SKYDEX, Oshkosh in flooring deal

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DENVER, June 24 (UPI) -- SKYDEX Technologies and Oshkosh Defense of Wisconsin have signed agreements on installation of blast-mitigating flooring in M-ATVs.

Under the deal, SKYDEX's flooring materials will be used in more than 1,400 new Oshkosh tactical vehicles by September of this year.

The U.S. government has made SKYDEX convoy decking a standard part of the rear section of the M-ATV since production began in 2009, the company said. Oshkosh has subsequently outfitted the driver, gunner and commander sections in the front of existing M-ATVs with SKYDEX convoy decking.

SKYDEX has been manufacturing and installing its patented twin hemisphere blast mitigating flooring into armored vehicles since 2008.

"SKYDEX products save lives," said SKYDEX President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Buchen. "It's that simple.

"Our blast mitigating flooring significantly increases survivability and decreases the chance of injury to the occupants of these vehicles during IED (improvised explosive devices) explosions, the major cause of casualties in Afghanistan."

The SKYDEX Convoy Deck has already been installed in thousands of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles in Afghanistan and Iraq, including the RG-31, Cougar and Oshkosh M-ATV.