▁Sold ier ▁Systems ▁Center ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁next ▁generation ▁of ▁protect ive ▁combat ▁hel m ets ▁for ▁use ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁M IC H ▁was ▁originally ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁combat ▁hel m ets ▁designed ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Command ▁as ▁a ▁replacement ▁for ▁the ▁P AS GT ▁hel met ▁and ▁the ▁various ▁non - ball istic ▁sk ate board , ▁b icy cle , ▁and ▁white water ▁" bum p " ▁hel m ets ▁sole ly ▁within ▁those ▁units . ▁Development ▁was ▁done ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁before ▁it ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Sold ier ▁Systems ▁Center . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁reason ▁for ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁M IC H ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁protect ive ▁but ▁heavy ▁P AS GT ▁being ▁supp l anted ▁by ▁these ▁b ump ▁hel m ets ▁by ▁special ▁forces ▁operators ▁due ▁to ▁them ▁being ▁l ighter , ▁more ▁comfortable , ▁closer - f itting , ▁and ▁made ▁of ▁pl astic ▁making ▁them ▁easier ▁to ▁mount ▁access ories ▁onto , ▁especially ▁night ▁vision ▁devices ▁and ▁communic ations ▁head sets . ▁The ▁l ighter ▁weight ▁and ▁non - ball istic ▁nature ▁of ▁these ▁hel m ets ▁allowed ▁the ▁fitting ▁of ▁additional ▁access ories ▁without ▁putting ▁und ue ▁stra in ▁on ▁the ▁neck ▁or ▁requiring ▁the ▁dr illing ▁of ▁holes ▁through ▁Ke v lar ▁to ▁aff ix ▁night ▁vision ▁mount ing