SureFire

Sneak Peek – Range Shirt and Range Pants from NorArm Tactical

July 15th, 2024

NorArm is launching two new products, the Range Shirt and Range Pants.

The camouflage pattern seen here is what they have decided to call Wild Tiger Stripe, inspired by the Middle-Eastern energy drink Wild TIger, made popular by the Global War on Terror veterans. Everyone who buys this shirt will also receive a free sticker that they based on the original Wild Tiger logo.

They are looking at launching the Range Shirts this month, while the Range Pants will be somewhat delayed.

Sign up for their newsletter so you won’t miss the launch.

norarm.com

Blast From The Past: BDS – The Grey Uniform That Almost Was

July 15th, 2024

Long before Wolf Grey became all the rage, there was something else. In the early 1990s Army Special Operations Command experimented with a layered clothing system called Battle Dress System. Leveraging lessons learned from the original Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS), it featured a Capilene Next to Skin layer, Fleece mid-layers including a bib and pile jacket, a Gore-Tex undergarment and an outer layer called the SOF BDU. The underlayers were all Black and eventually became the Lightweight Environmental Protection (LEP) component of SPEAR. In all, BDS consisted of six layers with an additional NBC layer that was never developed.

Developed as a Tech Base project, the goal was quite ambitious. BDS was touted as offering “protection against weather extremes, ballistic threats, chemical and biological threats, and enemy detection. The uniform is intended solely for combat. It will be multi-layered and will be adaptable to different weather conditions. The uniform will have integrated detection avoidance technologies as well as a chemical and biological agent protective layer. The rest of the system will additionally provide the user with a load-bearing system that adapts to the mission at hand as well as attachable/detachable body armor components.”

The system itself was quite popular with those that used it, offering material and design improvements over ECWCS which was just beginning to see widespread fielding.

The SOF BDU consisted of a smock-like combat jacket and field trouser in a hue called Mouse Grey. These were essentially over garments that were intended to be worn as an outerlayer, over any combination of the other components depending on the weather. The material was new and consisted of Nylon, Cotton and Kevlar for increased abrasion resistance.

The design of the jacket was unlike anything else in the inventory with large Napoleon pockets on the chest and a hood that could be stored in the collar. It also boasted pit zips for ventilation, a rank tab on the chest and pockets mounted on the sleeves. The pants were quite similar to the M1950 field trouser and incorporated thigh tapes designed to help stabilize the load in the cargo pockets. They also added a zippered lower leg opening in order facilitate donning and doffing. There was also a Boonie hat as part of the system.

It was trialled along with a laid carriage and armor suite crafted by JS Industries called the Predator System. JS Industries eventually morphed into Paraclete Industries and Predator was a modular system which used system similar to PALS.

The Predator system was made from a greenish mesh and a Grey-Green Cordura which didn’t quite match the clothing.  The Soft Snap attachment is an integral part of the pouch.  It consists of 1″ webbing about twice as long as the pouch, with a stiffened end which is done by doubling webbing over a strip of polyethylene plastic.  It works just like PALS with one exception. The strap is attached to the back of the top of the pouch.  There is a tunnel sewn into the back of the pouch.  The strap is woven over and under the lattice work of webbing strap on the vest and the stiffened portion is tucked into tunnel on the back of the pouch which secures the pouch to the vest.  So there’s no actual metallic snap, it’s all webbing. Several companies use similar systems now to interface with PALS platforms. However, Soft Snap has a much larger gap between rungs.

Today, when readers learn about BDS and its Charcoal colored Gore-Tex undergarment they are surprised that it wasn’t the outer most layer. One of the first military applications of Gore-Tex in the mid-80s was a lightweight 3-layer undergarment available commercially and known as a “Stealth Suit.” Although SOF units had had ECWCS for some time, this was still before camouflage hardshells were commonly available. Instead, this offered a lightweight waterproof breathable layer which could be stored in an ammo pouch. These commercial Gore-Tex undergarments were used by a variety of troops, becoming quite popular in Canada, and worn under their BDUs in order to maintain camouflage. The term stealth came about since shells at the time were quite noisy, making a “swish” sound while the stealth suit was worn under the combat uniform and was much quieter.

