SIG MMG 338 Program Series

Archive for August, 2019

Survival Equipment Pioneer Celebrates 40th Birthday

Friday, August 9th, 2019

Andrew Howell, the Managing Director of protective and survival equipment specialists, BCB International Ltd, celebrated with his family and BCB personnel his 40 years at the helm of the business.

Its equipment currently supports the British military as well as a number of foreign ministries of defence. It has been used in the Falklands, Mali and Afghanistan, among other places. The company, which stemmed from one man’s cough syrup has grown to now have over 70 employees across three sites in Wales.

BCB was originally founded in 1854 during the Crimean war, when Dr Brown supplied the troops with Brown’s Cough Bottle (BCB). The company was then taken over by a local chemist, Deryck Howell, in 1949. Forty years ago, his son, the current director of the company, decided to embark on international waters and set up BCB International Ltd.

“I set it up to design a new life raft first aid kit for Avon Inflatables in Llanelli. I thought it would take me 2 weeks; then I was going to go exploring the world,” tells Andrew Howell. “I am still to an extent redesigning the kit – and seeing the world,” he continues.   The energetic Managing Director shows no sign of slowing down. Meeting with international clients, Andrew Howell  regularly travel all around the world – in the past month alone, Andrew Howell and some of his team have  travelled to the Netherlands, Germany, Brunei, French Guiana and Iraq in addition to meeting with prominent political and business figures in the UK.

Andrew Howell’s belief in continuous innovation has led to the development of products such as an eco-friendly biofuel FireDragon, a first of its kind worldwide, a self- inflating body armour system or a non-lethal boat stopping system to aid in peace and security-keeping in marine environments.   

Having recently moved to larger Headquarters, under Andrew Howell’s leadership, the company is extremely well positioned to serve its clients.

SAIC and Polaris Team On Army Infantry Squad Vehicle

Friday, August 9th, 2019

RESTON, Va., August 8, 2019 — Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) and Polaris Government and Defense, a division of Polaris Inc., (NYSE: PII) announced today they are teaming up for the U.S. Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) vehicle program. SAIC, a leading technology integrator, joined with Polaris, the industry leader in ultralight mobility platforms, to offer the proven DAGOR vehicle. DAGOR provides the warfighter superior operational capability, crew area, mobility and maneuverability in a tactical environment.

“SAIC has a long history of performing vehicle engineering and platform integration work, and the Army has a need for small-unit mobility and maneuverability that can be easily met with the proven DAGOR vehicle that has been deployed around the world,” said Jim Scanlon, executive vice president and general manager of SAIC’s Defense Systems Group. “Working with Polaris, SAIC will provide comprehensive systems engineering and integration using state-of-the-art tools and processes that leverage domain understanding gained through extensive field support and advanced experimentation in support of the Army to give the ISV a technological edge on the battlefields of tomorrow.”

“The DAGOR was designed to meet a squad’s payload and off-road mobility demands, while meeting weight and size restrictions that maximize air transportability,” said Jed Leonard, vice president, Polaris Government and Defense. “The lightweight and highly mobile platform supports the Army’s expeditionary missions providing a key capability needed on the ever-changing battlefield.”

The SAIC-Polaris team has delivered a baseline vehicle sample to soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division for soldier assessment. The DAGOR vehicle can carry up to nine soldiers with their equipment and supplies. It provides the speed, mobility and communications support Army small units require to obtain and maintain situational awareness of the battlefield.

SAIC’s expertise in C4ISR integration onto ground vehicles could provide additional capabilities such as cybersecurity, enhanced surveillance, secure communications, and non-kinetic fires. The DAGOR ISV will leverage and further enhance the already proven, production-ready solution that has been tested, certified, and fielded to operational units in the U.S. Military and its Allies since 2015.

FirstSpear Friday Focus – OEM Partner Series, Hill People Gear

Friday, August 9th, 2019

This Friday Focus we have another installment of our FirstSpear OEM Partner series where we take a look at one of the great American companies FirstSpear manufactures equipment for. Today we are taking a look at one of FirstSpear’s very first OEM Partners, Hill People Gear, and two very popular items now available in all new Elk Brown.

HPG Operations manager, Kevin McDowell says, “The new Elk Brown is a rich earth tone that is at home in a variety of environments from woodland to desert to urban. It reminds us of the past while being perfectly suited for the tasks of today, which is why it takes it’s place as HPG’s flagship color.”

