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Archive for 2019

Ravenswood Awarded $555M Contract to Support Army National Guard Training Program

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

Army Contracting Command–Orlando has awarded Ravenswood Solutions an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for support to the Army National Guard’s (ARNG) eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program.

The single award contract will have a potential value of $555 million and will provide planning, operations, and sustainment for the XCTC program through October 31, 2024.

The mission of the XCTC program is to provide a highly realistic, fully instrumented, and intensive live training event for brigade combat teams, functional, and multi-functional brigades. The scope of the ARNG’s XCTC program involves training as many as three brigades simultaneously at multiple locations using a government-provided instrumentation system that tracks and records location and time-synchronized training events.

“Ravenswood Solutions gives our all to provide best-in-class products and services to our troops,” said Dan Donoghue, President and CEO of Ravenswood Solutions. “We are honored to be chosen to continue to support this critically-important training to our nation’s Guardsmen.”

More than 21,000 troops will train at XCTC exercises in 2020.

Posted in Contracts, Training | 1 Comment »

T.Rex Arms – Chameleon Variable Threat System

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

Centerville, TN — There’s a problem in many shoot/no-shoot scenarios and CQB training. Students’ minds are not learning effective target discrimination, largely due to a lack of appropriate training tools. Most training relies on repetitive paper targets. The same bad guys. The same good guys. The same hostages, poses, clothes, and weapons. Students learn to react to an image that is imprinted on their minds, instead of using their minds to think, analyze and identify. This is not effective target processing.

This is why T.Rex Arms has developed the Chameleon Variable Threat System. These fully randomized humanoid paper targets ensure that students will never see the same target twice. Effectively identifying threats based on visual criteria is a skill that every armed citizen needs to master, whether civilian, military, or law enforcement. This is the next generation of target identification training for Live-Fire and Simunition scenarios.

The Chameleon targets are generated using 3D models and a customized animation rig for realistic poses, objects, and textures, supporting an incredibly wide array of randomized target variables:

• Thousands of unique poses depicting specific body language, weapon manipulations, hostage takers, hostages, neutral poses, non-weapon actions, traps, and threats.

• Dozens of clothing styles with infinite color variations and insignia, and random glasses, hats, and mask combinations, as well as various law enforcement uniforms.

• Thousands of combinations of hair and beard styles, with infinite hair colors and lengths.

• Custom tattoo library, skin aging, and infinite body types and skin tones.

• Parametrically-driven facial features and facial expression system.

• A large library of realistically detailed long guns, handguns, melee weapons, tools, non-weapon items, body armor, bomb vests, etc.

• Randomized camera angles from the front, back, and side, adding further variations to the pose library.

For each category of target, we are rendering tens of thousands of unique images, making it impossible to memorize the targets in a shoot house. Every target is a completely different image of a unique person that will need to be analyzed every time. The variety of options available allow trainers to set up any scenario, and the highly detailed characteristics of targets allow for additional training opportunities such as graded after-action reports, suspect descriptions, weapon identification, and more.

On top of each unique target image we’ve placed a simple two-part scoring zone which is invisible at distance. These hitboxes are calculated in true 3D space to take actual vital organs and skeletal systems into account, and are occluded by the target’s own limbs and held objects. The final product is printed on standard 24” x 36” matte 20lb paper, with additional 3” and 5” utility targets for other drills, and corner target description text so trainers can easily find the targets they need for a given scenario.

Tubes of threat and non-threat targets can be ordered from www.trex-arms.com today, or the Chameleon Software can be used to generate large custom orders. Custom orders can be made up of any percentages of any target type, threat category, and camera angle.

Contact targets@trex-arms.com for more information about customized targets, and how to use them to combat training complacency.

Posted in Press Release, Training | 10 Comments »

Mission First Tactical Introduces New Decorated Wallets and Dump Trays

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

Upgrade your wallet or dump tray with stunning imagery from MFT’s new decorated lineup.

