FirstSpear wants to hear from you! Through this weekend only go to first-spear.com and leave a review on your favorite FS product for 10% off your next order and a chance to win a $300 store credit! Winner will be chosen and notified next Friday the 31st.
DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the United States Air Force (the “USAF”) has awarded DroneShield a contract to deploy multiple units of DroneShield’s DroneSentryTM integrated detect-and-defeat counterdrone (C-UAS) system at the Grand Forks Air Force airbase (in North Dakota, USA), protected by the 319th Security Forces Squadron of the USAF (the “319th SFS”). As part of the contract, the USAF acquired an option to acquire additional systems following the initial deployment.
The DroneSentryTM systems to be deployed feature DroneShield’s passive RfOneTM radiofrequency direction finding sensors, with a world-leading range for detection of small class 1 drones, combined with the Company’s DroneCannonTM fixed site electronic countermeasures systems. DroneSentryTM utilises DroneShieldCompleteTM user interface, an intuitive and feature-rich alerting, tracking and reporting software. The system will receive regular firmware updates, including the Company’s upcoming cutting edge Artificial Intelligence-based firmware rollout planned for late 2020.
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO, commented, “DroneShield was selected because our technology leverages Artificial Intelligence software and tracking/defeat automation that solves the 319th SFS problem statement (i.e. the requirements provided to the bidders on the contract) with little to no impact on manning.
This is DroneShield’s first U.S. Air Force deployment. We are immensely proud that the U.S. Air Force, one of the most demanding customers in the world, chose to deploy DroneShield’s flagship, fixed site detect-and-defeat system, incorporating our new RfOne MKIITM sensors. The USAF has a substantial requirement for the protection of its bases, in the US and forward deployments, and we look forward to continuing to support the service members and the expanded rollout of our solutions for their protection. In addition to our other recent work for the US military and government sector, a key market for us, the need for DroneShield’s industry-leading Counter-UAS solutions is expected to grow rapidly as global tensions continue to increase and the drone threat proliferates.”
For clarity, this announcement is not, and does not imply, a direct or an indirect endorsement of the Company’s products or services by any third party, including the U.S. Air Force.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – July 23, 2020 – Blackhawk, a leader in law enforcement and military equipment for over 20 years, announced today that it has added new T-Series Level 2 and Level 3 Duty holsters compatible with the TLR 7/8 pistol light for the SIG SAUER P320.
The Level 2 Duty (L2D) and Level 3 Duty (L3D) Light Bearing holsters are available in the right-handed configuration and provide SIG P320 owners with additional options when searching for the right carry platform. For those seeking an added level of security, the L3D holster features a hood across the back of the firearm for extra retention. Each holster comes standard with Blackhawk’s Jacket Slot Belt Loop.
As the world’s first thumb driven, dual-injected molded holster, each model features a soft touch inner layer that is both super slick and sound-dampening. This durable and efficient, low-friction design translates into a smooth, quiet draw or re-holstering of the sidearm. Externally, the T-Series holster features a proprietary, glass-reinforced nylon to ensure the highest degree of durability available in a duty rated holster.
The new holsters are designed to follow Blackhawk’s Master Grip Principle, allowing the user’s hand to land naturally where it should in order to deploy the sidearm.
For more information on the new T-Series L2D and L3D Light Bearing Holsters for the SIG P320 or to view the complete line of T-Series holsters visit www.blackhawk.com/holsters.
Although we like to keep it cool, everyone knows the comments section of SSD can get sporty. Some, come just to watch the sport of it all.
OP Tactical memorialized the phenomenon with a T-Shirt, fit for wear under your uniform.
Get yours at www.optactical.com/ssdcommentstee.
Last week, Heckler & Koch announced that Compagnie du Développement de l’Eau, a finance company based in Luxembourg has acquired a majority stake in H&K.
Here is the announcement machine translated from the German original. Please excuse any syntax issues.
Luxembourg financial holding company CDE takes over a majority stake in the traditional weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch
17.07.2020
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has given the Compagnie de Développement de l’Eau (CDE) approval to acquire a majority stake in H&K AG. New majority shareholder supports economic recovery and thus guarantees long-term stability. CDE stands by locations and the “Green Country Strategy” and wants to expand Heckler & Koch’s technology leadership.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) approved the shareholder Compagnie de Développement de l’Eau (CDE) S.A., Luxembourg, to acquire a majority stake in H&K AG on July 15, 2020. The board of H&K AG was informed today that the CDE owns a majority stake in H&K AG.
The CEO of H&K AG, Dr. Jens Bodo Koch says: “We are very interested in clear and stable ownership. With a financially strong, long-term oriented majority owner like CDE, the economic stability of H&K is now guaranteed sustainably. The consolidation course started in 2018 can now be continued consistently. ”
After years of losses, H&K again achieved a profit of EUR 1.6 million in the past year. With a view to the first half of 2020, the Management Board expects a further increase in sales and an improvement in earnings.
