FirstSpear TV

Archive for May, 2019

Rampart Range Day 19 – Royal Marines Pyrad Rain Suit by Carinthia

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

Austria-based Carinthia makes some fantastic gear for some of Europe’s most elite military units. For instance, they developed this rain suit for the British Royal Marines.

Made from WL Gore’s Pyrad material, it is a waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex shell which is also FR. It is also printed in the British military’s Multi Terrain Pattern camouflage.

The suit is based on Carinthia’s PRG rain suit which incorporates large zippered chest pockets as well as zippered bicep pockets and zippered underarm ventilation.

Carinthia products are available in Canada from Rampart International.

Rampart Range Day 19 – Xion Protective Gear

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

While there were several great new products at Rampart Range Day, none surprised nor impressed me more than Xion (pronounced zion) Protective Gear. Their garments have been worn for years in sports and by stuntmen, protecting from blunt trauma injuries. But now, they’ve been discovered by LE for use as a low viz crowd control suit for use in scenarios where the appearance of full riot gear might increase tensions. Naturally, the gear can be worn in any scenario where blunt force trauma is a threat.

The suits can be worn under outer garments.
Some of the garments are also FR, adding another facet of personal protection.

The secret is in their use of D3O pads which works as a non-Newtonian fluid, absorbing high energy impact, yet remaining malleable when not under force. In fact, the founders of Xion came from the stunt industry and have been working with D3O for many years on pad designs.

Xion Protective Gear products are available in North America from Rampart International.

Millbrook Tactical Introduces Liberty Dynamic Flashbangs To Canadian Market

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

Ottawa, Canada – We are proud to announce that Millbrook will bring Liberty Dynamic technology to the Canadian market as the exclusive Canadian distributor. The Liberty Dynamic flashbang is a technological leap forward in the industry and will greatly enhance operator safety and effectiveness. Visit us at CANSEC 2019 booth 421 for more information or contact us at info@millbrookcanada.ca for a live demonstration.

Revisions Adds Two Products to the US Army’s Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL)

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

Revision’s ShadowStrike Ballistic Sunglasses and SnowHawk Cold Weather Goggles have been added to the APEL Program by the U.S. Army

Essex Junction, Vermont (May 29, 2019) – Revision—the world leader in protective eyewear solutions—announces the selection of two new eyewear lines for inclusion on the Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL®), as determined by the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier. After comprehensive laboratory testing and user trials, the Product Manager, Soldier Protective Equipment (PM SPE), selected Revision’s ShadowStrike™ Ballistic Sunglasses and SnowHawk™ Cold Weather Goggle System for inclusion on the APEL. The ShadowStrike Sunglasses are the first dual lens, ballistic sunglasses to offer OcuMax® Anti-Fog performance, and the SnowHawk goggle system is the first Cold Weather Goggle System to offer a magnetically integrated balaclava for extreme protection in cold weather environments (balaclava procured separately).

“Revision has been a leading provider of protective eyewear on the APEL program since it was created in 2006,” said Jonathan Blanshay, CEO, Revision. “This is an achievement we are very proud of, and represents our continued commitment to adapting to the changing environments and threats soldiers are facing around the globe today.  Over the years, as we have evolved our products and developed new eyewear solutions, we’ve submitted our cutting-edge eyewear for inclusion in the APEL program. Our presence on the APEL is a major factor in our global standing as an industry-leading protective eyewear designer and manufacturer. We target our solutions to exceed the increasingly more stringent standards that the Army requires, and we are honored to be a part of this prestigious program.”

Manufacturers and products listed on APEL have had their products examined and tested in accordance with the Army’s guidelines, meeting Army standards for ballistic protection (assessed against the Military Combat Eye Protection performance specification MIL-PRF-32432A). This year’s qualification process is especially noteworthy because the Army has instituted several updates to their standards, including more stringent ballistic standards—an increase in ballistic testing velocities (goggle testing velocities with a 0.22cal projectile increased from 550?560 ft/s to 580?590 ft/s and spectacle testing velocities with a 0.15cal projectile increased from 640?660 ft/s to 700?725 ft/s)—as well as the creation of a new category for extreme cold weather (for which SnowHawk was selected).

