September 2020 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for September, 2020

Viridian Debuts New EON Optics Red Dot Series

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – September 30, 2020 – Viridian Weapon Technologies is proud to announce two new additions to their EON Optics lineup. The EON 1×20 Red Dot and EON 1X35 Red Dot offer rapid target acquisition in a robust and compact package. Their 2MOA dots offer parallax free precision at 100 yards. These new EON Optics are covered by Viridian’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and will be available exclusively through Rural King stores or at www.rkguns.com.

“Viridian is proud to be expanding our line of optics with these highly versatile red dots, and Rural King is an ideal partner to bring them to American gun owners.” said Viridian President and CEO Brian Hedeen. “Red Dots are perfect for pistol caliber carbines, tactical shotguns and rifles. Our new EON Red Dots combine precision with durable dependability. From range work to self-defense, red dots speed up time-to-target when you need it most.”

The EON 1×20 Red Dot offers ten settings for its 2MOA dot reticle. When rail space is limited, the EON 1×20 Red Dot provides performance in a compact design. Its ergonomic controls allow shooters to make adjustments without taking their eyes from their target. The EON 1×20 Red Dot can be mounted directly to a picatinny rail with the included see-through riser.

The EON 1×35 Red Dot’s objective lens offers an increased field of view for even faster target acquisition. Its reticle is comprised of a single 2MOA dot surrounded by an illuminated circle. The EON 1×35 has three color settings: red, green, and blue, making this a great option for all light conditions and it comes with a forward canted picatinny mount.

The EON 1×20 Red Dot and EON 1×35 Red Dot will both be available exclusively through Rural King, America’s Farm and Home Store. Rural King is proudly carrying on the tradition of the general store and has locations across Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia. For more information, visit www.ruralking.com.

Posted in Optics, Press Release | Comments Off on Viridian Debuts New EON Optics Red Dot Series

Wreaths Across America to Dedicate the Colonel Roger Donlon Vietnam War ‘Welcome Home’ Room at its History & Hospitality House in Maine

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Col. Donlon, United States Army Special Forces (Retired), was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine – Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 – On Saturday, Oct. 3, Wreaths Across America (WAA) will dedicate the Colonel Roger Donlon Vietnam War ‘Welcome Home’ Room at its newly renovated History & Hospitably House located next door to the nonprofit’s national headquarters in Columbia Falls, Maine.

Colonel Donlon became the first American soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 July 1964. Col. Donlon and his wife Norma have dedicated their lives to service of this country and the communities in which their family has been stationed throughout Roger’s 30-year military career.

“Norma and I are honored and proud to participate in the dedication of this special room. As a Vietnam era Gold Star Wife, Norma is grateful to WAA for providing a place where families can gather when visiting to participate in the Remembrance Tree Program,” said Col. Donlon. “As Blue Star parents of three sons who have served our country, we encourage others to visit WAA and enjoy the warm hospitality of the Worcester Family and all those involved with the mission to Remember… Honor… Teach.”

The Vietnam War ‘Welcome Home’ Room is the latest of the WAA History & Hospitality House room projects to be completed by WAA since starting this endeavor nearly three years ago, and is the largest room in the house, chosen because of the space it offers for local Vietnam Veterans to gather and share stories with each other and the community.

“Several years ago, a land purchase was made to secure a right-of-way and access to the Wreaths Across America headquarters – a building donated to the organization by the community. This historic home built in 1820 was part of that purchase,” said Karen Worcester, executive director WAA. “We decided that it would make a great house for the many Gold and Blue Star families, and veterans that visit throughout the year. In keeping with our mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach, each room is being renovated and decorated to represent a period in United States history associated with a military conflict.”

As ambassadors for Wreaths Across America, and active participants in the program in their hometown of Leavenworth, KS, the Donlon’s have become very involved in the mission over the last several years. They first traveled to Maine in 2017 to help with the opening of the similarly named Vietnam ‘Welcome Home’ Exhibit at the National Wreaths Across America Museum. That same year, the couple also served as honorary co-grand marshals for the annual escort to Arlington National Cemetery. Most recently in 2018, they participated in the dedication of the Medal of Honor Remembrance Park, which is an 8-acre park located on the tip land where balsam is harvested to make veterans’ wreaths each year for placement on National Wreaths Across America Day.

