And even as Massachusetts' weapons industry heats up, its garment industry may also be picking up unexpected dividends from the Gulf conflict.

Here in Harvard Square, the Massachusetts Army-Navy store has done a booming business in sales of desert camouflage to soldiers since the troops started heading to Saudi Arabia.

"We can't keep the desert camo on the shelves," said Evan P. Koster, assistant mananger at the store.

The store is also enjoying record sales in war paraphenalia to civilians gas mask sales at the chain of three Army-Navy supply stores in Boston have skyrocketed from the "occasional sale" to more than 200 sold last week. Koster said.

The store has raised the price of the masks from $15 to $25 in response to the increased demand, Koster said.

Sales of chemical suits, which allegedly protect against the gases contained in SCUD missiles, have also jumped. The suits are currently selling at four to five times their normal rate, Koster said.

"The number of people coming in here is ridiculous," he said. "They were buying stuff as a gag in the beginning, but now they're completely serious."