Horsham, Pa. (October 2019) – Mission First Tactical, LLC (MFT™), a leader in USA-made rifle/carbine accessories, is proud to announce its Wallets and Dump Trays have been added to its new Decorated Products line up. Designs are chemically bonded to MFT’s Wallets and Dump Trays to ensure wear, scratch and chemical resistance. Express yourself with MFT offerings or let MFT place your unique image on any of our wallets, dump trays, magazines and more. Every week, MFT will be offering a limited-edition design as a giveaway and a limited-edition sale only available through its social media channels. Follow and like MFT’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter platforms to find out about each week’s giveaway and sale.

Securely store and easily access credit cards or business cards with MFT’s Decorated Wallets. Handcrafted from Boltaron material in the United States of America, MFT Wallets are available in either an eight credit card (15 business cards) or 15 credit card (25 business cards) wallet configuration. MFT image offerings include American Flag M1; Blue Line American Flag 1, Flag 2 or Flag 3; American Flag Vintage; Redline American Flag; Betsy Ross Flag; MFT Freedom Fries; Gadsden Flag; Join or Die; Liberty or Death; Punisher Skull Splatter White; Punisher Skull Oversize; or Team MF’ER Supreme. MSRP $24.99.

MFT’s Dump Tray provides a convenient place to drop all your everyday carry (EDC) items when you walk in the door or sit down at your desk. The small compartment is designed for your phone or small items with a larger area for everything else. The Dump Tray measures 8.2” x 11.2” with the small area measuring 3.5” x 7” and the large area measuring 6” x 7.” Handcrafted from Boltaron Material in the United States of America, the Dump Tray’s are available in the following MFT image offerings: American Flag M1 or M2; American Flag Punisher Skull; American Flag Punisher Skull MultiCam; Blue Line American Flag 1, Flag 2 or Flag 3; Redline American Flag; Betsy Ross Flag; Gadsden Flag; Join or Die; Join or Die MultiCam; Liberty or Death; Liberty or Death MultiCam; Punisher Skull Splatter White; or Team MF’ER Supreme. MSRP $39.99.

For more information on Mission First Tactical, visit www.missionfirsttactical.com.

Posted in Off-Duty, Press Release | Comments Off on Mission First Tactical Introduces New Decorated Wallets and Dump Trays

Bushnell Announces Military VIP Program

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

Military and Veteran Purchase Program Now Available on Bushnell.com

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – November 11, 2019 – Bushnell, an industry leader in high-performance optics, is pleased to announce that a new VIP Purchase Program is now available for all members of the U.S. Military.

The new Bushnell VIP Program, open to all military personnel from all branches of service – active, retired, and veterans – provides everyday discounts on any Bushnell product. Whether used for personal or duty use, the new program enables special VIP pricing for the men and women of the U.S. Military.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to be able to offer members of our U.S. military with a discount program that offers significant year-round savings on any Bushnell product,” said Vishak Sankaran, President of Bushnell. “Every day, these men and women go to extreme measures to keep our country safe and to protect the freedoms we enjoy. While we can never fully repay them for all the sacrifices they have made, we are proud to support them through our VIP Program.”

Prospective applicants can apply for the program starting November 11, 2019 by visiting www.bushnell.com/military-program. Once verified, members can immediately begin placing orders. For questions on warranty, returns, and customer service please utilize the Support tab link on www.bushnell.com. All VIP orders must be submitted online. Buyers are encouraged to review the offers’ full terms and conditions for details.

Bushnell, is one of the most recognizable and trusted names in precision hunting, tactical and recreational optics and accessories.

For more information on the new VIP Program or to view any of the company’s product, visit www.bushnell.com.

Posted in Industry, Press Release | 2 Comments »

New Horizon Laminate Adaptable Modular System Now Available At www.britishtactical.com

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

HORIZON LAMINATE is a collaboration between British Tactical and Flimmuur Tactical, the goal is to bring you up to date innovative products based on Laminate fabrics along with select quality materials.

Our latest item to be launched is the Adaptable Modular System

• Adaptable Modular System based on a 6 Molle/PALS wide x 3 Molle/PALS high laser cut laminate PALS panel backed with low profile plastic moulded hook covered with soft velour loop.

• A complete system that allows you to modify parts based on use to go from a Plate carrier placard to various size chest rigs including spit-front with a variety of front openings options.

