Industry News

Defense Holdings, Inc announced that has been selected by DoD to provide AfterGlow Emergency Egress Photoluminescent Lighting Kits to the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps to improve Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected vehicle safety and our Warfighters' emergency egress capabilities.

MRAP vehicles are armored fighting vehicles designed to survive IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attacks, mines and ambushes. DoD determined that MRAP exits and escape hatches needed to be positively marked or illuminated to aid emergency egress. After evaluations and review, DoD selected DHi's Emergency Egress Lighting Kits to be quickly installed inside the troop compartment and driver/passenger sections of all MRAP vehicles to provide the warfighter with simple and highly reliable emergency markings. AfterGlow PL products will identify locations of door latches/openings, grab bars and emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers in the absence of daylight or electrically powered lighting. Messages issued to MRAP operators by DoD identified DHi as the sole producer of the MRAP PL products, identified the NSNs for the kits and referenced DHi's AfterGlowDirect MRAP PL Web page for ordering.

Emergency Egress PL Lighting Kits(TM) consist of high-performance, rechargeable, long-lasting, adhesive and/or magnetic-backed photoluminescent film strips and other items that provide a versatile, cost-effective, glow-in-the-dark, emergency evacuation capability that could help save Warfighters' lives. Kits are available for a number of types of MRAP vehicles and DHi is working with DoD and manufacturers to define Emergency Egress Lighting Kits(TM) for other types of platforms.

Rich Martin, DHi's President and CEO, states "Defense Holdings, Inc. was called upon to provide a quick solution for a non-electric illumination of exit hatches to ensure that the path to egress is visible to possibly disoriented soldiers in the event of an emergency situation, We are honored that the DoD has entrusted DHi with providing a solution to this critical safety issue so that we can contribute in even a small way to the protection of our nation's Warfighters."

DHi has pioneered the PL safety product market and is currently the largest installer of PL safety products in the United States. AfterGlow PL Safety Products are installed throughout the Pentagon and in many other locations around the country. Our products are also installed on a number of US Navy and Coast Guard ships and are being used extensively in the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77).

Defense Holdings, Inc. (DHi), a service-disabled, veteran-owned, small business, is a technology leader specializing in the defense and homeland security markets. With headquarters in Arlington, VA, research facilities in Charlottesville, VA, and production facilities in Trenton, NC, DHi works with Government agencies, universities and industry to put timely new technologies into the hands of those defending our country.