As we see more and more women on the battlefield, it’s good to see manufacturers step up to the plate and add women’s sizes. According to a report on www.militaryboots.com, Lowa is doing just that by adding sizing in two of the most popular Task Force styles. Make sure you go over and read the whole article.
LC Industries welcomes Terrence “Ty†Manns as new Director, Tactical Assault Gear (TAG). Ty is a retired Army Infantry Officer and former US Infantry Center, Chief Soldier Systems Division, Infantry Requirements Branch, Fort Benning, Georgia. He isn’t the kind of guy who runs around tooting his own horn but we want you to know he also served as an enlisted man in the US Air Force. Since retirement in 2003, Ty has held positions in several defense sector companies as Product Manager, Business Developments Manager and Vice President. I have known Ty for years and he is a great addition to any team. LCI and TAG are lucky to have him on board. Ty can be reach via email at ty.manns@tacticalassaultgear.com.
For the first time, U.S. Forces will be equipped with combat helmets capable of providing reliable protection against rifle fire (an as yet undisclosed .30 threat) at close range and at any angle. Such an advancement, long the Holy Grail of armored headgear designers, has been achieved through the use of an advanced thermoplastic composite mixture by Ceradyne, maker of advanced hard armor inserts for ballistic vests and vehicles.
Called the Ceradyne Diaphorm Ballistic Helmet, the design is twice the price of current Army and Marine Corps helmets, but provides up to 70% improvement in ballistic protection while remaining light enough to meet current requirements. Moreover, use of advanced construction techniques makes production simpler by allowing molding of the shell without having to cut or dart materials, as has been done previously. This allows creation of a seamless, multilayered form that is weather and chem/bio agent proof.
The U.S. Army is expected to field some 200,000 of the helmets beginning in the fall of 2011, with units bound for Afghanistan being the first recipients.
-Mike Perry
You may recall that in December of ’09 we wrote an article on the Boomerang Warrior, an individual gunfire detection system. Well, the QinetiQ North America Ears® family of gunshot localization systems is the “other” technology from the Army’s program and ultimately, the one the Army fielded. Now, Blackheart International has secured the rights to offer it for sale to military and law enforcement customers.
An acoustic range and bearing system, QinetiQ’s Ears detects and pinpoints hostile gunfire in a fraction of a second and audibly reports the range and bearing of the shooter’s position (e.g., “Shot, 400 meters, 3 o’clock”). As the situation unfolds, Ears keeps track of the shooter’s position relative to the changing location of the user and provides on-demand visual and audible updates. In addition, the Ears device simultaneously records latitude and longitude of the shooter’s position to facilitate coordination with other military resources that might be needed to deal with the threat. The Ears SWATSâ„¢ (Shoulder-Worn Acoustic Targeting System) version is mounted on the user’s non-firing shoulder and provides audio cueing as well as a visual display. The technology is also available in Ears-VM (vehicle-mounted), Ears-FS (fixed site), Ears-MC (mobile checkpoint) and Ears-UG (unattended ground) configurations.
Last summer we introduced you to the Shaddox Tactical .50 BMG Shell Carrier.
Since then, Shaddox Tactical has taken feedback from users in the field and added a top flap so rounds are not as exposed. Additionally, they have added a clear vinyl window on the inside of the flap for range cards or target data sheets. Just like the original, it is still designed to fit inside a cargo pocket or can be carried several to a SAW or similar sized utility pouch. The Shielded Shell Carrier is also available in a twenty round version for more standard rifle calibers such as .308 all the way up to .338 LM.
First Lite specializes in Merino wool clothing for hunting. We have gone over the many merits of Merino in the past but summarize; warm even when wet, inherent anti-microbial which inhibits odor, and inherent FR. Several friends of SSD have been raving about First Lite’s garments, particularly their underwear and hats so we thought we should introduce the brand to you.
This is the Gila Hunting Pant. It’s tough to find wool pants these days, and Merino has an increased comfort range so you can wear them in a wider variety of environments than most pants. Plus, if you get wet, you’ll still be warm and if you sweat, you won’t stink to high heaven. Plus, Merino isn’t scratchy like traditional wool.
You will notice the odd camouflage pattern which is called ASAT. To give you a little history on ASAT, you need to know is that it stands for All Season All Terrrain so it was envisioned as a “universal” camouflage pattern. Dating back to 1986, ASAT was developed for hunting and features a Tan base. Interestingly, in the late 80s, Brigade Quartermaster commissioned an “urban” variant using a Grey base with dark bands. Based on this, we guess you could look at ASAT as a family of patterns dating back over 20 years.
Remember, First Lite manufactures hunting clothing and their color options reflect this. They offer Black, ASAT, Mossy Oak Breakup Infinity, and Real Tree Max-1. Additionally, some products may be offered in more of fewer color options. Since we are in late winter, many colors are currently sold out.
Finally, in addition to the Gila Hunting Pants above, First Lite offers several next to skin layering options as well as headwear.
At 80 bills it ought to be. Basically, it’s a cool design but the Fluent Stash from Nau is manufactured from felt and so well designed that it’s almost a shame to consider using it for a shower kit. In fact, they suggest it might be just the thing for your electronics. The closure hook pulls double duty and can be used to hang it while in use. It’s felt so the color “Caviar” looks like a Dark Gray. Naturally, it’s recycled, but not made in the USA.
ADS has just announced the breakout sessions for the upcoming Warrior Expo West to be held 4 & 5 May, 2011 in San Diego, California.
Wednesday, May 4th 2011
The New Science of Stealth
Presenter: Guy Cramer, President & CEO, HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp.
I am really looking forward to this one. With the Army’s Family of Camouflage Patterns solicitation in the offing there is going to be a lot of interest in camo.
TC3 (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) – Now and in the Future
Presenter: TBA
Considering the level of interest this topic is garnering this should be pretty interesting.
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Navigating DOD Contracting Vehicles
Presenter: Brad Anderson, Director of Contracts, ADS, Inc.
This is a very handy seminar for those new to the military purchasing world.
For more information and to sign up, www.adsinc.com/warriorexpo.
Tags: ADS Inc, Warrior Expo
Posted in ADS | Comments Off on Warrior Expo West Breakout Sessions
