Introducing the MITR-M1 Half Mask: Tactical respiratory protection for every scenario

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In a market saturated with high-spec'd, high-burden full-face respirators, available options that offer sufficient protection for this user base without complicating tactical ensembles are few. Now, Avon Protection is leveraging its 140-year design heritage to solve the protection challenge for this tactical market space with the MITR-M1 Half Mask – and giving the operator full control over their own personal protection levels.

The tactical capability gap

Avon Protection delivers the industry’s most field-tested protective equipment to specialist personnel operating in CBRN environments. Over 4 million users across the US, UK, Europe and beyond are protected by its range of protective full-face respirators that combine British design excellence with cutting-edge US manufacturing to deliver the highest levels of protection in the market.

As the incidence of CBRN events continue to increase in conflicts around the globe, Avon Protection technology has kept a step ahead of the threat, pushing forward innovation to keep its users protected in the most challenging conditions. At the same time, however, the lower-level threat categories have significantly expanded in volume. Rather than a specialist few facing high CBRN threats in extreme conditions, the bulk of the market now encompasses a far greater number of users facing low level threats on a more persistent basis.

“What this means in the field is that those operators facing high threat environments are extremely well protected by highly sophisticated equipment, while those that face lower level threats – including law enforcement and first responders – have been left with fewer options to them to keep them safe while they do their jobs,” Casey J. Galligan, Senior Director, U.S. DoD, Avon Protection, said. “And it is this low- to mid-level threat environment where the scale of the respiratory threat has increased the most.”

MITR-M1 gives operators a low burden, ever-ready solution that can be quickly donned in tactical and fast-evolving situations where respiratory threats may be present.

Indeed, many military, law enforcement and first responder personnel are faced with a range of hazardous agents in their day-to-day operations including lethal and non-lethal agents and harmful particles – everything from tear gas to fentanyl. Respiratory protective options for these operators have until now been largely limited to single or multi-use masks, which are primarily designed for industrial use and not the challenging and changeable conditions tactical operators face. They also offer very low protection and are difficult to integrate with other equipment being worn/used in a tactical environment.

“Operations at this level also typically involve a high level of interaction with the public where, for the most part, “the unknown” is often the threat itself,” Galligan said. “From first responders needing to enter private premises where low-level, non-lethal agents may be present, to law enforcement officers needing to police civil events that have the potential to develop quickly into riot control operations.

“These types of operations are not conducive to full-face respirators, which are quite high-burden, require you to remove your helmet to don, and therefore unlikely to be carried around at all times. Additionally, full-face respirators can present a severe militarized image to the public which can be counter-productive for operational outcomes.”

Introducing the MITR-M1 Half Mask

It is this tactical low- to mid-level threat environment capability gap into which Avon Protection has introduced its new MITR-M1 Half Mask.

“We designed MITR-M1 for that specific moment where a situation looks like it might be escalating and respiratory threats may become an issue,” Steve Elwell, President of Avon Protection, said. “That mask needs to be in the cargo pocket, accessible, and simple to put on to give the user peace of mind and protection against threats while they continue to do their job.

▶️ WATCH: see the MITR-M1 in action

“This concept gave us our design starting point: a lightweight solution that could be always carried on the operator, donned quickly, and worn comfortably for longer operations to protect against low-mid level threats.”

MITR-M1is a lightweight (0.55lbs/250g) and low-profile half mask designed to be carried in cargo pockets or gear pouches. It gives operators a low burden, ever-ready solution that can be quickly donned in tactical and fast-evolving situations where respiratory threats may be present. It has been designed to allow users to continue to carry out their tasks without interruption: its sleek fitting left/right configurable mounted filter with a curved profile ensures compatibility with other tactical gear and, uniquely, maintains weapons sighting ability; while ensuring user comfort and maintaining optimised breathing efficiency during operations.

The co-launched particulate filter (MITR-PF) incorporates a low-profile, pleated element that provides 99.97% filtration efficiency against very fine dust, fumes, biological agents, and oil- and water-based mists.

“What is unique about MITR-M1 is that it gives full control to the user as to how they respond to respiratory threats,” Elwell said. “Giving the operator more control and choice in their own protection levels is what is driving our development roadmap to enable the user to scale up those protection levels as they see fit.”

MITR-M1’s sleek fitting left/right configurable mounted filter with a curved profile ensures compatibility with other tactical gear and maintains weapons sighting ability.

To do so, MITR-M1 has been developed as part of a wider protective ensemble, as the basis of a new tactical scalable head protection system.

Launched with a head harness solution, throughout 2025 the system will grow to include helmet attachment solutions, enabling users to attach the half mask to their helmet rail in seconds without the need to remove the helmet. This will ensure that the user’s head is always protected, further improving safety levels for operators during evolving situations.

Later in the year, Avon Protection will also launch MITR-PG1, a power-sealed goggle to allow users to scale their protection as required. This will give users the ability to protect their eyes without falling back on the rigidity of a full-face respirator.

The MITR-PG1 features an integrated filter and blower system which constantly purges the air within the goggle, ensuring that the wearer's eyes remain constantly protected. The integrated blowers also prevent misting, and the optically correct visor has the same ballistic properties as a standard ballistic goggle.

“The eyes are equally as vulnerable as the nose and mouth to threats, so no matter how well your mask filters out threats, if your goggle isn’t doing the same it will be ultimately ineffective,” Elwell said. “So we have designed the integrated eye and respiratory protection to work together and maintain protection levels for the wearer that are configurable for multiple use cases, allowing the user to add and take away protection as and when they need it.”

Also set for release in late 2025 is a new MITR-RF Riot Filter that will provide protection against particles and riot control agents. This will also be followed by a communications module that will fit into existing utility ports.

This long-term vision is typical of Avon Protection’s forward-thinking design ethos, which strives to push forward innovation independent of formal program requirements.

“The idea for MITR-M1 came well before any formal requirements began to emerge for a flexible half-mask solution, and we have worked closely with our user base over the past two years to produce a helmet-agnostic solution that tactical operators are truly excited about,” Elwell said. “Thanks to that groundwork, in January we were able to offer a market-ready product to our customers, with first deliveries on track to begin in the Spring.

“We are now looking forward to getting this solution into the hands of tactical users to give them more power to protect themselves in their daily operations and get home safely every time.”

Find out more about MITR-M1 here.

MITR-M1 is on display 17-21 February 2025 at IDEX in booth 04-C20.