Ute

Designed and tested in Western Colorado and named after “the brothers to the bear” who ranged from the front slope of the Colorado Rockies out into the desert wilderness of the Colorado Plateau in eastern Utah. The Utes are an independent and adaptable people who inhabited a wide variety of landscapes from slickrock canyon to alpine bowl.

The pack we have named after the Utes is similarly adaptable, designed to handle loads from 20 up to as many pounds as you can safely carry with equal aplomb.

M2016 Butt Pack

HPG’s rendition of the venerable military butt pack can be used as shoulder bag, lumbar pack, and top pocket. This is a panel loading pack with some internal organizational options and significant external expansion via lightweight FirstSpear 6/12 PALS cut fabric and compression straps.

Torn Warriors 2019 Recap

Friday, August 9th, 2019

The Torn Warriors event was a big success. In case you missed out on the fun!

Panteao Launches New Series of Hunting Instructional Videos Make Ready for Africa with Geoffrey Wayland

Thursday, August 8th, 2019

Columbia, SC, August 6, 2019 – Panteao Productions is happy to announce the release of Make Ready for Africa, with Geoffrey Wayland. This is the first video in a new series of instructional titles that will focus on hunting and hunter education. We’ve all seen the hunting videos that show a hunt but give little information with regard to how to prepare for the hunt or to understand the game being hunted.

In this first video, Panteao has teamed with African professional hunter Geoffrey Wayland of Fort Richmond Safaris. Raised on a remote farm in the Northern Cape of South Africa – a farm that’s been in his family since 1867 – Geoffrey started hunting when he was seven years old. When his father passed, Geoffrey took over the family outfitting service – Fort Richmond Safaris – and has been working as a professional hunter and outfitting safaris for plains and dangerous game all over Africa for more than a dozen years.

Along with Geoffrey, gun writers Richard Mann and Ron Spomer, and Carlos Martinez from the Remington Outdoor Company Custom Center, give their valuable insight — based on more than a century of field experience — to help you make ready for Africa. Topics include selecting an outfitter, travel, firearms permitting, rifle and cartridge selection for plains and dangerous game, optics, clothing, field prep, payment and gratuity, taxidermy, expectations, and much, much, more. Before you head to the Dark Continent on your first, or even next safari, you should watch this video.

Panteao greatly appreciates the support of the sponsors that help make this video happen: Dakota Arms, Remington Custom Shop, Marlin Custom, Meopta, Merkel, Jagdhund, SKB Cases, Hunters HD Gold, Surefire, Versacarry, Work Sharp, Spyderco, African Odyssey, and African San Taxidermy Studio.

Make Ready for Africa Sponsors:

Make Ready for Africa is now available streaming for Panteao subscribers. It can be watched online via a PC or Mac, on a smartphone or tablet using the Panteao Make Ready Android and iTunes apps, or on television with the Panteao Make Ready channel on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. For more information on how to stream the Panteao videos, visit: panteao.com/streaming-video-ways-to-watch

The video will also be available later this month on DVD and Digital Download formats. For more information on this title, visit Panteao at: panteao.com/product/make-ready-for-africa

 

DroneShield Releases RfZero Product

Thursday, August 8th, 2019

Sydney, Australia – 2 August 2019 – DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO or DRO.AU) (“DroneShield”) is pleased to release a breakthrough new product, RfZeroTM, following extensive development in response to end-user feedback. The product is available for purchase from today to qualified end-users.

RfZeroTM is an omnidirectional drone detection device with a 1km range. It is designed to be a cost-effective fixed site alternative to DroneShield’s higher end product, RfOneTM (a 5km radiofrequency direction finder). As such, RfZeroTM responds to the needs of users with more substantial budgetary constraints. As is the case with the rest of DroneShield’s fixed site product family, RfZeroTM uses DroneShieldCompleteTM, DroneShield’s proprietary counterdrone software user interface. It is also able to integrate with the rest of the fixed site DroneShield product suite, such as DroneCannonTM for either automated or manual drone defeat, once RfZeroTM detects the drone.

Image: RfZeroTM

RfZeroTM is completely non-emitting, thus allowing for a substantially larger customer universe. Given that the product thus lacks this regulatory constraint, and is marketed at a lower price point, the product is expected to be of a substantial appeal to a wide array of customers.

