Developed sometime around (or just before) 1990 by the Edgewood Chemical-Biological Center in conjunction with ILC Dover, the XM44 was a unique combination of the best the M40, MCU-2/P, and M43 Masks had to offer. Navy with the MCU-2/P and older ND Mk.V Masks. Armed Forces was equipped with a plethora of various protective masks in service - the Army and USMC Ground Forces had M17 Series and M40 Masks, Armored Crews had the M25 Series Masks, Army Aircrews had the M43 and M43A1 as well as the older ABC-M24, and not to mention the U.S. 4.8 Closed Circuit Breathing Apparatus (CCBA) Adapterīy the end of the 1980's, the U.S.4.6 Dynamic Microphone Element and Microphone Positioner.4.4 M7A1 Mask Amplifier and Adapter Ring Assembly.4.1 Wilcox P/N 23100G01 Exhaust Valve Kit.3.5 M45 Chemical-Biological Land Warrior Protective Mask.3.4 M45 Chemical-Biological Aircrew Protective Mask (ACPM).3.3 Pine Bluff Arsenal/End of Production.2 XM45 Chemical-Biological Aircraft Mask (Post-SIPE).It is notable that all plastic parts of the mask are ultrasonic welded, a process which has never been applied to a protective mask in the past. The mask itself features a sleek, streamlined facepiece made of silicone rubber with butyl secondary skin and hood, a drinking system with the M1 Quick-Disconnect Drinking Adapter for hydrating in contaminated environments, integral ports to accommodate the M-133/U Dynamic or Land Warrior Microphone/Positioner, Front and Side Kapton Film Voice Emitters, and close-fitting elliptical eye lenses that are shaped to improve peripheral vision while allowing seamless compatibility with night vision and other optical equipment. Armed Forces, but due to logistical and ultimately legal issues, only entered service in the aforementioned roles. Stemming from one-mask joint branch development experimentation in the early 1990's, the M45 initially sought to replace all masks in service with the U.S. The M45 Chemical-Biological Mask System was fielded and adopted in 1996 in order to replace the M43 Type II and M24 Chemical-Biological Aircraft Masks, as well as to provide a modular mask platform for USSOCOM Ground Forces.
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