At the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) 2018 last week in Tampa Florida, various military gear and hardware were on display by various vendors. Many were interesting, but one thing that’s getting attention is an upcoming head protection for K9s from K9 Helm.

K9s play an important role in warfare and law enforcement as they are usually used to hunt down fugitives or enemy troops as trackers or they can be used for sentry and scout duties.  They are also used for communications and logistics.

They have become valuable that investment in training military and police dogs has become expensive. Also more equipment are being put on K9s that apart from leashes, they also now have their own MOLLE vests which are bulletproof or stab proof. Soon, they can have head protection gear that before was only available to their handlers and soldiers.

As for the offering of K9 Helm, the head protection gear, called the Trident K9 Tactical Helmet, is still undergoing development and testing. But when it becomes available, it is anticipated that it will be retailed at US$600.00 and it has the following features as posted at their website:

A. The main shell is a single piece of super-tough, 3D printed nylon. It features complex curves and details that are finely tuned for performance and durability.

B. ANSI rated, UV400 eye protection is easy to install and remove, yet stays firmly in place. Independent, spherical lenses are canted to each side to maximize the dog’s peripheral vision.

C. Left and right side retention plates squeeze inward with strap tension, providing cushy-yet-firm clamping force.

D. Thick rubber strap is reversible for use by right or left handed humans.

E. 2-position rail can be used to mount a variety of devices, or it can be removed altogether in favor of cameras like the MOHOC, which may be attached directly to the helmet surface.

F. Flexible rear brace meets the neck and terminates in a flared beaver tail, stabilizing the helmet during sudden changes to head and neck angles.

G. Secured with Velcro, the multi-panel foam padding is easily replaced and made in 3 sizes to achieve the best possible fit.

H. Captive strap guides and shielded button stud provide a secure closure that’s fast and easy to operate.

I. Removable fasteners facilitate easy disassembly. Replaceable parts allow for many rebuilds — extending the unit’s service life.

Apart from providing protection for the K9, the rail mount can be useful as cameras and other devices can also be mounted on the dog such as communications devices to be used with the handler. Looking at the design, the K9 actually looks very “operator” as airsoft geardos will always say.

The initial design will fit German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois which are the sought after K9s for military and law enforcement use. No information yet on release date.

Top photo: K9 Helm Trident K9 Tactical Helmet at SOFIC 2018 (Photo source: K9 Helm Facebook Page)