Some of the details of the system’s development are outlined in the book “The Commandos” by Douglas Waller in an interview with Sal Raineri. In my opinion Sal is the father of BDS and worked after retiring as a Green Beret at the Directorate of Combat Developments at the USAJFKSWCS, a tiny organization which eventually grew and grew into USASOC G8. Another alumnus of that shop is LTC Robert Harris (USA, Ret) who had served in the 9th Inf Div High Technology Test Bed and brought with him what became known as the Harris Assault Vest (Eagle Industires) as well as a bolo-style bayonet for the M16 that never went into production.

With its solid grey color the system was rejected, primarily due to institutional prejudice. At the time, everything was Woodland and OD. USASOC nominated BDS for the SEP program but the Infantry Center wasn’t interested. When LEP was finally adopted later in the decade, it was without the SOF BDU.

Princeton Tec NSNs – Vizz Tactical

July 15th, 2024

Princeton Tec offers a full line of lights, from handheld to head mounted. Many of them have been assigned National Stock Numbers which are critical for units that rely solely on the standard stock system. One example is the Vizz Tactical headlamp.

It offers up to 550 lumens for up to 66 hours from three AAA batteries and is IPX7 rated.

The lamps include the following and can be programmed for which comes on first:

1 Maxbright LED (dimmable)

1 Red Ultrabright LED

1 Blue Ultrabright LED

1 Green Ultrabright LED

1 IR Ultrabright LED

This chart breaks down how far each lamp will throw and how long it will run.

The NSN is: 6230-01-676-6148 with a noun of LIGHT, HEAD, UTILITY

For those of you who wish to purchase a Vizz Tactical directly from Princeton Tec, visit princetontec.com/product/vizz-tactical.

MATBOCK Monday: TacJob Opportunities

July 15th, 2024

MATBOCK is preparing for the next phase of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Hybrid Electric Vehicle contract and is looking to hire.

Below is a list of jobs they will be hiring:

– Senior Program Manager

– Assistant Program Manager

– Supply Chain Manager

– Chief Engineer

– Principal Mechanical Engineer

– Mechanical Engineer

– Software Engineer

– Systems Engineer

– Electrical Engineer

– Mechanics

These positions will be at their Virginia HQs, but there are also opportunities for remote work. If you’re interested in applying, please send your resume to jobs@matbock.com

Airborne, SOF Soldiers Test New Weapon Sights

July 15th, 2024

FORT LIBERTY, N.C. — Airborne and special forces Soldiers at Fort Liberty are testing the latest small arms weapon sights.

The 82nd Airborne Division, joined by the 3rd and 10th Special Forces Groups, are in the final stages of testing the Family of Weapons Sights – Individual, or FWS-I, for static line and military free fall airborne infiltration.

The FWS-I program will provide Soldiers with thermal enablers for individual weapons.

“The FWS-I gives Soldiers the capability to see farther into the battlefield, increase surveillance and target acquisition range, and penetrate day or night obscurants,” said Lashon Wilson, a test coordinator for Project Manager Soldier Lethality.

“American paratroopers and special operations Soldiers are renowned for attacking when and where least expected and almost exclusively at night,” said Staff Sgt. Derek Pattle a test NCO with the Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, also known as ABNSOTD.

“Conducting forced entry operations during daylight hours leaves paratroopers exposed to enemy ground fire and counterattack during airborne assault,” he added.

“That’s why mastering night vision devices and targeting systems is a critical skill for Army paratroopers and Special Operators and vital to mission accomplishment during forced entry parachute assault.”

According to Capt. Joseph Chabries, a plans officer at ABNSOTD, the core question for military equipment employed by Army paratroopers and special operations regarding is in its survivability.

“’Can the system survive airborne infiltration?’” said Chabries.

“Individual paratroopers as well as vehicles and cargo delivery systems are bristling with technology, which can at times be fragile,” he added.

“Ensuring these systems are both suitable and effective for issue to airborne forces often requires a more technical approach.”

Staff Sgt. Dalton Carter, a weapons squad leader with 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division said, “I feel as if this is a step in the right direction for army night vision and lauded the operational features the FWS-I can provide his squad.”

The FWS-I test also exposed many veteran paratroopers to operational testing for the first time.

Sgt. David Brown, a fire team leader in Bravo Company, 1-325 Airborne Infantry Regiment, serving as a test participant during static line testing, said, “I feel like the FWS-I can be a real force multiplier for key leaders during hours of limited visibility or when the battlefield might be obscured.”