• High strength 500D Multicam laminated to 1000D Coyote Brown laser cut fabric along with low profile plastic moulded hook backer allows attachment of additional parts to build your system.

We have a number of preset options and additional parts along with Rifle Magazine Panels and more options under development.

www.britishtactical.com/adaptable-modular-system-1

Posted in International, Load Carrying | 5 Comments »

NFM Is Launching New Helmet At Milipol

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

Hjelm

At the Milipol Expo later this month in Parais, NFM is launching a new helmet line called, naturally enough, Hjelm.

Posted in Advertiser, Helmets, Milipol | Comments Off on NFM Is Launching New Helmet At Milipol

Nordic Combat Uniform Enters Testing Phase

Tuesday, November 12th, 2019

The Nordic Combat Uniform (NCU) project is now ready to enter the field-testing phase. Some 480 soldiers from all four Nordic countries will be testing the uniform systems from the final prequalified tenderers.

In these weeks some 480 soldiers, who are going to take a part in the field-testing phase, will be opening the boxes with the sample uniform systems from the tenderers. That will be the beginning of the comprehensive test period running from December 2019 to May 2020.

The Nordic Combat Uniform Project is a part of Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO). The purpose of the joint Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish Nordic Combat Uniform?project (NCU) is to acquire a common flexible combat uniform system that meets the operational requirements of the modern battlefield.

One system, one design, but national camouflage

The NCU clothing system includes uniform configurations from an underwear layer to outer garments, used in European, jungle and desert conditions. The configuration is the same in all countries, but each country will use its own national camouflage pattern in the uniforms. Headgear, gloves, footwear or personal protective equipment are not part of the NCU, and each country will procure those independently. The technical requirements for this purchase are a system approach which meets the operational requirements. This includes Nordic and European combat environment, but also in very cold environment and in extreme warm conditions like in jungle or desert. These functional requirements are based on joint user experience from all four countries and Nordic expertise.

One of the big advantages of a common Nordic Combat Uniform project is the scale of the acquisition. With a contract value of estimated 425 million Euros it has attracted worldwide attention from leading suppliers which creates ground for an increased competition and a more favorable price-quality-ratio.

Experiences from four nations packed into one combat uniform system

Although price is important the greatest advantage of the joint Nordic cooperation is the comprehensive test conducted by around 480 soldiers from the four countries. Test subjects include all types of soldiers from conscripts to Special Forces.

In the bids, the combat uniform tenderers described the uniform configurations that, in their mind, correspond to the functional requirements set by the NCU countries.

Based on the bids the project has invited combat uniform tenderers to field tests organized from December 2019 to May 2020. The field tests will evaluate the functionality of the offered uniform configurations in different conditions and collect user feedback about the uniforms’ suitability for use.

The field tests for the European area uniform configurations will be conducted in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark by the countries’ armed forces. The field tests for the jungle and desert uniforms will be conducted by the Danish Armed Forces including Special Forces in the first part of 2020. In Finland the clothing configurations will be subjected to separate tests used to assess their functionality in arctic conditions, among other things.

After the field tests are concluded the Swedish Defence Research Agency (Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut, FOI) will collect the feedback given by the Nordic user groups. The NCU project will analyze the feedback, and on this basis make a functional performance assessment on the combat uniform candidates.

The assessment of the functional performance forms part of the evaluation of the technical performance of each offered combat uniform system. The overall evaluation includes both the technical performance and the offered prices. This evaluation will form the basis for negotiations with the remaining tenderers and a request for best and final offers which will be finally evaluated resulting in the award of the NCU Framework Agreement.

Story by Nordic Defence Cooperation

Photos via Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation

Posted in Clothing, Guest Post, International | 9 Comments »

UF PRO to Spotlight New Striker X Combat Pants, Other Tactical Gear at Paris Milipol Show, 19-22 Nov

Monday, November 11th, 2019

TRZIN, SLOVENIA (11 Nov. 2019)—Homeland Security officials and other attendees will get eyes on the newest and best tactical garments and accessories from UF PRO at the Milipol international fair set for 19-22 Nov. in Paris, UF PRO today announced.

