Tactical Tailor

Archive for the ‘Recce’ Category

US Night Vision PVS14 iPhone Adapter

Friday, January 20th, 2012

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US Night Vision showed us an adapter that connects the AN/PVS14 to an iPhone. Manufactured form aircraft aluminum, it slides right onto the phone and features a view hole and threads that screw into the threads on the 14. Once the iPhone is in camera mode you can take full advantage of the features of the camera app, including zoom and image stabilization. Then, sharing photos and video is as simple as SMS or email.

Models are also already available dor the Galaxy and Casio Commando but look for additional Droid and Blackberry options soon.

This is literally one of the coolest things we have seen all week.

www.usnightvision.com

Black Bag Designs LLC NVG Head HarnessADS Tactical

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

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We saw a really cool NVG Head Harness in the Adams Industries booth (SHOT Show booth #5008) that is made by Black Bag Designs LLC and is 100% Berry compliant. It is crafted from Jaquard weave Multicam Webbing from Murdock webbing, printed MultiCam loop from Velcro USA and hardware from ITW and National Molding. It’s unique in that it is able to mount ANY US issue ground troop Night Vision Device. It is fully adjustable at 10 different points for user comfort. Additionally, the harness is lightweight and so compact it can be stowed in a cargo pocket. Guaranteed for life and currently in use by US SOF, the Head Harness is available from Adams Industries, ADS, and Black Bag Designs, LLC. It’s Patent Pending and available in Black, Khaki, MultiCam and Coyote Brown.

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Black Bag Designs LLC
Ph 815-252-8766

Looxcie

Monday, December 19th, 2011

This is pretty amazing. Looxcie is a video camera that you wear on your ear like a bluetooth headset earphone. Once turned on it records everything in a POV (Point of View) format. It can store data in its buffer, send clips to your email and social media, or stream it live through a wireless connection to viewers of your choice. The possibilities are pretty exciting. In fact, Looxcie is already in use with Kenya’s Rangers who protect wildlife from poachers.

To share clips with your friends using Flashbax, “When something cool happens, simply press the instant clip button to get the last 30 seconds. Press the button longer and the instant clip is immediately shared to your social network.

Looxcie Live is your opportunity to broadcast what you see discreetly with those you choose via different smartphone app. The broadcast is also available on the Looxcie Live server for up to 24 hours for review with full archiving coming soon. Additional features include text chat and Push-to-talk voice cues to provide feedback to the broadcaster.

This isn’t science fiction or government-only, TLA tech. It’s available now.

looxcie.com

Maneuver Conference – Adams Industries

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

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The Air Ground Warrior Battery pack from Adams Industries is crafted from solid Delrin, a high strength composite. It can be machined and is highly impact resistant.

The case is water resistant. Adams Industries developed a battery case that can be powered by two AA or a single 3v CR 123 per side. Additionally, the rotating switch is more robust than the standard ANVIS toggle with 3 positions for left or right bank and “off” in the middle.

It incorporates the standard clip for attachment to a flight helmet or can be mounted via a Velcro field. Additionally, they have provided attachment points to accept the issue counterweights.

www.adamsindustries.com

Datron Scout

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

If you’re at the Soldier Equipment & Technology Expo & Conference next week at Fort Bragg be sure to stop by Datron’s booth and take a look at the Scout Air Reconnaissance System. The Scout is a lightweight vertical take off and landing unmanned air system. It features hot-swappable payloads and missions profiles that include beyond line of sight or nighttime routes due to its GPS-based controls.

www.dtwc.com

OASYS Technology

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Late last summer we mentioned that BAE Systems had acquired OASYS (OPTICAL ASSEMBLIES AND SYSTEMS) Technology. What we didn’t do is tell you the nuts and bolts of what OASYS actually does. They specialize in Electro-Optics and just happen to make, what are in our opinion, the hottest IR systems out there. In fact, you may already be using an OASYS product and not even realize it. JIEDDO has fielded thousands of Universal Thermal Monoculars (UTM) (and most recently SkeetIRs) through SPAWAR to troops in OEF and OIF to help look for IEDs. The UTM is also known as the StalkIR and can be mounted on weapons as well as used as a handheld device. It features dual band lasers and a modular chassis that can accommodate new technologies as they become available as well as allowing the device to be easily configured at the factory.

The most important factor in all of their designs is that they are custom products built to the client’s specifications. These uncooled LWIR sights can be turned on and put into action in less than four seconds and are controlled by a combination of hot buttons and an intuitive menu. Calibration is quickly accomplished when needed.

The SkeetIR is even more compact and lightweight that the StalkIR weighing in at a scant 6.5 oz with a CR123A battery. With a 320 x 240 detector and a display boasting 640 x 480 it also features selectable reticles and variable zoom. Additionally, there are three display options, white hot, black hot, or outline mode.

