The ROG or Rugged Oxygen Generator, from UK company Molecular Products, caught my eye at the recent WDS 2026 in Riyadh, writes Bob Morrison.
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Being promoted both at home and in the MENA region by Chiltern Defence, the ROG (Rugged Oxygen Generator) is described as “mission critical kit that enables patients to be oxygenated at point of injury in remote combat areas”. Now if that on its own doesn’t make it a winner, the ROG can be deployed in seconds without the need for electricity, mixing or filling plus it is non-explosive and has been tested to military standard protocols.
Weighing less than 2.5kg and measuring under 285x120x120mm, a single ROG delivers approximately 96% oxygen purity at 6 litres per minute for 15 minutes and is activated by a simple twist of an actuator dial on the top. To provide oxygen to the casualty the first aider only needs to attach the tube of an oxygen mask to the cannister, lift the lid and twist the dial. Seemples!.. as the pesky little meerkat, who I’ve always presumed to be Ukrainian rather than Russian, might say.
On the ballistic testing side the ROG has been proved to be non-explosive in a 12.7mm AP bullet attack test performed in accordance with DEF STAN 00-35 with the gun fired horizontally from 20 metres; in comparison a conventional pressurised oxygen cylinder explodes where the ROG suffers no energetic reaction. As for the pedigree of the makers, over 15 years ago Molecular Products were awarded their first UK MoD contract to supply MPOG oxygen generators as now used by many NATO Navies.
Finally, the ROG requires no maintenance during a 12-month shelf life in storage or before use and it has a safe operating temperature range between -18°C and +40°C. For transportation 180 ROG units can be fitted on a standard 120x100cm NATO pallet or 144 on a smaller 120x80cm Euro Pallet. Finally, ROG units have been fire tested for 30 minutes at an average temperature of 500°C with no explosion, fireball or flame jet recorded and although the plastic casing burned off insulation was still wrapped around the main cylinders.
Of course this technology isn’t the sole preserve of military caregivers and no doubt its use will spread to civilian rescue services as well as for disaster relief.
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