UF PRO, which makes advanced-technology tactical garments and related gear for military special-forces teams and for law-enforcement agencies worldwide, said it plans to display at its exhibit booth (5D 083) a soon-to-debut range of highly anticipated combat shirts and pants known as Striker X.

“Our Striker X range is built to meet the demanding needs of military operators, whose input we drew on in designing both the shirts and pants,” said Armin Wagner, head of UF PRO product development. “Milipol is the big international gathering of homeland security players, the leading event of its kind in Europe.”

According to Wagner, the Striker X range is notable for extreme ruggedness combined with remarkable comfort.

“Striker X combat pants and shirts are made with high-tech, best-in-class materials that offer no-melt/no-drip,” Wagner explained. “All the seams are streamlined, and the places most vulnerable to rips and damage from abrasion are super-reinforced.

“Yet, they’re also exceptionally breathable. And, thanks to their anatomic fit, they move freely as though they’re part of the wearer’s body.”

Along with the new Striker X combat garments, UF PRO will showcase the special Striker FR range which can only be purchased by government entities, Wagner said.

However, those two patterns will not be the only ones to make an appearance at the UF PRO exhibit station, Wagner assured.

“We have a number of other new colours we want to parade past our guests at the booth,” he said. “One of these is Steel Grey, and it will be presented on our upcoming Delta OL 3.0 winter jackets and pants, as well as on our already available Striker BDUs.

“Another new colour is PHANTOMLEAF. A novel algorithm was employed in designing this adaptive pattern, which is why it can cause a wearer to visually blend in against almost any background. The surrounding landscape or environment may change, but this one pattern works in them all. It’s available only to governments in this pattern, but the WASP II Z3a pattern is developed for civilian usage as well.”

One more camouflage pattern expected to garner an abundance of interest is CONCAMO, which will be shown on UF PRO’s Striker HT combat pants, Wagner said.

“CONCAMO is short for ‘confusion camouflage,’” he explained. “And confusion is exactly what it produces in the brain of someone looking in the direction of a CONCAMO wearer. Its eight blended colours combined with an array of scientifically structured shapes toss a wrench into the subconscious mind, preventing awareness of what’s practically right in front of your face.”

Other major attractions announced for the UF PRO exhibit:

• Monsoon XT Gen.2 Rain Jacket and Monsoon XT Rain Pants. The jacket features a unique hood-harnessing system that doesn’t restrict the wearer’s field of view. UF PRO air/pac® inserts in the shoulders help better distribute the weight of a plate carrier or backpack. Both the jacket and pants are made of 100-percent waterproof laminates and include functional elements such as ventilation zippers, zippers for easy access of pockets beneath outerwear, and boot hooks to prevent the pants from bunching or riding up along the wearer’s legs.

• AcE Winter Combat Shirt & Delta AcE Plus Gen.2 Jacket. Both are designed for bitter cold-weather conditions by wearers engaged in a significant amount of sweat-breaking physical activity. Functional elements common to both include air/pac® inserts, highly water-repellent and windproof face fabric, and the ability to accommodate a plate carrier and backpack. The jacket offers abrasion-resistant side ventilation panels, while the shirt comes with a zipper side ventilation system.

• Delta ML Gen.2 Jacket. This feather-light, thermal-insulated tactical jacket is making its public debut at Milipol. It’s suited for use as either a middle or outer layer, and features abrasion-resistant side panels, G-Loft thermal insulation filling, and moisture-wicking microfleece lining. The face fabric is water-repellent and windproof.

Wagner extended an invitation to Milipol 2019 attendees to not only visit the UF PRO booth but also arrange one-on-one meetings with the company’s top executives to talk in a relaxed setting about tactical gear and other matters related to homeland security needs.

To schedule a meeting at Milipol 2019, go to the UF PRO appointment-making page here.

For more information about UF PRO and its advanced-technology jackets, shirts, pants, hats, caps, and accessories for military special-forces units and law-enforcement agencies, visit this page.

Posted in Advertiser, Milipol, Press Release | 1 Comment »