Enforcing the standards is a tough job. It requires intestinal fortitude and impartial fairness.
—SMA Julius W Gates, USA Ret
Archive for March, 2019
NCOs Are The Backbone Of The American Military
Friday, March 29th, 2019LAAD 2019: Meprolight Presents for the First Time in Latin America its MEPRO NYX-200 an Uncooled Thermal Sight with Digital Day/Night Camera Channel and The HORUS Red Dot Sight
Thursday, March 28th, 2019
The HORUS sight, produced by the Brazilian company, GESPI, has been adapted to the needs of the local market
LAAD Defence and Security 2019, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 2-5, Hall 4 Stand P.60
March 28 2019 Meprolight Ltd. – a member of the SK Group and a leading manufacturer of electro-optical systems, thermal and night vision equipment, self-illuminated sights, and Laser Range Finder systems for military, law enforcement and civil applications – presents for the first time at LAAD its MEPRO NYX-200 sight with an uncooled thermal channel sight with digital day/night camera, and the HORUS Red Dot Sight . The HORUS, produced by the Brazilian company, GESPI, has been adapted to the needs of the local Military and Law Enforcement clients.
According to Benny Kokia, VP Marketing and Sales, “In an effort to adapt the company’s products to the various markets and their needs, we are pleased to cooperate and to transfer our know-how (TOT) to GESPI, which has produced The HORUS, the first Red Dot sight made in Brazil. GESPI is a Brazilian EED company located in Sao Jose dos Campos, in the State of São Jose dos Campos , São Paulo This TOT partnership aims to supply the demand of the Brazilian army, police and armed forces units with immediate delivery capabilities as well as full post-sale maintenance and support. In addition, this partnership also aims to create more employment opportunities in the Brazilian economy, strengthening the relationship between Brazil and Israel.”
The HORUS, has a high precision Bullseye reticle and is parallax-free. Providing several brightness positions for both day and night vision, it has transparent lenses with a clean, wide and rectangular field of view, allowing quick and precise shooting with both eyes open. The sight can operate continuously for over 5 months with one AA commercial battery. (Note: AA batteries are available in all remote locations in Brazil, and are considerably less costly than CR123 batteries.) The sight is MIL-STD 810G and is submersible under water up to 10 meters.
The MEPRO NYX-200, an uncooled Thermal Sight is available in two unique configurations: thermal channel with digital night camera or thermal channel with digital day camera. The combination of thermal channel and digital night camera (DNC) enables enhanced situational awareness with maximum visibility in any level of darkness in any environment. The thermal channel can be used in total darkness, fog, camouflage, etc. The sight’s digital night camera is optimized for Close Quarters Battle (CQB), face recognition, and more. The combination of thermal channel and digital day camera (DDC) enables use of the sight for both day and night operations, eliminating the need to change sights/devices between day and night, and allowing soldiers to move between dark and light environments, such as entering dark places during daytime.
MYSTERY RANCH New Fire Program Manager – “Luke, Luke, the Fire Duke”
Thursday, March 28th, 2019MYSTERY RANCH is excited to announce their new Fire Program Manager, “Luke, Luke, the Fire Duke” – Luke Mayfield. In this position, he will lead MYSTERY RANCH’s on-going efforts to provide the fire community with purpose-built, fire-specific packs. Luke hails from Medford, OR where he was Assistant Hotshot Superintendent. Prior to that, he had 18 seasons of United States Forest Service under his belt, 12 seasons in which he was with multiple Hotshot crews including Zig Zag Hotshots, Silver City Hotshots, and Rogue River Hotshots.
In an interview with Luke, he quotes “I’m most excited to assist in supplying the world’s best load-bearing equipment available to the people that deserve it, all while staying relevant and active in the fire community.”
Since the launch of MYSTERY RANCH’S fire-specific product line, our Bozeman, MT-based company has seen tremendous sales and feedback coming from this category and Luke will take the lead on bringing these packs from development to the firelines.
