B5 Systems

Archive for 2012

Tactical Tailor Billboard

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Tactical Tailor has a new billboard design up around JBLM. Check out the great brands they offer at their retail shop.

Ok, So I Needed a Laugh

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

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Ice-T Talks Second Amendment

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

I personally am finding it pretty damned ironic that folks who vilified Ice-T for his song, “Cop Killer” now think he’s an OK dude because he defends the Second Amendment for what it is.

Ice-T: Not really. You can strap explosives on your body, they do that all the time.

Ice-T: Well, I’ll give up my gun when everybody does. Doesn’t that make sense? If there were guns here, would you want to be the only person without one?

Krishnan Guru-Murthy, anchor, Channel 4 News: So do you carry guns routinely at home?

Ice-T: Yeah, it’s legal in the United States. It’s part of our Constitution. You know, the right to bear arms is because that’s the last form of defense against tyranny. Not to hunt. It’s to protect yourself from the police.

Anchor: And do you see any link between that and these sorts of incidents (Aurora)?

Ice-T: No. Nah. Not really really. You know what I’m saying, if somebody wants to kill people, you know, they don’t need a gun to do it.

Anchor: It makes it easier though, doesn’t it?

Multi Terrain Camouflage Uniform for New Zealand Troops

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

The New Zealand Army has announced that they are looking at a new camouflage pattern and new uniform system. This pattern was developed by Canada’s Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corporation.

The NZDF is looking at revamping its combat clothing to provide better protection for its troops.

Capability Branch, Log Command (Land) and The Workwear Group have been working on a project to introduce an Improved Combat Clothing System (ICCS) to the NZDF. The project is addressing the areas of layering, material, material treatment, garment cut and camouflage pattern.

A significant milestone has been reached through the selection of the Multi Terrain Camouflage Uniform (MCU) that will aid the protection through concealment of our personnel.

Why are the current DPM patterns being replaced?
The current in- service Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) pattern and Desert DPM (DDPM) patterns have provided good service for many years. These patterns are being replaced because:

The current patterns work well in limited environments only. In the case of DPM it works well in lush green tropical and subtropical environments, however it is sub optimal in arid environments and urban terrain. Our operational experience in environments such as Afghanistan has proven that the colour spectrum of the operating environment can change rapidly and personnel can quickly find themselves dressed in camouflage unsuited to the environment.

The current DPM pattern used by the NZDF is also used by many other nations around the world. A new pattern uniform provides for a unique New Zealand identity that allows New Zealand service personnel to be clearly identified as New Zealanders.
Neither the current DPM nor DDPM uniforms are particularly effective in urban environments.
Technology advances in camouflage pattern design and manufacture now make it possible to produce single camouflage patterns that are effective across a wider range of operating environments.
Pattern Selection
During the pattern selection process numerous camouflage designs were submitted for NZDF review. From this review 12 separate camouflage patterns were selected and testing was conducted throughout 2011. Much of this testing occurred in Waiouru as in this one location can be found forest, open country tussock, sandy and urban terrain. This testing saw the 12 patterns narrowed down to five, which were then manufactured into basic garments for further testing by Capability Branch and Combat School Staff in Waiouru.

From this testing the best performing two camouflage patterns were selected for final testing. Both patterns were then tested in sandy terrain at Kaipara Air Weapons Range, in forested close country north of Auckland and in urban terrain at Whenuapai Airbase. Both patterns proved effective in these environments.

Finally, a selection of NZ Army personnel was independently requested to rate aesthetically which pattern they preferred. This proved to be the factor that separated the two designs with an overwhelming 80 percent preferring the finally selected pattern. This pattern was further confirmed by Chief of Army and the Sergeant Major of the Army conducting a road show of a mocked up uniform to selected Army units.

Fabric selection
Throughout Exercise Alam Halfa personnel from 1 RNZIR, 2/1 RNZIR, QAMR and 16 Field Regiment trialled a number of different fabric types and garment cuts to assess fit, functionality, durability and safety. This trial aimed to aid the assessment and selection of the fabric that best meets NZ Army requirements for the new MCU. It is envisioned that a training version and a flame retardant version of the MCU will be made provided.

What happens next?
Logistics Command (L) is currently developing a plan to enable the introduction into service of MCU to replace DPM. This plan will include the requirement to waste outfully utilise the current stocks of DPM. It is intended that the MCU will be used across the NZDF. The date when it will be phased into service has yet to be finalised however it is likely to be around mid 2013. Army News will provide further information as it becomes available.

SSD Visits LC Industries

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

If you are in the military or employed by the federal government then you have almost daily contact with LC Industries. Begun in 1936 by the Durham Lions Club, LC Industries employs about 400 legally blind workers in 12 states. They manufacture over 2000 products, many of which you will recognize. In fact, regardless of what type of unit or organization you belong to, everyone relies on the same basic commodities to get the job done. From file folders to flatware, LC Industries products provide a positive impact on the lives of our troops.

During our recent visit to LC Industries’ primary facility in Durham, North Carolina we were afforded an opportunity to tour the production floor and get a behind the scenes look at what makes LC Industries tick.

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First and foremost, it’s their employees. At each work station you’ll see name plates for each of the workers. What is amazing is that next to each name is the number of years they have been with LC Industries. it’s not uncommon to see employees who’ve been on the job for 20, 30, or even 40 years. This means that it’s a very well trained work force. To provide testimony to that assertion, we noticed this sign. 692 days without accident. Fantastic!