During post-drop operations, jumpers assembled for accountability and to ensure all FWS-Is were fully mission capable by performing a system functions check and collimation using the mobile boresight collimation station, which is used to evaluate the bore sight retention and repeatability of the FWS-I before and after static line and military free fall infiltration.

The data from the mobile boresight collimation station allows the test team to determine if and how much the boresight reticle on the FWS-I was moved or displaced due to any shock induced from exiting the aircraft, the opening of the parachute canopy or landing on the ground.

“ABNSOTD is one of the few organizations in the Department of Defense that maintains a bore sight collimation capability and the only mobile system of its kind,” said Mr. Jacob Boll, ABNSOTD’s operational research analyst.

The ABNSOTD instrumentation section is charged with maintaining and employing this unique capability and trained extensively to conduct post-drop weapons testing before beginning operational testing of FWS-I.

Maj. Joshua Cook, deputy chief of ABNSOTD’s Test Division described the importance of testing and how it plays into the future of technology in warfare.

“Operational testing is about Soldiers and ensuring the systems developed are effective in a Soldier’s hands and suitable for the environments in which they train and fight,” Cook said.

By Mr. Mike Shelton, Test Officer, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command

The OPERATOR Project – An Innovative Range of High Quality Spirits from Hotspur LEAF, Ltd

July 14th, 2024

Founded by “Andy” a UKSF Veteran, Hotspur LEAF, Ltd is becoming well established in their homeland with a reputation for offering elite military customers high quality spirits in innovative packaging. This makes for excellent gifts and mementos. They are also gaining some interest from US units who have begun to see the bottles during exchange visits. The bottles have been restricted to military units and their members, until now.

Their OPERATOR Range is just open is open to civilian purchase and features a bottle with custom lid which is a perfect scale replica of a high-cut FAST helmet. Cast in solid pewter, it includes a ‘functioning’ night vision system and an IR strobe that are initiated by a motion sensor and powered by an internal, rechargeable, battery.

Every Operator lid is hand assembled in the UK by craftsmen. The pewter outer is bolted, with stainless bolts, to an internal 304 stainless steel carriage that also supports and holds the electronics. The 304 stainless steel pouring spout engages with the stainless carriage and seals via an ‘o’ ring seal.

The 1st Civilian Edition is filled with an 8 year old single malt, single cask scotch whisky, specially chosen by Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox at the Annandale Distillery in Scotland. For military bottles there are options on the spirits you may like.

To maintain its OPERATOR ‘DNA’ the bottle is packaged in an ex-military 40mm grenade ammo tin.

Here’s what you get:

• Presented in a genuine military issue 40mm grenade tin. (These are supplied from the Ministry of Defence and may show signs of wear and on occasions rust) This is intended to add OPERATOR Character to the product.

• A presentation booklet that documents Jasons journey and reasons for being involved with the OPERATOR brand.

• An FFE Certificate (Free From Explosives as supplied in an old ammo can)

• A certificate of authenticity

• A Quality Assurance card

• Every bottle is individually numbered.

• The 1st Edition is strictly limited to 2500 pcs.

• Pre orders will receive a free OPERATOR 40mm HE grenade hip flask. Offer ends when the first bottles are shipped, this is likely to be Mid/end of July 2024. 

I actually learned of the line through Jason Fox who is a brand ambassador for The OPERATOR Range. Jason is also UKSF Veteran and a founder of ThruDark, a clothing brand. I then chased Andy and his main business Hotspur LEAF Ltd, down through some friends at Edgar Brothers who are starting to work with The OPERATOR Range.

Andy had this to say about what motivated him to create this brand:

Hotspur LEAF was created to embody the core principles from UKSF selection process. These include honesty, integrity, humility & to be relentless in the pursuit of excellence. Values we strive for every day within our business.

The business began in the shadows, solely supplying discreet military units and related entities with premium quality spirits & bespoke laser engraved items. We earned a reputation for quality, discretion and a ‘name’ for creating truly unique products for unique people. We grew steadily through personal recommendation.

I recently spent about an hour on a video conference with Andy and I was overwhelmed by their offerings. Check them out.

