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Archive for 2019
Special Warfare – Resistance
Wednesday, October 16th, 2019AUSA 19 – RE Factor Tactical 40mm Grenade Pouch Update
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019Quantico Tactical showed us the updated RE Factor Tactical 40mm Grenade Pouch. After an extensive evaluation by a military unit, they’ve arrived at the final form factor of this polymer pouch. These are 3D printed, but once available, they will be injection molded in Coyote color.
First off, they’ve made the top retaining tab, removable.
They’ve also slightly modified their PALS compatible attachment, which can also be used on belts.
Finally, multiple pouches can be mounted to this panel. Additionally, multiple panels can be connected and mounted in a vehicle.
It’s Finally Here! The FLEX Releasable Cummerbund Kit IOTV (FRC Kit IOTV) from Arbor Arms
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019
Arbor Arms has adapted their FLEX Cummerbund retro fit kits to the Army’s IOTV4, SPCS, MSV and many other armor systems that utilize the Duraflex Quad release system. The Arbor Arms family of cummerbunds are in use with a wide range of units; US, British and other NATO Special Forces, Marine Force Reconnaissance, DEA SRT, CBP Special Teams. Although many Arbor Arms designs are geared towards the high end this cummerbund kits marks a move towards improving armor ergonomics for the average Soldier on the line.
The Cummerbund
Arbor Arms FLEX cummerbunds are a skeletonized 3 MOLLE row cummerbund, made of their proprietary slotted MOLLE elastic. This allows for expansion and contraction not just through the full breathing cycle but during movement and non-standard shooting positions. At the same time it can support a full combat load of magazines, radios and side SAPIs without allowing them to sag or bounce on ones hips while running. It also allows for perfect ergonomic fit to every soldier male or female of every size and body type. Due to the proprietary manufacturing process this elastic is woven with the MOLLE slots in it which gives I a much longer service life than sewn elastic while maintaining the ability to mount MOLLE pouches both internally and externally to the cummerbund.
The Front
The FRC Kit IOTV used the Duraflex Quad Release 1.5” female buckle sewn to an 70 series aluminum spreader bar that interfaces with their proprietary slotted MOLLE elastic. The aluminum spreader features split bar attachment so that the elastic can be changed out by the end user in case of damage while in the field.
The Back
The kit comes with 3 rear mounting options; a MOLLE stick Interface for the IOTV which is compatible with either a 550 cord lacing, or with 6 Snap On Tension locks. The 6 Snap On Tension locks can also be attached directly to the lowest 3 MOLLE rows on the rear plate bag with the excess elastic of the cummerbund routed under the c-bun flap.
Learn more about the FRC kit IOTV and the rest of the Arbor Arms family of cummerbunds at www.ArborArmsUSA.com/army-iotv
Saab and Boeing Conduct Successful Test Firing of Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019Saab has together with Boeing conducted a successful long-range test firing of the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) in Norway.
The test firing took place at the Andøya Test Center in Andenes, Norway, September 26, 2019. The objective of the test firing was to hit a predetermined target in the sea, 130 km away from the launcher. The launcher used in the test firing was a custom made, fully autonomous, 20 foot container.
“In collaboration with Boeing, we have developed a highly competent system that offers high precision at long range. We see a lot of potential in the GLSDB, since it provides armed forces around the world with a long range artillery capability, which there is a great demand for”, says Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab business area Dynamics.
GLSDB is a partnership between Saab and Boeing. The GLSDB system stands out with its high accuracy over long ranges, and has the ability to fly complex trajectories and maneuvers to strike targets that cannot be reached by conventional direct and indirect fire weapons. It is launcher independent, which means that it can be fired from a containerized solution as well as any launcher capable of using the M26 launch pod container e.g. HIMARS, M270 and ChunMoo. The containerized solution can also be used onboard ships, providing GLSDB with the ability be fired from both land and sea assets.
“Boeing and Saab bring together deep knowledge of precision weapon systems and the ability to rapidly integrate and test solutions,” said Cindy Gruensfelder, vice president, Boeing Weapons. “Combining our companies’ expertise, experience and resources have resulted in an advanced, cost efficient, supportable global rocket artillery solution that brings warfighters the level of capability needed to combat current and future threats in a joint force environment.”
GLSDB gives land and naval forces a mobile, organic capability to hit targets that were previously out of their reach. This is achieved by taking advantage of the Small Diameter Bomb’s inherent maneuverability and accuracy. GLSDB is the ultimate long-range solution, combining affordability and performance, and meets the evolving needs of armed forces today and tomorrow.
AUSA 19 – B&T APC-9 with P-320 Compatible Lower
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019Brügger & Thomet, Swiss manufacturers of the APC-9 introduced lower receivers compatible with magazines for the 9mm Glock G17-series and SIG P320.
PRO customers, which are government procurements, can already order their APC-9s with either standard, Glock or SIg lower, in order to be compatible with their issue sidearms.
These will be available soon as an upgrade for commercial orders. On the APC-9, the upper receiver is serialized so the lower doesn’t require a transfer.
3M Ballistic Helmet Portfolio Pushes the Boundaries of Technology to Save Lives
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Oct. 14, 2019 – Each day, thousands of military and police forces across the world rely on cutting-edge protection to keep them safe. When it comes to equipping these service members with helmets, decision makers look for ballistic protection they can count on, as well as designs that deliver the right fit, comfort and weight for each end user’s mission and operational environment.