BE Meyers & Co Illuminates as Platinum Sponsor for Shooter Symposium 2019
Thursday, March 28th, 2019
March 27, 2019 (Redmond, WA) – B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc. is proud to announce that they are a Platinum Sponsor of the 2019 Shooter Symposium, a four-day training event slated for April 4-7, 2019 at The Ranch, a private shooting club in Eagle Lake, Texas. Over 150 students are expected to attend the symposium, which will be taught by eleven world-renowned firearms trainers, including B.E. Meyers & Co. Brand Ambassadors and night engagement experts, Bill Blowers and Chuck Pressburg.
Both Mr. Blowers and Mr. Pressburg will be hosting basic night vision courses at the symposium where they will be demonstrating the functions of the B.E. Meyers & Co. MAWL®-DA, and MAWL®-C1+. The MAWL®-C1+ is the world’s first commercially available near-infrared and visible green laser aiming device using VCSEL based illumination technology. It offers all of the ergonomic, clarity, modularity, and interface enhancements of the MAWL®-DA, and provides greater near-infrared illumination distance than any FDA Class 1 laser on the commercial market.
To learn more about B.E. Meyers & Co. products visit www.bemeyers.com.
Samson Manufacturing Introduces True Back Up Sights
Thursday, March 28th, 2019
KEENE, NH – Samson Manufacturing’s new Back Up Sights are true Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS). Since these are never meant to be the primary aiming system, we did away with the dual apertures and went with a single .160 aperture which is small enough for accurate shooting yet large enough to still be of use in low-light. Both front and rear sights lock in the folded and deployed position. The durable construction and solid mounting system guarantee you to stay on zero.
The sights are made from 6061-T6 aluminum with a type III class 2 hard coat anodized finish and attach to any 1913 Picatinny rail. The front sight accepts all aftermarket front sight post replacements with MIL-SPEC dimensions. Rear sights feature a perfect (M4) co-witness height, just over 0.5 MOA per click windage adjustment, and precision laser engraving.
The front sight retails for $41.74, the rear sight is $52.05, and the packaged set of front and rear sights is $86.46. The Back Up Sights can be ordered from the Samson website.
For more information visit www.samson-mfg.com or contact esales@samson-mfg.com.
L3 Technologies Field Vision Systems Names Francisco Hidalgo Vice President and General Manager
Thursday, March 28th, 2019ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 27, 2019 – L3 Technologies announced today that Francisco Hidalgo has been named Vice President and General Manager of its Field Vision Systems business. Mr. Hidalgo most recently served as Chief Executive Officer for Heckler & Koch USA.
Mr. Hidalgo brings more than two decades of international manufacturing leadership to Field Vision Systems, with extensive experience in both the consumer and defense markets. He will oversee operations of the Field Vision Systems portfolio of brands, including EOTECH®, Vudu™ and L3 Field Vision.
“I am thrilled to be joining Field Vision Systems during such a dynamic period in the company’s history,” said Mr. Hidalgo. “With EOTECH’s recent award from the United States Special Operations Command, the relaunch of Vudu precision optics and the debut of the L3 Field Vision brand of premium sporting optics, the opportunity for success and growth at our division has never been greater.”
Prior to joining Heckler & Koch, Mr. Hidalgo spent nearly 20 years at Hanover, Germany-based automotive manufacturing company Continental, where he served as President of ContiTech North America for more than nine years.
An L3 company, Field Vision Systems delivers cutting-edge sporting optics technology and products, including holographic sighting systems and magnified optics. The company is dedicated to providing high quality, rugged products for military, law enforcement and commercial markets around the world. Visit www.eotechgear.com to learn more.
With headquarters in New York City and approximately 31,000 employees worldwide, L3 develops advanced defense technologies and commercial solutions in pilot training, aviation security, night vision and EO/IR, weapons, maritime systems and space. The company reported 2018 sales of $10.2 billion. To learn more about L3, please visit the company’s website at www.L3T.com.