Civillian edition orders: PLEASE CLICK HERE

Military orders: PLEASE CLICK HERE

Their main website is www.hotspurleaf.com

Remington Announces 3rd Annual Shoot to Cure Fundraiser

July 14th, 2024

LONOKE, Ark. – July 11, 2024 – Remington Ammunition will be hosting its 3rd Annual Shoot to Cure sporting clays fundraiser on September 20, 2024. This exciting event brings together the outdoor industry, local Arkansas businesses and professional shooters from Team Remington to support the Arkansas Children’s Foundation as well as children’s hospitals and disease research nationwide.

Showcasing Remington’s Gun Club Cure line of target shotshell ammunition, last year’s event was an overwhelming success, with participants and sponsors raising over $15,000.

“Big Green is delighted to announce another year of the Shoot to Cure event,” said Remington’s Director of Marketing Joel Hodgdon. “We are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children in our local community and beyond. We hope to see plenty of shooters of all skill levels join us again at this year’s event for a chance to win great prizes, bragging rights and ultimately raise even more support for a great cause.”

Remington receives support from sponsors around the industry and would like to thank the sponsors of the 2023 event including Nighthawk Custom, Starline Brass, Benelli, Hornady, Fort Thompson Sporting Goods and Rob Roberts Custom Gun Works.

Hosted at Remington’s historic Gun Club just steps from Big Green’s ammunition factory, the club features facilities for trap, skeet, sporting clays and five-stand. Whether it’s a family outing, corporate event or a sanctioned competition, Remington Gun Club allows visitors to put the world’s finest shotshells to the ultimate test.

Those interested in participating or sponsoring Shoot to Cure can email kris.carson@remington.com

Army Cyber Command Leaders, Partners Discuss Leveraging Information Advantage

July 14th, 2024

ARLINGTON, Va. — Military and civilian leaders from across the Army Cyber enterprise joined their expert partners from military, industry, academic, government and media organizations to discuss the ever-evolving cyber landscape and how military forces can develop and employ information advantage in cyberspace, at the Association of the United States Army’s “Hot Topic: Cyber and Information Advantage” event in Arlington, July 2, 2024.

Lt. Gen. Maria Barrett, commanding general of U.S. Army Cyber Command led the day of panel discussions and remarks that was co-hosted by ARCYBER and the Army Combined Arms Center.

“This is all for the purpose of enabling commanders to visualize, decide and synchronize the effects that they could have within the (cyber) dimension,” said Barrett during her opening remarks.

She emphasized that to succeed in that dimension requires looking at every phase of the continuum of conflict. “If you think you’re going to deliver insights to a commander about the information dimension, and you’re not looking at it in the competition phase, whatever you are delivering in crisis, in conflict, probably will fall short,” she said.

Among the other senior Army Cyber leaders participating in the daylong event were Maj. Gen. Paul Stanton, commanding general of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Eisenhower, and Lydia Snider, advisor on foreign malign influence to the ARCYBER commanding general.

Snider provided insights during a panel on the effects of social media on information advantage activities, highlighting its prevalence and growing impact on global affairs. Social media has removed borders, she said, allowing our adversaries to get into the hearts and minds of Americans. To combat their efforts, we must ask the right questions about their intentions and increase messaging about democratic ideals and values.

With information proving to be a critical instrument in influencing global affairs, the Army and its Department of Defense, allied, industry, government and other partners are focused on ensuring we are positioning ourselves to combat our adversaries on all fronts. During the last panel of the day and a media roundtable following the event, Stanton talked about how thorough planning with specific objectives is vital to getting commanders’ support for cyber operations, and the standup of three theater information advantage detachments, or TIADs, to provide broad expertise in that planning.

“We, in the Army, are promoting the theatre information advantage detachment,” said Stanton. “That is the element that is going to do the planning across our ability to influence, inform, protect, attack and support decision making that will drive tangible and measurable outcomes.”

“The TIAD has to do all detailed planning, they have to do the data collection, they have to get the approvals in order to execute mission, and then they have to do the appropriate assessment of effectiveness after the fact,” Stanton said.

Col. Bryan Babich, director of the Army Mission Command Center of Excellence, said that as with as with other cyber operations, the success of the TIADs will depend on preparation, initiative and relationship building between the Army and its partners.

“You can’t wait until crisis or conflict to start,” said Babich at the roundtable. “That is why it is so important with the TIADs and how they are forward posturing and working with partners.”

By SSG Kyle Alvarez