900 future-proof and innovative jobs
H&K expressly welcomes the fact that continuity, stability and expansion of the technology leadership of the Oberndorf company enjoy special priority for CDE and that the new majority shareholder supports investments in production and development capacities in Germany in this context. “With CDE’s commitment, a good 900 future-proof and innovative jobs have been secured in Oberndorf,” says CEO Jens Bodo Koch.
CDE has been a H&K shareholder for five years and expressly supports the company’s “Green Country Strategy”. After that, the company only supplies democratic countries, which belong in particular to NATO and / or the EU, and are treated as equal to NATO. It is one of H&K’s corporate principles that weapons belong in the right hands. For H&K, these are soldiers and police officers in democratic countries, who ensure the security and integrity of citizens. They deserve the best equipment for their indispensable and often challenging hard work.
Continuation of the growth and innovation course
With the new majority owner, H&K can continue the growth and innovation course embarked on by the board. The success of this course is already visible. In 2019, the operating profit before taxes (EBITDA) was 30.3 million euros (12.6% of sales), 63 percent higher than in 2018 (18.6 million euros or 8.4% of sales) ). After a successful first half of the year, H&K expects to see profitable growth in 2020 despite the corona pandemic due to its sustainable business policy.
H&K’s return to the profit zone can be attributed on the one hand to a cost reduction program and a significant increase in production efficiency, and on the other to an agreement with the workforce to contribute to the consolidation of the company through additional work while at the same time reducing wages.
The positive development made it possible for H&K to put together an investment package worth 25 million euros, which has been used to modernize production and improve the infrastructure since July 2019 until next year. The company is now operationally profitable enough to manage investments like this from its own cash flow.
The overall outlook for the next few years is also positive. H&K was able to record record orders for the second year in a row. In the current year, the company has started delivering 2,000 medium-range weapons to the Hessian police to protect citizens in the event of terror and amok cases. Also this year, the Bundeswehr special forces will launch the new G95K (HK 416 A7) assault rifle from H&K. This weapon replaces the G36K, which also comes from Oberndorf. H&K’s latest success is the start of delivery of just over 6,000 M110A1 (Squad Designated Marksman Rifle / Rifle Scope / SDMR) precision rifles to the US Army.
We want people to be able to live safely. Our products are designed to protect people in liberal, democratic countries from threats and violence. Heckler & Koch is the leading manufacturer of handguns for the NATO and EU countries and is proud that its assault rifles are standard equipment for many European armed and security forces.
This is a critical, yet often overlooked, part of building a fighting a gun.
If you’re hemorrhaging gas between the block and journal you have a less efficient system…which means you’ll need more gas…or the rifle will be more sensitive to conditions that are less than ideal.
These are some of the details that make SOLGW a more robust system. Our tolerance specifications are written specifically for this.
“But they don’t actually make anything…”
Yes we do. We make very reliable rifles…
Engineers at the U.S. Army’s CCDC Armaments Center have designed a firearm sound suppressor that incorporates the features of a high-performance muzzle brake.
Known as the smuzzle, this hybrid device limits the muzzle climb of automatic and semi-automatic weapons while simultaneously providing significant sound suppression.
The Smuzzle’s flow-through design features asymmetric venting through tiny holes which researchers claim results in a 50% drop in volume at the shooter and a 25% reduction in the flash signature downrange with a minimal weight increase. They also incorporated a feature they refer to as a “bottom blocker” which reduces how much dust is kicked up.
The initial design work comes from a muzzle device for a 155mm Howitzer, but they say it is scalable you any caliber. The team has manufactured multiple devices based on this technology; they’ve made short and light cans (.8 pounds) with the design, and longer three-pound versions.
In these two photos, you can see the Smuzzle mounted to a 6.8mm Next-Gen Squad Weapon Technology Demonstrator. The Smuzzle is 3D printed Titanium and incorporates a bore evacuator.
This weapon was used by Army researchers to establish a baseline during the early stages of the NGSW program. It’s important to note that this demonstrator was manufactured by Textron and based on years of development under the Lightweight Small Arms Technology project of the Joint Service Small Arms Program. It fires Case Telescope ammunition.
Its refinement has included the use of sophisticated engineering techniques including computational fluid dynamics modeling and the center’s state-of-the-art testing equipment.
The size, weight, and durability of the device are tailorable, ie., its manufacture is adaptable.
Prototypes for the NATO 7.62mm and 6.8mm cartridges have been constructed using titanium and/or Inconel 718 steel. 3D printing techniques have also been successfully used.
Based on this research, they have two patents:
U.S. Patent 10,598,458 (33)
U.S. Patent 9,347,727
Below, you can see the Smuzzle attached to an M240B machine gun mounted in a test cradle in a full auto failure test.
Those interested in licensing this technology should visit techlinkcenter.org.