Prym1 Camo x UFPRO Launch Stryker Clothing At IWA
Thursday, March 28th, 2019Introducing the new UFPRO® Striker HT Combat Pants, Striker XT Gen.2 Combat Shirt and Striker Gen.2 Boonie Hat in Prym1 Woodlands®. The new limited range was launched at IWA Show 19.
“Prym1 Camo® has been designed as the best camouflage system for all tactical operations. From Special Operations to local law enforcement applications, Prym1 Camo® patterns work together to offer a military unit a system of patterns that will conceal and blend into the surrounding elements at all times.
Our patterns allow full flexibility of movement through various terrains, by utilising the depth of colours, shadows and highlights with the organic shapes found on predators in the wild. Prym1 Camo® was built on the basis of being a true hybrid camo. A camouflage pattern that is truly versatile and adaptive, capable of not only blending, but matching a multitude of environments. By using organic, varying shapes in our patterns, it helps to achieve a natural concealment with the terrain you are deployed in, creating a camouflage with the effectiveness of an alpha predator.
By understanding the rigours of modern operations, military personnel need trust in their camouflage to be effective in multiple types of terrain within any given environment across a single mission. When your concealment determines your survival, you want to be dressed like a predator.” – Stacie Walker, Founder & President of Prym1 Camo®
goTenna Releases goTenna Pro X, an Open Platform, Interoperable Tactical Mesh Networking Device
Thursday, March 28th, 2019BROOKLYN, NY (March. 28, 2019) — goTenna, the world’s leading mobile mesh networking company, today released goTenna Pro X, a tactical-grade device that enables scalable mobile mesh networking and total situational awareness for professionals in the field. goTenna Pro X is designed to be used with the world’s leading situational awareness applications as well as open platform ecosystems.
goTenna Pro X used with situational awareness applications supports the efforts of military, law enforcement, wildland firefighters, and disaster response teams, when no service is not an option. goTenna Pro X builds on the functionality of Pro and enables seamless integration with other Android, iOS, Windows, and Linux applications. Current applications include ATAK and AGIS LifeRing with several more in development.
Today’s release builds on the success of goTenna Pro, the company’s tactical-grade mesh networking device that launched in June 2018. Developed by the Department of Defense, the ATAK app is used to support complex communication and coordination needs of more than 100,000 customers worldwide, including the military, Air Force, Army, Special Operations, National Guard, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Developed by AGIS Inc., LifeRing allows users to easily and rapidly establish secure ad hoc digital networks that include all within a selected range.
“goTenna Pro X extends the edge of mission-critical connectivity, enabling operators’ phones to create a resilient peer-to-peer mesh mobile network,” said Daniela Perdomo, goTenna’s co-founder and CEO. “Users can more effectively command and control their missions by remaining connected and contextually aware even in comms-denied environments.”
Smartphones with specialized tactical mapping applications are vital equipment for today’s tactical operators to maintain real-time situational awareness. As seen in the recent spike of climate-related natural disasters, however, responders cannot rely on centralized cellular or wifi connectivity to communicate.
“During the 2018 wildfire season, goTenna Pro X units proved invaluable for communications among our crews and the sharing of vital incident information including personnel location, escape routes and temporary refuge areas,” said Ari Delay, La Honda, CA Fire Chief. “goTenna Pro X was easy to integrate with Tablet Command, the application our crews already use, enhancing operational capability, enabling command and control, and improving responder safety.”
From the Camp Fire in California to Hurricane Michael in Florida, vulnerabilities in central communications infrastructure were exposed. In 2018 alone, traditional communications failed tactical teams due to damage cables and fibers and even data throttling by carriers. Critical failures and loss of service for extended periods of time, compounded with the ever-present threat of cyberattacks, make the front lines where first responders operate particularly susceptible to danger.
