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Posts Tagged ‘USSOCOM’

Happy 25th Anniversary USSOCOM

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

April 16, 2012 marked the 25th Anniversary of USSOCOM. Having spent many years of my career in Army, Air Force, and Joint SOF units, I have a special affinity for the command and its personnel.

However, today marks a different anniversary. In the early morning hours of 25 April, 1980 President Carter announced to a stunned world that the United States had undertaken an ambitious raid into Iran to liberate 52 American hostages held at our Embassy. Unfortunately, that raid, named Operation Eagle Claw was unsuccessful and we lost 8 American servicemen. Remember their sacrifice.

But, this failure was the watershed event that created, over the next several decades the world’s preeminent Special Operations capability; USSOCOM and it’s components.

For additional details on USSOCOM’s amazing history, visit www.socom.mil/News/Pages/USSOCOMmarks25thanniversary.aspx

Tags: USSOCOM
Posted in Morale | 3 Comments »

PCU Block 2 Preview

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

SSD recently had an opportunity to check the latest prototypes from USSOCOM’s Protective Combat Uniform Block 2.

Designed to be worn in temperatures ranging from 40 deg to -50 deg F, PCU is a 8 level environmental clothing system consisting of a variety of performance clothing items that can be configured based on conditions. For PCU, moisture management is a key feature driving its development. Keeping Operators dry, keeps them in the fight.

The original Block 0 configuration was fielded beginning in 2003 based on gear selections from PEPSE (Personal Environmental Protective Survival Equipment) and espousing wear principles from Mark Twight‘s seminal work on climbing, “Extreme Alpinism“. In 2006, USSOCOM charged their support office at Natick to make incremental improvements to the system based on user feedback and streamline the production process, facilitating a partnership between major outdoor manufacturers and National Industries for the Severely Handicapped.

Recently, to further modernize the system for the evolving needs of the SOF Operator and to insert the latest outdoor technologies, Natick’s PM-SOF sat down with representatives from the various stakeholders and went through Block 1 level by level. Based on these meetings, and some field trials of the new designs by 10th SFG(A) and NSW Det-Kodiak, the upcoming Block 2 system will feature a few changes.

(more…)

Tags: GORE Military Fabrics, Nextec, PCU, PM-SOF, Polartec, PrimaLoft, Propel, USSOCOM
Posted in Camo, Clothing, Materials, PM-SOF | 12 Comments »

SOCOM Suppressor Awards – Updated

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

The program is officially called the Family of Muzzle Brake Suppressors (FMBS). Two companies received awards.

From the Department of Defense

“Surefire, L.L.C.*, Fountain Valley, Calif., is being awarded a $23,329,230 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the family of muzzle brakes. Work will be performed in Fountain Valley, Calif., and is expected to be completed by September 2016.Contract funds in the amount of $1,800,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce website, with seven proposals received. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-11-D-JN19).”

The SureFire products selected for the FBMS contract are:
For the SOCOM M4/CQBR fi rearm: FH556-215A adapter & FA556-212-DE suppressor
For the SOCOM M4/CQBR fi rearm training and blank fi ring: BFA-FA556-212 & TA-FA556-212
For the SOCOM MK13 fi rearm: FH762K05 adapter & FA762K-DE suppressor
For the SOCOM MK13 fi rearm training and blank fi ring: BFA-FA762K & TA-FA762K

“Advanced Armament Corp., Lawrenceville, Ga., is being awarded a $14,201,731 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the family of muzzle brakes. Work will be performed in Lawrenceville, Ga., and is expected to be completed by September 2016. Contract funds in the amount of $200,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce website, with seven proposals received. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-11-D-JN18).”

AAC 249SD for the MK46

7.62 MG can was dropped from requirements, so no can adopted for the MK48

Tags: AAC, Surefire, USSOCOM
Posted in Contracts, weapons | 7 Comments »

Leaders Outline USSOCOM Budget Concerns

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

Michael D. Lumpkin, acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD SOLIC), and Navy Adm William H McRaven, commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), recently discussed future SOF budget issues in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).

The thrust was that SOCOM is worried it will fall in the level of disrepair of the 1970s. Truth be told, ALL of the services need to worry about this. The Honorable Mr Lumpkin reiterated the five SOF truths that have been around since SOCOM’s inception over 20 years ago.

-Humans are more important than hardware
-Quality is better than quantity
-Special Operations Forces cannot be mass produced
-Competent Special Operations Forces cannot be created after emergencies occur
-Special Operations require non-SOF assistance

One of the major points of contention is that, even if the SOF budget is not affected, that SOF enablers will be cut which will in turn, adversely affect the Nation’s ability to conduct SOF missions. While the idea of SOF enablers isn’t new, the concept has become more prominent since the beginning of the war. In particular, SOF relies heavily on non-SOF expertise in three areas; Intelligence, Communications, and Logistics. The first two areas are basically self-explanatory but the last area would include transportation, material support, and base support.

Hopefully the testimony will have an impact during future budget discussions and impress the impact of non-SOF organizations on SOF missions.

If you too are concerned about the SOF budget go take a look at the Armed Forces Press Service article.

Tags: USSOCOM
Posted in Admin, Congress | 2 Comments »