The U.S. Army recently released the 2019 APEL list, which includes ShadowStrike sunglasses (black frames with smoke and clear lenses) and SnowHawk goggles (black or tan frames with smoke and clear lenses)—alongside Revision’s Sawfly® spectacles, StingerHawk® spectacles, and Desert Locust® goggles.  The following products are all compatible with the Universal Prescription Lens Carrier (UPLC) – Sawfly and StingerHawk spectacles, and Desert Locust and SnowHawk goggles.  All products have been assigned National Stock Numbers (NSN) and are available for purchase through supply channels.

Blackhawk Releases Knife Collaboration with Custom Knifemaker Andrew Arrabito

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

Blackhawk has announced its latest product to arrive on the market: a line of five blades designed by custom knifemaker Andrew Arrabito, a former Navy SEAL (ret.) most well-known as the founder of Half Face Blades™.

The line of blades consists of a Combat Filet, EDC, Field Knife, Karambit, and Combat Dagger with very limited quantities – only 10 per style – available for sale during the initial launch. Customers wishing to purchase one of these limited blades can do so directly through www.blackhawk.com as of Wednesday, May 29 at 10:00AM Eastern Time.

The blades are made from CPM ® (Crucible Particle Metallurgy) 154CM steel with a Rockwell steel hardness of 59-60 HRC. Each blade varies in length and all feature a stone-washed finish with skeletonized black G10 textured grips and full tang construction. One side of the blade is etched with the Blackhawk trident logo while the other is etched with Andrew Arrabito’s name, marking these knives as part of this exclusive collaboration. Included with each knife is a friction-fit sheath.

For additional details and to purchase one of these Blackhawk + Andrew Arrabito knives, visit www.blackhawk.com.

Rheinmetall’s Autonomous Rescue and Surveillance Vehicles to be Showcased in Canada at CANSEC 2019

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

Rheinmetall is launching the Rescue model of its Mission Master at CANSEC 2019. The Mission Master is a modular unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) that facilitates recovery of injured troops without compromising the operators’ safety, along with many other dangerous, dirty, and dull (DDD) tasks.

The newly released rescue variant of Rheinmetall’s flagship autonomous vehicle allows for in-field medical intervention. This gives remotely situated soldiers the ability to evacuate casualties over long distances either autonomously or via remote control.

Rescue model: enhancing casualty care effectiveness

In the field, the right equipment can be the difference between life and death for wounded soldiers, since 90% of fatalities occur between the time of trauma and arrival at the combat zone medical facility.

Rheinmetall’s Rescue UGV has all the equipment necessary for a successful evacuation, including two basket stretchers with sliding provisions, head and foot immobilizers, oxygen masks and canisters, a monitor defibrillator, and a hot/cold box. All of these items would be impossible for a medic to carry on foot, but the Mission Master can handle the load with ease.  

Operators can command the Mission Master from near or far using autonomous navigation, reducing the number of personnel needed on the ground. This feature leaves medics free to focus all of their attention on the injured soldier, as opposed to wasting precious time driving back to the extraction point. While transporting a wounded soldier using the UGV’s stretcher, for example, accompanying medics can use the vehicle as a workstation to administer emergency care.

Using the “follow me” function, the UGV can roll alongside other soldiers, who are busy making sure that the surrounding area is safe and secure. In both “follow me” and autonomous navigation modes, the Mission Master significantly relieves cognitive and physical stress, allowing troops to deal with the mission at hand.

Surveillance that saves lives

The Mission Master – Surveillance is designed to carry out observation and reconnaissance. Rheinmetall’s UGV is equipped with long-range EO/IR cameras, a 5-metre telescopic mast, radar, laser rangefinders (LRF), and GPS heading systems for 360-degree surveillance.

As an autonomous vehicle, the Mission Master – Surveillance can minimize the number of troops needed on the ground, while providing timely situational awareness for enhanced security and informed decision-making. Multiple sensors relay real-time data to the integrated Rheinmetall Command and Control Software (RC2S) and Argus soldier system, enabling rapid threat detection during operation in the field.

The UGV can transport much more specialized, high-performance equipment than soldiers can typically carry on their person. As a result, not only does the Mission Master help to significantly reduce the physical load carried by dismounted soldiers, it also enhances the likelihood of mission success.

The integration advantage

Each version of the Mission Master is networked to both the Argus soldier system and RC2S, the Group’s command and control software. This type of integration is a Rheinmetall specialty, and will be proudly on display at this year’s CANSEC tradeshow.

