Rapid Network

The Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter system, or DRASH, for short, is an extremely portable geodesic tent shelter that can be erected within minutes and needs no specialized training or equipment to assist with the setup. The structure itself is made up of extremely strong composite struts and is manufactured, maintained and sold by DHS Systems LLC.

What makes up a DRASH tent?

DRASH tent shelters come in a variety of sizes that range from a covered ground area of 10.1 m² to 116 m² with flooring made from either polyester or Nylon. There are also a number of DRASH accessories available for the erected shelters that include generators and air-conditioning units as well as specialized trailers to help with the transportation of the unassembled DRASH unit.

The DRASH can also be easily stored when not in use and packs down to less than 2% of its actual deployed size. To erect the DRASH a team of 4 to 6 people can set up a single shelter within minutes simply by using the pre-designated push points indicated on the DRASH shelter.

Who Developed the DRASH tent shelter?

The DRASH tent system came about as a direct result of the founding of DHS Systems by its CEO A. Jon Prusmack and his love of pop-up geodesic dome designs. The company was founded in 1984 and has grown from strength to strength since that point, acquiring both military, civilian clients along the way. In 2004 the Carlyle Group invested in DHS Systems and this led to the formation of a new parent company named DHS Technologies.

The future of the DRASH tent system

There are a number of planned innovations that will be or are currently being rolled out in the next generation of DRASH tents. These include the incorporation of new types of energy efficient shelter insulation, built-in insect repellents and specialized tent fabrics that can protect equipment within the tent from electro-magnetic signals and radio frequency interference.

Current uses for the DRASH system

The DRASH system is currently being used by a number of civilian and military organizations as Command Posts, Medical Outposts, Logistics Support Outposts and Disaster Relief Shelters. DRASH tents are currently being used in many military and disaster areas such as Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Germany, America and Eastern Europe. In all of these areas there are dedicated DRASH logistics teams that do all of the repair and support work on not just the shelter, but also the DRASH accessories such as the generators and trailers.