To combat this vulnerability, experienced tactical teams including the U.S. military, CALFIRE, and the Texas Department of Public Safety have turned to goTenna for its mesh networking devices and software that enable smartphone connectivity independent of traditional communications infrastructure.
Developed for military and public safety applications, goTenna Pro X is packed with a suite of powerful features:
? Mesh Networking: Users can extend signals through other devices to expand network reach
? 5-Watt RF Transmissions: Power to perform in the most extreme environments
? Tunable: Operate on any frequencies in the 142-175 MHz (VHF) & 445-480 MHz (UHF) ranges
? Advanced Encryption: Up to 384 ECC end-to-end Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) encryption
? Extended Battery Life: Lasts up to 30 hours on a single charge
? ATAK Plug-in: compatible with the leading situational awareness mobile app developed by the DoD.
? goTenna Pro Team Awareness App: includes goTenna’s native app for off-grid situational awareness
How goTenna Pro X Works
goTenna Pro X combines long-range burst data transmitted over VHF/UHF with iOS and Android devices. Even when unpaired to a smartphone, goTenna Pro X can serve as a multi-hop mesh node for all other Pro X devices – eliminating or reducing the need for base stations and repeaters.
The pocket-sized device pairs to a smartphone via Bluetooth or USB, and all data is displayed in the smartphone application.
Pro X is priced at $849, which includes one mesh-networking radio, the user’s choice of UHF or VHF antenna, the goTenna Pro Team Awareness App, ATAK plug-in (if required) and unlimited service user accounts for field administration and configuration of the Pro X
Pro X Deployment Kits are also available priced at $24,999 per kit. Deployment Kits come standard with 20 Pro X devices, and can charge and maintain up to 30 all in one rugged tactical briefcase. At 25 pounds, Deployment Kits can be easily be transported and deployed anywhere in the world.
Professional users interested in learning more about goTenna Pro X can request more information by visiting gotennapro.com.
About goTenna:
goTenna is the world’s leading mobile mesh networking company and provider of off-grid connectivity solutions for smartphones and other devices. goTenna’s innovative mesh networking protocol is embedded into low-cost, low-power devices and paired with easy-to-use mobile apps enabling mobile, long-range connectivity even without cell, wifi or satellite. The goTenna vision to create resilient connectivity was ignited during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when approximately a third of cell towers and power stations were knocked out. Based in Brooklyn, goTenna is backed by notable investors including Union Square Ventures, Walden Venture Capital, MentorTech Ventures, BBG Ventures (a subsidiary of Verizon), and Bloomberg Beta. For more information, visit gotenna.com.
About ATAK:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) deployed the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) to support the complex communication and coordination needs of the multi-jurisdictional responders. ATAK is one of those game-changers that dramatically alters the user’s understanding of the action in any given area of operation (AO). A government-off-the-shelf app for Android smartphone, ATAK is available to all government agencies for free. The app uses GPS and maps to give the user a real-time view of the AO. This new situational awareness capability includes “Blue Force Tracking” to see where team members are (which reduces friendly fire incidents and helps with coordinating movements), “Red Force Tracking” to see where the bad guys are (obvious advantages), as well as terrain, weather, and other topographical elements. ATAK gives operators in the field a dramatically enhanced real-time situational awareness. It provides them with enterprise information sharing capabilities that will further increase safety, collaboration and mission successes. For more information or to request a copy, visit atakmap.com.
About LifeRing
LifeRing software enables Smartphone, Tablet and PC users to easily and rapidly establish secure ad hoc digital networks that include all within a selected range. Once the AGIS LifeRing Smartphone Icon is selected, LifeRing appears on screen as a map based display. This display provides all on the network with “a sense of where you are”, allowing all users to easily see their present location while enabling them to view the location and status of all other users. Once the visual is in place, LifeRing then provides the means to collaborate, and communicate via PTT, Text Messaging and Voice. The exchange of information occurs in real-time between the participants. For more information, visit agisinc.com/lifering.