Today, Ceradyne, Inc., a 3M company, announces new options for decision makers with the availability of its 3M™ Ballistic Helmet F70. The F70 delivers a high level of protection at a light weight that far exceeds conventional (ACH) ballistic helmet specifications. The helmet geometry creates a comfortable and modular design that is well suited for a wide range of missions and includes a novel no thru-hole construction for mounting the NVG shroud, retention system and rails. The elimination of thru-holes increases the shell’s effective protection area, reduces overall system weight by up to 31% (compared to the finished shell of an ACH helmet) and eliminates the risk of bolts becoming secondary projectiles during ballistic events.
The 3M Ballistic Helmet F70 provides V50 fragmentation protection against 17-grain (.22-caliber) fragment-simulating projectile (FSP) at greater than 2,760 feet per second (greater than 840 meters per second). The ballistic shell weight starts at 1.52 pounds in the high-cut version and 1.75 pounds in the mid-cut version. This line of light-weight helmets meets or exceeds all U.S. Army Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) ballistic fragmentation requirements for 2-grain, 4-grain, 16-grain and 64-grain RCC, and 17-grain FSP when tested in accordance with MIL-STD662F.
In addition to the F70, the 3M ballistic helmet portfolio includes the 3M™ L110 and N49 offerings. Designed for military combat operations and counterterrorism police missions, the Combat II L110 helmet can help protect service members from bomb fragmentations, certain rifle projectiles, handgun bullets and blunt impacts. The helmet provides protection against select small-arms projectiles including V50 ballistic limit value greater than 2,400 feet per second (greater than 731 meters per second) against the 7.62 x 51 mm M80 NATO ball projectile.
The Ultra Light Weight Ballistic Bump Helmet N49 is the first multi-use helmet for bump and ballistic operational requirements. At just over one pound (shell weight, size L), the N49 is the lightest helmet to provide ballistic fragmentation and blunt impact protection. It provides V50 protection against 17-grain (.22-caliber) FSP at greater than 2,200 feet per second (greater than 670 meters per second) when tested in accordance to STANAG 2920.
“Having a wide range of choices is critical, as ballistic protection and mobility requirements differ for each end user,” said Terry Griffith, defense business manager, 3M Advanced Materials Division. “But with all the different helmet options available in the marketplace – and the varying information about them – it can be a struggle to compare them and evaluate which one best meets the requirements. Identifying the performance-to-weight ratio of different helmets can bring clarity to this decision-making process.”
A performance-to-weight ratio is calculated by identifying the V50 ballistic resistance against the 17-grain .22-caliber FSP, then dividing it by the helmet shell aerial density. 3M understands the value and supports the use of this ratio to give decision makers a consistent means of comparing helmet choices.
3M will discuss the performance-to-weight ratio and showcase its portfolio at booth 2442 at the UASA 2019 Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 14-18, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. For more information about soldier protection solutions provided by 3M, visit www.3M.com/ballistichelmets.
OZ9 Standard Trigger Replacement Program
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019
OZ9 Standard (Full Size) Pistol Owner,
We want to thank you for being a ZEV owner—specifically an owner of our OZ9 pistol. This pistol has turned out to be an amazing success since its launch in February, and we hope that you’ve had the opportunity to spend some good range time with it.
ZEV Technologies strives for perfection and has experienced very low warranty repair instances with the OZ9. However, we’ve had a limited number of OZ9 Standard pistol owners report occasional discharge of more than one round with a single trigger pull.
This has been a difficult issue to diagnose given the low incidence of these reports, our difficulty in replicating the issue and the fact that most of the reported incidents happened only after several thousand rounds had been fired. However, after exhaustive research we discovered the cause to be a particular tool used by our vendor that wore in such a way that it produced small variations when stamping one of the OZ9 trigger components. Of course, we have corrected this issue.
While we believe that only a small number of pistols within specific serial number ranges may have been affected, we want to make sure that every potentially impacted OZ9 is performing at its highest level. Therefore, we are happy to inspect your pistol and replace the trigger at no cost to you.
Please see the instructions below to determine if your pistol is subject to the trigger replacement program.
ZEV maintains high standards, and we strive to exceed your expectations. But equally important, we also want you to be thrilled by how we value and treat you as a ZEV owner. We will always stand behind our products.
Sincerely,
Matt Ridenour
CEO, ZEV
WHAT TO DO NEXT:
OZ9 Compact pistols are not affected by this issue.
Please check your OZ9 Standard (Full Size) Serial number:
ZA00001 through ZA01232
ZB00001 through ZB00760
ZEV-OZ0060 through ZEV-OZ1187
If you have an OZ9 with a serial number in one of the affected ranges, ZEV will pay the cost of shipping your pistol to us, as well as the cost of return shipping back to you. The entire OZ9 Standard trigger replacement program will be at no cost to you and will take less than two weeks.
Please contact us at quality@zevtech.com and make sure to include:
Serial Number of your OZ9
Name
Email Address
Mailing Address
Telephone Number
We will then be in touch to provide you with a prepaid shipping label to begin the process.
Note: Your OZ9 can be shipped directly to ZEV and directly back to you, its owner.
AUSA 19 – Polartec Woobie
Tuesday, October 15th, 2019It was only a matter of time before someone made a woobie insulates with Polartec Alpha, and now one is on the way.
Available soon through Polartec’s new online Miliatry Issue Collection, this blanket features the same amount of insulation in the SOCOM issued Protective Combat Uniform Level 3A jacket. It’s manufactured by Mitt’s Nitts.