Due to several mounting options utilizing a mounting shoe, the sights are extremely versatile and can be rapidly transitioned from the handheld mode, mounted to a weapon as a stand alone sight or as a clone sight, and can be headborne alone or integrated with a legacy NVG utilizing a COTI (Clip-On Thermal Imager) module to turn it into a NV/IR fusion sight. In this mode, the SkeetIR is set in outline mode and overlays this information directly on to to the night vision scene in real time. This helps define shape and definition to what might appear as blobs under NV alone. All of this is possible as the signal is digital and can be accessed via a data port on the back of the device which is common to both SkeetIR as well as StalkIR. Not only can the IR signal be combined with NV data but it can also be sent via radio protocol just as any other signal. This port also allows the sight to be reprogrammed. Additionally, the SkeetIR’s reticle is smart and will shift from black to white based on the conditions displayed in the view.

The SkeetIR comes standard with a red laser pointer. Green lasers can be integrated into the larger UTM design but users have found that they use power too quickly. Additionally, units have been delivered with LEDs of various colors for standard illumination. When the device is used as an applique on a night vision system to form a fusion goggle you can look at a target and simultaneously point a laser at it. The laser can be programmed to a variety of patterns. Additionally, as the sight integrates a three axis Digital Magnetic Compass you can determine a target’s azimuth by degree or mil. These features make the technology a great candidate for integration with other digitization efforts.

The weapon mount accepts either OASYS sight and allows them to be quickly flipped out of the way when not needed. Additionally, the SkeetIR is easily cloned to the zero of your existing optic. Both IR devices are extremely robust and can handle the shock and vibration associated with being mounted on heavy weapons.

OASYS uses the same remote as Insight for laser activation so the UTM is backwards compatible with the PEQ-2A, PEQ-15, PEQ-16, PSQ-18, and M3X/M6X weaponlights. There is no need to purchase additional new accessories and if a cable is lost or damaged it is easily replaced from existing spares. Finally, to conserve power, the SkeetIR utilizes a Hall Effect Sensor to go into standby mode and eventually shut down when disconnected from its mount.

Look for more articles on OASYS Technology soon here at SSD.

The entire line is available through Stryke Logistical Group LLC.

www.oasys-technology.com

Note: This is an ITAR restricted item.

Tactical Night Vision Night Operator Course

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

TNVC is offering their first ever, commercial night vision training course. They have assembled a very special training staff that comes from the finest the military and LE communities have to offer in order to bring you some of the best NV training available.

In order to ensure they are delivering the finest NV training, a state of the art 12,000 sq ft indoor facility located in Brunswick, Georgia will be utilized. Military, LE and civilian professionals alike will find it to be one of a kind, as it’s tailored strictly for night operations training.

For those of you who cannot travel to the NV training facility, TNVC also offers a complete mobile training team to train at your facility. In addition to the new commercial course, TNVC will still continue to offer restricted Mil/LE NV courses, so please contact them with your organization’s specific operational needs and requirements.

They have established online email enrollments for all NV courses, located on the TNVC web site training section www.tnvc.com/training

SIMEG from Digital Force Technologies

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

For those of you who are “new” readers, as in having begun reading since we ran this article in June of 2008, we thought you might be interested in a great piece of kit that has been upgraded a couple of times since we published this. They have been providing capabilities for years that other companies are just now beginning to offer. DFT has our highest recommendation for small unit ISR capabilities.

DFT SIMEG

Satellite Imagery Enhanced GPS (SIMEG) Receiver is a rugged, handheld GPS receiver that correlates the receiver’s position and displays it on satellite imagery as a geo-rectified moving-map. What makes the SIMEG so unique is that it supports all National Geospatial Agency digital imagery and map products down to 1-meter CIB imagery. Upgrades are being worked for NGA’s Vector Product Format and specialty products developed by NGA and terrain teams as well as commercial products such as USGS Digital Ortho Quads for work back here in CONUS. While a few new commercial receivers show commercial imagery, no commercial GPS receiver displays NGA products. That alone would make the SIMEG worth pursuing but the team at DFT has also made the SIMEG compatible with PFPS route and threat overlay files. This means you can plan a mission on a Mission Planning terminal and export overlays to the SIMEG. They will show up on the imagery just like they do on FalconView. Top that!

The SIMEG has been under development for about four years and in use by specialized forces. I say development, because as I stated earlier, DFT is constantly updating software to support new requirements and emerging digital geospatial products. DFT is also looking at ways to improve the form and fit of the capability but I’ll leave it up to them to tell you more.

In addition to the SIMEG, DFT has a range of ISR technologies aimed at the small unit.

For more information contact Digital Force Technologies