Image: DroneShieldCompleteTM user interface and analytics capability

DroneShield’s CEO Oleg Vornik commented, “RfZeroTM is expected to appeal to a wide range of users looking for a more cost effective fixed site solution, complementing our RfOneTM high performance product. Typical target customers for RfZeroTM include prisons, VIPs, commercial sites, mining industry, events, and qualified corporate users, while airport and military customers generally find RfOneTM to be the more suitable offering. Following the recent releases of the pistol-shaped drone mitigation device DroneGun MKIIITM and the body-worn RfPatrolTM detection device, DroneShield is pleased to have the most extensive product offering on the market, developed based on the extensive customer feedback we received to date”.

Sneak Peek – Benchmade Limited Edition Infidel

Thursday, August 8th, 2019

You know the Infidel. Benchmade designers decided to create a limited edition version. They DLC coated the CPM-S30V blade and blacked out the hardware.

This is a limited product run of 3,000 pieces. It will be available through dealers and the Benchmade web store, August 16th for $525.00.

TacJobs – Arc’teryx LEAF Product Line Manager

Thursday, August 8th, 2019

NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

HEAD OFFICE – FULL-TIME

As the Product Line Manager – LEAF, you create innovative, profitable, repeatable, and operationally relevant seasonal product lines that align with target consumer requirements and LEAF Business Unit goals and KPI targets (as delivered by the Business Unit Director – LEAF). You will plan, prioritize, and drive the development of multiple B2B seasonal product lines and support the development of B2G contract opportunities

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

? You are a subject matter expert on the MIL-GOV-LE specialty consumer and own the LEAF consumer profile

? You research, compile and analyze global market data, identifying evolving specialty MIL-GOV-LE consumer requirements, and set the product line vision and strategy, including “Where to Play” and “How to Win” tactics in support of long-term LEAF Business Unit objectives

? You create, drive and maintain a product line roadmap that is innovative, technically feasible, commercially viable, operationally relevant to the target consumer and meets or exceeds company sales, margin, and model efficiency targets

? You partner with the Sr. Designer – LEAF to generate, develop and curate new product and feature concepts that align with current and future consumer toolbox requirements

? You vet and prioritize new product and feature concepts for commercialization against the business unit’s strategic goals, the organization’s core capabilities, and the desired consumer experience

? You work with the Sr. Product Developer – LEAF with a lean-forward attitude to right-size our Idea-to-Consumer (I2C) process

? You create and deliver seasonal product line briefs that inspire and provide critical information to key business unit and company stakeholders during stage-gate presentations, which include target pricing, preliminary forecasts, sourcing preferences, technical materials information, product feature guidance, and packaging requirements

? You coordinate the internal development of seasonal prototypes for internal research & development and external trial & evaluation purposes, ensuring the development and commercialization of operationally relevant and commercially viable products

? You liaise and communicate with other key LEAF stakeholders to ensure the efficient passage of product-related information to include raw material and finished good technical information packages

? You facilitate the development of Special Make Up (SMU) products to support B2G contract opportunities while concurrently prioritizing and managing B2B commitments

? You support the Global Commercial Manager – B2B and Global Commercial Manager – B2G by participating in business development activities with key B2B customers and B2G consumers

? You support the Business Unit Director – LEAF by providing specific deliverables or reports upon request

? You maintain all aspects of your line list in the appropriate information system

Additional Experience, Education and/or Skills Required:

? You have a comprehensive understanding of the MIL-GOV-LE consumer and their applicable mission profiles (to include both ground operations and maritime operations)

? You have 7+ years’ experience in either MIL-GOV-LE product development or have served in a leadership – management – command capacity in a MIL-GOV-LE organization/agency

? You have superior leadership, management and teamwork skills to help facilitate work across different internal departments and external organizations that support product development

? You have effective and efficient time management skills, strong analytical skills, excellent communication and presentation skills

? You are able to travel internationally (trade shows, product development activities, business development activities, etc.)

? You are proactive in identifying the root cause of issues and developing creative solutions

? You remain highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity

? You are able to balance autonomy and collaboration

? You inspire breakthrough thinking and continuous improvement

? You seek the best (but sometimes not the easiest) solutions, with an unwavering commitment to do what is right

? Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it

Assets

? You have 10+ years’ MIL-GOV-LE service experience, preferably in a specialist capacity (i.e. Special Operations Forces – Hostage Rescue Team – Emergency Response Team, etc.)

? You have working knowledge of Adobe and Microsoft Office suite of applications (especially Illustrator, Project, Word, PowerPoint and Excel)

For additional details and to apply, visit jobs.lever.co/arcteryx.com.