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You’d be amazed at what LC Industries manufactures. We came across this machine producing salt and sugar packets for use in MREs.

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In another area, we noticed a large stock of series 5200 Master Locks in various stashes of production. Everybody uses those locks. We are told that Master Lock has moved production of several models used extensively by DoD back to the US from Mexico and entrusted this endeavor to LCI. It’s a perfect fit for their work force, with repetitive assembly operations of various parts. This is a big success story for Master Lock, LCI and the troops who will be using quality, American made products.

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In another area workers were manufacturing mattresses that would be used by troops at nearby Fort Bragg. LCI has developed a process to reclaim old mattresses by burning away the materials which leaves a sterilized coil and frame. After inspection many can be remanufactured. This green initiative saves resources and money not to mention critical landfill space.

LCI purchased Tactical Assault Gear in 2010. Their raw materials are stored at their Durham facility and pre-cut materials kits are assembled there based on the bills of material for various products and shipped to their sewing facilities for final assembly.

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They put their Gerber cutter to good use.

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Next, we visited the Integrated Custom Design Center.

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Here, they showcase the tactical products offered in the Base level LCI stores. You’ll notice many familiar brands.

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This space also houses their prototype facility. There was a lot going on and hopefully we’ll be asked to unveil some of those products once they are ready.

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Its amazing how many products we saw in production on the floor. Over and over again we kept saying, “I remember using those.” Also, it’s great to see Americans manufacturing products. That’s the lifeblood that built this country.

The visit to LC Industries was very impressive and we look forward to seeing new products from Tactical Assault Gear soon.

A Statement from TacticalGear.com’s CEO Regarding the Colorado Shooting

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

TacticalGear.com posted this statement from their CEO, Chad Weinman, in response to the perception that statements from their company in the media might be construed as anti-Second Amendment. We are publishing this statement in its entirety in the hope that it reaches widest dissemination.

A STATEMENT REGARDING THE COLORADO SHOOTINGNews July 23 2012
— By Staff

A post from our CEO regarding the tragic shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater.

On July 2, 2012 TacticalGear.com received an order from James Holmes, the alleged shooter in the Colorado theater massacre. His order included an urban assault vest, two magazine pouches and a tactical knife spending a total of $306.79. Mr. Holmes elected to pay an additional $15.63 for UPS 2nd Day Air to expedite his order. We processed this order as any other, and Mr. Holmes signed for the associated package on July 5 at 2:21 p.m. local time.

In the wake of the tragedy, we have done our best to cooperate with the media and law enforcement agencies by passing on any relevant information. We have since been inundated with countless phone calls, emails and interview requests. Much of this communication has been quite hostile and threatening in nature. We have been falsely accused of selling Mr. Holmes firearms and ammunition over the Internet illegally without conducting the mandated background checks. Some members of our customer relations team have been brought to tears by people insisting that we have “blood on our hands.”

In an effort to combat this falsehood, myself and our Chief Operating Officer conducted a series of interviews in an attempt to clear up any misconceptions. We reiterated that TacticalGear.com primarily serves the law enforcement community and that we are proud to supply these heroes with the tools they need to keep our communities safe. During the course of these interviews, we were repeatedly questioned about what steps we were taking to prevent the general public from acquiring tactical gear in the future. In response to this line of questioning, statements were made that some have perceived as anti-gun and anti-2nd amendment.

We want to set the record straight and publically state that we fully support the 2nd amendment. The spirit of what we were trying to communicate was that tactical clothing and equipment should not be put in the same category as firearms and ammunition. Firearms and ammunition are subject to considerable regulation, and the notion that tactical gear should be as well is outrageous. Unfortunately, in some instances our choice of words were poor and misguided. For this, we accept full responsibility and sincerely apologize to anyone that took offense to these comments.

I am very proud of TacticalGear.com. It is a great company with a great staff. Each day we wake up thinking about how we can better serve our customers the gear they need when they need it. We work tirelessly to achieve these goals, and we are passionate about what we do. Many of us are avid gun owners and enthusiasts. We frequently visit the local shooting range and keep firearms in the office. We wholeheartedly support the freedom Americans enjoy to legally purchase guns and ammunition. I personally believe that if some members of the audience had concealed carry weapons at hand that night perhaps less blood would have been shed. No amount of gun control is going to prevent a sociopath hell-bent on terrorism from hurting a large group of people.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families of this horrific event. If you have any questions or comments about this issue please direct them to us via email at pr@tacticalgear.com.

-Chad Weinman
CEO, TacticalGear.com

Thanks Chris!

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

SSD wouldn’t be what it is today without your inspiration.

IA MultiCam Light Assault Vest

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

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The Light Assault Vest from UK-based Intelligent Armour is manufactured from the Duro Textile Omega mesh in the MultiCam print.

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This MOLLE compatible vest features four points of Velcro adjustment allowing the vest to be worn over different types of garments. The vest features an internal sleeve along the back to accommodate a 100 oz hydration bladder as well as two internal map pockets. It is offered in two sizes, Medium-Large and Large-X Large.

www.body-armour-protection.co.uk/IA-Multicam-Light-Assault-Vest