The rugged, ultra-portable Argus soldier system can control the UGV as well as receive data from its many sensors, delivering mission-critical information straight to soldiers’ tactical user interface. It can also send essential reconnaissance and updates to higher echelons of command via the RC2S.

Seeing is believing

Nothing compares to seeing our UGV in person. At this year’s CANSEC exhibition, Rheinmetall will be showcasing the Rescue model at its outdoor booth, and the Surveillance version in its indoor booth. Don’t miss your chance to speak with our experts about the Mission Master and its many advantages!

www.rheinmetall.com

The Armored Group, LLC Enters the South Asian Market

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

The Armored Group Now Providing Armored Vehicles to U.S. Ally Bangladesh

(Phoenix, AZ – May 21, 2019) The Armored Group, LLC (TAG) has announced the delivery of seven Ballistic Armored Tactical Transport (BATT®-X) armored vehicles to Bangladesh, a brand-new market for the armored vehicle manufacturer. The vehicles will be used by local law enforcement departments. In addition to providing the vehicles, The Armored Group also developed a comprehensive training program for over 20 police officers that will be using the vehicles.

The BATT-X can carry 10 officers, depending on the size of the operators and amount of gear. It was designed to comfortably accommodate law enforcement agencies and tactical teams while offering the highest level of security features such as the B7/NIJ IV+ .50 Cal Ball Ammo Protection or B7/NIJ III Armor Levels.

These particular vehicles were customized with partial V-bottom hulls for increased blast, which is unique on the F550. In addition, individual blast seats were installed.

Other features include:

• Blast mitigating floor.

• Internal armored firewall.

• Rifle-rated roof protection.

• Fully armored hood clip.

• TAG Exclusive Flip Forward Front Clip System

• Best-in-class climate control system.

• Dual heating and air conditioning systems in front and back.

• Oversized rear deployment bumper with steps.

• Front door lockout ability at 90° and 45°.

• Rear door lockout ability at 90° and at full open

• Heavy Duty Oversized Running Boards

• Optic-ready gun ports.

• Four-wheel drive off-road capabilities.

• Enclosed under-seat storage in rear compartment with back board slat cut outs

• 360° Rotating Turret with Oversized flush-mounted sniper step.

• Roof Hatches

• Emergency Lights and Siren System

“We are happy to enter the South Asian market and help our allies in Bangladesh. Both of our countries have shared values in the matters of regional and global security and counter terrorism. In fact, they were a key participant in Obama’s international development initiatives including food security, healthcare and environmental concerns,” said Robert Pazderka, President and founder of The Armored Group. “This new alliance with Bangladesh has opened the doors for TAG to provide the highest level of protection to our allies in South Asia and keep those fighting for positive changes as safe as possible.

The comprehensive TAG training program included the following Technical, Mechanical and Driving training programs:

Technical training:

·         Training on all the accessories and their functions:

o   Gunport operation 

o   Door operation (various angles, lockout function)

o   front winch operations

o   STIS compressor operations

o   Turret functionality and movability

o   Police lights, strobe lights, infrared lights operations

o   OEM (original equipment manufacturer) operations of the vehicle

Mechanical Training 

·         Training of how to maintain the vehicle and how to do preventative maintenance

·         Daily inspections to be conducted before vehicle can be deployed

·         Service Maintenance (Oil change, Oil filter change, Transmission fluid change, Steering fluid change, Battery monitoring and signals to look for when to replace the battery, fuel filter replacement, AC filter replacement, Air filter replacement)

·         General Maintenance (Lubrication of all joints, Hinges, bearings)

·         Scheduled maintenance timings (When the vehicle should have a service and when the parts needs to be checked or replaced)

Driving Training

·         Each trainee had to learn how to drive the BATT X

o   Operating various functions while driving

o   Emergency brake testing

o   Various maneuvering techniques  

o   General driving safety principals

www.armoredcars.com

LMS Gear Flannel Shirt

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

During Enforce Tac we gave you a sneak peek at the new low-viz Flannel Shirt from Swiss company, LMS Gear.

Our friends at ePIG Group created a great video to go over its features. Don’t worry, even though the video was in German, there are subtitles in English.

It’s available through tacwrk.com, LMSGear.net, and tripleaction.de.