are the stipulations:

1. Knife with primary role as field survival use, secondary sentry elimination capability. All other functions (wire cutting, wood saw) not necessary.

2. No more than 12" overall.

3. No more than $50 per unit.

4. Demonstrable superior product than existing issue knives.

 

[Bart student]

I'd go for a little more money and get the fallknivens A-1 wit kydex sheath.
The swedish army did this, and they even threw away the SOG's and Kabars....They were quit cheap, but beaten up too.

If I had to stay below the price, I'd buy twixe as much and get the glock field knives, about 15 USD a piece. Two per soldier, and you can open bottle with it (most used feature).

greetz, Bart.

 

[not2sharp]

No fighting, or wood chopping... go with a multitool. The troops would have something they can use to maintain the increasingly complex ordinance they get to play with. Besides, it fits neatly in a pouch or pocket.

 

[Tommi]

I'd go with M-95 Sissipuukko and mofify it a little. Differentially tempered teflon covered carbonsteel. Good carry system. 6 in blade. Clever leather sheat. Designed for needs and conditions that are present Finnish climate (so some changes would have to be made for US Army). Mostly for camp chores with some chopping ability but still useable as weapon. Cost would be less than 50$(propably less than 35$) If one would order 10^6 knives as it is sold for about 70$ now in retail shops.

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"Good tools to sustain life, or at least make life more convenient"
-James Mattis

 

[sgtmike88]

Bulk purchasing reduces prices. That being said, I'm relatively sure the US Armed Forces could probably strike a deal with Fallkniven for mass quantities of the A-1 or S-1. Either would make a great general purpose field knife that would outperform current standard issue. The US Navy has already approved and authorized the blackened blade F-1 and S-1 for Navy/Marine pilots.

The wheels already been invented.

 

[Griffon]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Bart student:
I'd go for a little more money and get the fallknivens A-1 wit kydex sheath.
The swedish army did this, and they even threw away the SOG's and Kabars...</font>

Not as far as I know. Some military units have purchased the A1, but so far I don't think any Swedish have, although it's certainly approved to use for those who own them (actually "knife" is one of the items we're told to bring in case of mobilization). Nor have SOGs or Kabars been issued equipment in the Swedish armed forces. Usually it's some kind of Mora knife.

That said, I think lots of A1s or S1s might meet the cost target and fulfill the requirement. The big question is how realistic the requirement is? Soldiers carry a lot of stuff and the more multiuse you can make it, the better it is from a weight point of view.



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Urban Fredriksson www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
Latest updates:
A Marttiini, another Marttiini and a Brusletto knife, links to Scandinavian manufacturers, Fällkniven K1+K2 kitchen knives

 

[GREENJACKET]

Leatherman Wave and a Martindale Gollock bulk order would come out at less than $50.

The SA80 bullpup bayonet cost our government over $350 each and its crap. That's a CRK Project. How much did the US Army's bayonet cost?

Government officials don't think like us. Anyway you send bombs by airmail now.

 

[bruce]

Since I used to be in Material Acquisition for the US Army, I can tell you the problem is that if you want anything new, you have to prove the thing you have now really doesn't work and that it's worth the effort to push for a new item, not just that something else might work better. I have the original "Letter Requirement" written by the Infantry School -- Directorate of Combat Developments. The M-9 was designed for most of the things listed above. I'm not defending the M-9 because I would rather carry the old M7 bayonet and the field knife of my choice, but the M-9 won't be replaced as a fieldcraft knife until it is proven to be "very" deficient.

Bruce Woodbury

 

[kuma575]

Leatherman Supertool.

It does everything the M9 bayonet can't (plus a few more). Besides, M9 bayonets are usually kept in arms rooms until it's time to go to the field or until there's an alert. The regular Army units I've been in and know of don't let soldiers carry around their bayonets for daily use. Heck, some units don't even have them and some have them but never issue them.

Soldiers would be able to carry around and use Supertools daily, whether in garrison or in the field. They should come in under $50 a piece, even before any type of bulk quantity discounts.

I think any soldier (other than special ops types or specially trained troops) would be hard pressed to take out a sentry with a blade. Could you do it with a Supertool? Sure, but I'd use my empty M-16 (even without a bayonet affixed) before I reached for any blade. Even without ammo, an M-16 can be deadly even in sparsely trained or untrained hands.


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Danny
aka "kuma575"