“Not only is Roger an American hero, but he and Norma, are dear friends who have become part of the Wreaths Across America family,” added Worcester. “To have them be here together for this event, and give others the opportunity to learn from them as we have had the honor to do, is truly humbling.”

To view a short video on why the mission matters to the Donlon’s click here.

To learn more about Col. Roger Donlon’s service and the actions that lead to his receiving the Medal of Honor, please click here.

Posted in Charity, Memorial, Press Release | 4 Comments »

Armor Express Secures New Credit Facility with CIBC Bank USA to Enhance Financial Flexibility and Support its Growth

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Company also announces the appointment of Joe Kuhn as its Chief Financial Officer

ARLINGTON, VA, September 30, 2020 – Armor Express, a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance protective solutions for the Domestic and Federal Law Enforcement markets, Department of Defense and First Responders, announced today that it has closed a new asset-based credit facility and secured term loan with CIBC Bank USA (“CIBC”). The credit facilities have a 60-month term and provide the Company with material additional capital to fund current operations and future growth initiatives, while reducing its cost of capital.

Jim Henderson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Armor Express stated, “Over the past two years, following the acquisition and subsequent merger with KDH Defense Systems, we have seen significant growth in our business. While we had the financial resources needed to support our customers and enjoyed a strong working relationship with our former lender, the asset-based credit facility provided by CIBC provides more than twice the borrowing capacity with more favorable terms. With contracts in place with the U.S. Department of Defense, and many new multi-year awards from both Federal and Domestic Law Enforcement, improving liquidity and enhancing financial flexibility will help us scale and invest in our business and better support our customers and partners. We look forward to a long and beneficial relationship with CIBC.”

The Company also announced today the appointment of Joe Kuhn as Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”). Mr. Kuhn joined Armor Express in July 2020 and he oversees all of Armor Express’ financial, accounting, IT, and compliance operations, in addition to banking and financing relationships. He brings over 25 years of financial and operational leadership experience across a number of industries and previously served as CFO at DATUM LLC; Cross Match, Inc; IntelliDyne LLC; Fishbowl, Inc.; NextPoint Networks, Inc.; Sybase 365; OPNET Technologies, Inc.; Ciraden, Inc.; and Alaris Medical Systems, Inc., among others. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and was a senior manager.

Henderson continued, “Joe has been a great asset for us since he joined, and we’re excited to have him onboard as part of our leadership team. He was instrumental in helping us secure these new facilities with CIBC and his knowledge, skillsets and relationships will be a bonus for Armor Express. This is especially true as we move into the next growth phase and invest in our foundation to enhance the customer experience.”

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Armor Express Secures New Credit Facility with CIBC Bank USA to Enhance Financial Flexibility and Support its Growth

Safariland Introduces the New Impulse Range Kit for Complete Protection

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

ONTARIO, California – Safariland®, a brand of The Safariland Group, a leading global provider of safety products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets, announced the expansion of its popular Impulse product line. The newest addition, the Impulse Range Kit, provides adaptable, complete protection by combining its Foam Impulse Hearing Protection, Ultra Compact Earmuffs and HD Flex Protective Eyewear into one convenient package.

Safariland’s new Impulse Range Kit ($39.99 MSRP) brings two proven methods of hearing protection together for the first time. The new Foam Impulse earbuds reduce sound levels by up to 38dB and provide 13dB of continuous sound reduction. The Impulse filter technology in each foam earbud cuts dangerous noise levels while still allowing speech and audio to be heard clearly.

For indoor ranges or areas where noise levels are more persistent, the Ultra Compact Earmuffs will provide 20dB of constant protection and can be comfortably worn over the Impulse Foam earbuds.

The Impulse Range Kit also provides protection for eyes by including Safariland’s HD Flex Protective Eyewear lenses made of fog-proof, scratch-resistant polycarbonate. The wrap-around lens design offers multi-directional protection and the rubber nose bridge and adjustable earpieces allow for a secure and comfortable fit.

