TYR Tactical

Archive for October, 2009

Canada to Develop Urban Camo Pattern

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Canada has decided to develop a unique urban camo pattern called Canadian Urban Environment Pattern (CUEPAT). Ok, makes sense. But not the why and where. That is where it gets weird. We had to take this straight from the tender:

The Department of National Defence, Defence Research and Development Canada – Suffield, (DRDC-S), AB, has a requirement to develop a Canadian Urban Environment Pattern (CUEPAT) based on the unique requirements of Canada’s three major metropolitan areas, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The current CBR individual protective equipment (IPE) used by the Canadian military is provided in a woodland or desert camouflage. A camouflage suited to the Canadian urban environment is required when the milatary (sic) operates in urban terrain.

So essentially, Canada’s equivalent of DTRA is seeking a camo pattern based on domestic urban environments. What’s even more curious is that the pattern is specifically for chem-bio gear. One would think that for domestic CBR defense, one would want to blend in with the local population as much as possible, perhaps as first responders or in items that more closely resemble civilian clothing.

However, what makes this even more interesting is that the tender is the Public Works equivalent of a sole source solicitation. The work is being handed over to Guy Cramer and Co at HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp. So how did they get this sole source contract valued at $24,900.00 C$ (GST extra)? Once again we have to look at the tender.

The Contractor holds the proprietary right to the advanced fractal algorithms and feed back loop technology to develop non-repeating digital camouflage patterns. HyperStealth Biotechnology Corporation’s design team of Guy Cramer and Timothy R. O’Neill share copyright on approximately 8,000 digital camouflage patterns. Access to this extensive data base for the purposes of developing a new Canadian urban environment camouflage pattern is critical to the success of the project. All Intellectual Property Rights in the Foreground Information shall belong to the Contractor as soon as they come into existence. There are no alternative sources of supply for this requirement as no other Canadian source exists that has the capability to design and develop digital, non-repeating camouflage patterns using state-of-the-art fractal algorithms and feed back loop technology, with concomitant IP protected access to approximately 8,000 copyrighted patterns that can be used in full support of meeting the requirement.

That’s right, copyright on over 8,000 patterns! Some other nuggets from the solicitation include that the period of performance will be from contract award until March 31, 2010 but may include follow on work. Interestingly, HyperStealth will be allowed to retain the intellectual property developed under this contract.

So the way this is written, it looks like the Canadian government is paying HyperStealth almost 25 large to do work they have already accomplished and they are giving them six months to do it. In the end, the Canadian government will have an urban camo pattern fine tuned for use in their own major cities and applied only to chemical and biological warfare clothing. Like I said; interesting.

Thanks to Tactical Impact and Tactical Arms Sponsors

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Last week I was offered the chance to join the cast and crew of “Tactical Impact” and “Tactical Arms” on the set at US Training Center in Moyock, North Carolina.

The US Training Center facilities are fantastic and provide the team a variety of backgrounds to accommodate filming. Viewers who have attended training sessions at the Xe campus will recognize the range complex and if it has been awhile since you last visited some of the additions would surprise you. In addition to ranges and various backdrops, US Training Center also features an on-site dining facility and hotel-like accommodations.

Tactical Impact

While I was there they were filming an intro sequence that will be featured on an episode of “Tactical Impact” focused on Special Forces. As the cast and crews are the same for both shows, segments are shot in overlapping schedules. Very little of the work is conducted indoors so it can lead to some long days in weather extremes from the North Carolina heat to cold rainy days that hover just above freezing. Cold and wet describes my time on set perfectly.

Tactical Impact

It is on days like this that the material provided by sponsors goes beyond the “This will look great on screen” to “Man, good thing this product performs as advertised”. And perform they do. Early this year as production for this season was ramping up, show co-host Larry Vickers called me and asked if I could recommend some equipment to be used on the show. After speaking with producer Eric Sherertz and soliciting input from co-hosts Jason Falla and Kyle Defoor, I contacted several companies to see if they would be interested in providing products for use on the show. The response from industry was fantastic, so keep your eyes peeled while watching both series for some of the newest products in the tactical market.

EOTAC provided a variety of clothing items from their Operator Grade line including specially embroidered shirts for the cast and crew. Additionally, Propper provided embroidered TAC.U uniforms as well as several items from the Adventure Tech line. Under Armour donated jackets, hats, and gloves. Additionally, several cast members use Vickers Tactical gloves. Arc’teryx LEAF was well represented through their US distributor Uber Group.

Footwear companies who have participated include OTB Boots, Tactical Research, and Salomon. Both Smith Optics and Revision Eyewear provided several styles of eyewear for use during the season and SOG Knives provided their popular SOG tool as well as pocket knives.

Tactical Impact

Bulldog Equipment also produced variants of their Mirage Camouflage uniforms for the show. As you can see from the photos Mirage does a great job of blending in with the environment used on the set. Additionally, Daniel Defense provides the DDM4 for use in many of the tactical scenarios depicted on the shows.

Despite the inclement weather, it was a great day and both cast and crew were able to get the film in the can thanks to the support of these sponsors.

SureFire ShotTimer

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Not very often you can say you get something for free and even rarer for it to be from SureFire. The ShotTimer is exactly what the name implies. Designed as an iPhone app, it displays elapsed time and split time for every shot fired and even allows you to email results for later analysis. It also offers a start delay mode for training on your own and has a Par Time mode so you can try to beat the clock.

