Avon Protection, a division of Avon Rubber plc, has completed the initial production of its M50 Mask under the US Joint Services General Purpose Mask program and will begin production of the second batch shortly.  During 2007 the M50 mask will be fielded with US forces in a number of locations.

The M50 will be on display at IDEX on the Avon Protection stand no. 2115.

The JSGPM program is considered the largest respiratory protection program in history and will equip all four US armed forces.   Avon has undertaken the complete design and development of the M50 to meet the JSGPM requirement since being awarded the original development contract in 1999.

In 2006 Avon commissioned a new production facility to manufacture the masks and filters at its US base in Cadillac, Michigan, representing a multi-million dollar investment. The highly automated facility boasts 2-D bar-coding to provide full tracking of all production parameters for every article produced at the facility. In the same year Avon also commissioned a new comprehensive filter development laboratory.    

The M50 has been developed to counter the multiple threats encountered in modern war fighting and peacekeeping operations.   It provides high protection against traditional chemical warfare agents, radioactive dusts, biological threats and a wide range of toxic industrial chemicals.

Using the latest digital design techniques and Avon’s unique rubber compounds, the M50 provides several innovative features. A revolutionary cast flexible visor offers wide, optically correct vision together with being impact and scratch resistant.   Close fitting, curved conformal filters offer improved weight distribution and reduced breathing resistance, as well as enhanced protection against toxic industrial agents. An integrated Electronic Communication Port allows for an internal microphone for communication systems. The design allows for excellent integration with personal issue equipment and crew served weapon systems.  The CV variant for in-vehicle applications comes with an air feed hose and integrated hood.