The ShotTimer app is available on iTunes for free (for a short time) and an FAQ is available on at www.SureFire.com.

Some Admin Stuff

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

If you want to write for Soldier Systems Daily its pretty simple. Just contact the Editor with your article idea. Seriously, that’s all you have to do. Generally, we want an article that is a couple of paragraphs long and answers the basic who, what, where, when, why, and how. Pictures are also helpful but make sure you have the permission of the owners. We are happy to give you a by-line but there will be no payment. One caveat for vendors, we will happily post press releases but the impact is much greater if someone checks out your product and writes an article on it. If you have a product and want us to hook you up with a write, just drop us a line.

Inclusion of products or information on Soldier Systems Daily is for informational purposes only and in no way construed as an endorsement unless otherwise stated. We do accept paid advertising and we fully endorse all of our advertisers.

All content is copyright 2009 Soldier Systems Daily unless otherwise credited. Further use of content is prohibited unless specific permission is provided by Soldier Systems Daily. Corporate logos for companies featured on Soldier Systems Daily are the property of their respective owners and are used solely for illustrative purposes.

MiniScout Light Now Available

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

The SureFire M300A Mini Scout Light we recently wrote about is now available. It is an excellent option for those who want to reduce even more weight from their weapon and relies on a single CR123 battery combines with a shock-proof LED emitter and TIR lens to provide 110 lumens. Just like its big brother the mini scout comes with an integral Picatinny mount. The light is activated via the tailcap push button switch or by using a remote pressure-activated tape switch.

SureFire M300A

See all of the details at www.SureFire.com.

Canadians Seek Combat Shirts

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

The Canadian DnD has just issued a tender through Public Works for 25,270 “Hybrid Shirts” in CADPAT(AR) to be delivered by 31 March 2010. The documentation describes the “Hybrid Shirt” as having “a knit material body and FR fabric arms in Canadian Disruptive Pattern Arid Regions (CADPAT AR)”.

Something you have to know is that everything purchased by the Canadian military is purchased through Public Works and Government Services Canada. I know it sounds kind of odd to us Americans but it’s how they do things.

As for the requirement itself, it’s kind of interesting. Industry insiders tell us that the specified body material is the Cordura no-melt, no-drip fabric we wrote about last year. Incidentally, the Tru-Spec Combat Shirt also utilizes the same Cordura fabric for the body. The Cordura fabric offers a lower cost alternative to the more expensive performance FR materials used in many combat ensembles. No-melt, no-drip fabrics are sort of a “do no harm” option and are generally based on natural fibers with performance enhancing treatments.

What is intriguing in all of this is that there is a Canadian connection to this fabric. Tac Wear had the exclusive on that fabric for awhile and pioneered its use in military base layers. In fact, they produced the initial run of t-shirts, some of which were offered through military outfitter Ranger Joes near Fort Benning, Georgia. Wonder how TW will dare on this procurement.

CP Gear OTW Shirt

So the news is good for the Canadian soldier. Sort of. Eight years into the war they are finally starting to procure proper load carrying systems and uniforms. Unfortunately, the Hybrid Shirts won’t be available until Spring of next year. On the other hand, for those of you who can’t wait, CP Gear offers a full range of load carrying solutions as well as combat clothing such as the OTW Shirt seen above.

SEALs: The US Navy’s Elite Fighting Force

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

The US Navy’s Elite Fighting Force

SEALs: The US Navy’s Elite Fighting Force has sold more than 40 thousand copies since its release last October. The book features over 130 never-before-seen images of SEAL operators in training and during combat missions dating back to the 1989 invasion of Panama. Published by Osprey Publishing, “SEALs: The US Navy’s Elite Fighting Force” is the best selling general military history book the company has published in the last 10 years. Chris Osman, the co-author said that “considering that of all the books published each year, 195 thousand of them never see sales beyond 5 thousand copies is a great feeling of accomplishment for Mir Bahmanyar and I”. Mir and Chris are currently collaborating on a new book that will focus on military Snipers, their training, their equipment, and missions. Like their first project they will focus on modern day operations and training and again use photographs and stories that have never been released to the public. No date has been set for the release of their second book.

“SEALs: The US Navy’s Elite Fighting Force” is available from Amazon.

Freedom Group IPO?

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Yesterday the Wall Street Journal published an article discussing Cerberus Capital Management’s plan to seek an IPO for the Freedom Group Inc (FGI). FGI is a group of firearms manufacturers purchased by Cerberus over the last few years. Most recently, lead company Remington acquired suppressor manufacturer AAC. The companies that make up FGI include: Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS/Panther Arms, Marlin, H&R, NEF, LC Smith, Parker, Dakota Arms, EOTAC and INTC.

As we have heard of no recent preparations for such a move by the individual companies that make up FGI it will be interesting to see how this progresses. Since the only investment advice I ever seemed to listen to was “in a bad economy invest in booze, smokes, and guns” I am pretty excited about this. Naturally, if I do purchase any stock, I will be sure to disclose it to my readership. However, many industry analysts are concerned that as publicly traded companies the FGI firms will become more risk averse and fixate on short-term profits. This could mean the end to long-term projects such as the Adaptive Combat Rifle.