“The Impulse Range Kit has quickly become one of my favorite shooting accessories. Whether I’m at an indoor or outdoor range, the two layers of hearing protection and the wrap-around eyewear keep me well protected.” Pro Shooter, Rob Leatham said. “And the filter technology in the Foam Impulse earbuds shields me from harmful sounds while allowing me to clearly hear my buddies talking to me while we’re out on the range.”

Posted in Comms, Press Release | 1 Comment »

LMT Defense Wins U.S. Army Contract to Produce Grenade Launchers

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Published 9/30/2020

LMT Defense, America’s premier weapons manufacturer, is pleased to announce that they have been selected to provide grenade launchers to the U.S. Army.

Official Announcement:

The $17,031,520.00 award is a firm-fixed-price contract to order M203/M203A2 grenade launchers and spare parts. The estimated completion date is Sept. 18, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0107).

Karl Lewis, President and CEO of LMT Defense stated, “LMT Defense is very proud to provide the U.S. Army M203/M203A2 grenade launchers. Enhancing mission effectiveness for our soldiers on the battlefield is our number one priority.” Lewis added, “LMT has made over 15,000 grenade launchers in the last 10 years. We have supported many allied nations, law enforcement, the U.S. Navy, and several other U.S. federal agencies. Every component of the grenade launcher will be manufactured at our 80,000 square foot facility in Eldridge, IA.”

Posted in Contracts, Press Release, weapons | 10 Comments »

Qore Performance IceVents Aero Universal Holster Pad Solves the Pain in the Hips

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Sterling, VA – Qore Performance recently expanded their popular IceVents lineup of unique padded ventilation solutions to include a simple fix for a universal hotspot on the hip under rigid, mid-length drop holsters. IceVents Aero Universal Holster Pad was built to comfortably mitigate the friction and pressure build up from long-term wear of holsters using SafariLand’s UBL platform and other similar mounts.

From Qore Performance Co-Founder and CEO, Justin Li, “We all love the SafariLand UBL and QLS system, but we all also had a pretty annoying pressure point on our hips after full days of training on the range, which brought back memories of painful shifts on duty. With relatively minor adjustments, IceVents Aero became a simple and effective solution. The initial feedback we’ve received is that we weren’t the only ones feeling this pain.”

The IceVents Aero Universal Holster Pad incorporates the extruded thermoplastic honeycomb of IceVents used for shoulder, chest, and duty belt padding and ventilation, and adds a breathable loop pile backing that attaches easily to the SafariLand UBL with a small piece of adhesive-backed hook tape. Qore Performance also includes a section of two-sided Velcro OneWrap in the package for additional security if desired.

IceVents Aero Universal Holster Pad continues the Qore Performance record of addressing thermoregulation challenges that inhibit human performance. Check out the rest of their IceAge EcoSystem for other effective solutions in temperature regulation and hydration for tactical, law enforcement, and industrial safety professionals.

Posted in Advertiser, Load Carrying, Press Release | 2 Comments »

The Story of the Development of the Spuhr Stock

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Here is the story, in founder Håkan Spuhr’s own words:

I never liked the G3, it has always been awkward to handle, never really thought about why, but it’s an ergonomical disaster!

Anyway, I do have a G3 in my collection and for some reason in 2012 I just stood and played with it. I realized the stock is way too long and that is the result of the G3 cheekbone chruncher!

That is the stockhump that smashes your face in the prone firing position. The reason they made the hump was the mistake in using a low profile ironsight!

If they had used high sights like the M16, the G3 would never been the ergonomic disaster it became!

You can easily see on users that the original stock absolutely sucks and is far too long as most users use the so-called rookiegrip, supporthand on magazine.

That is the body’s own reaction when LOP is too long to put the support hand further back.

I had a German wooden stock, so I put that on the bandsaw, shortened it 5-7 cm and cut the cheekpiece off. I then crudely glued on a wooden piece and belt sanded it very rough.

I called a friend and we met at the range. We were both immediately very satisfied with the handling of the gun.

When I got back home I machined an adapter so I could install a std AR15 buffertube and a magpul stock to the gun.

But as the major malfunction on the G3 is the hump, I had to place the buffertube as high as possible to kill the hump!

The negative thing was there was no space for the buffer anymore, so I made a simple rubber buffer.

We shot quite a lot with it and shared a movie so people could see the effect of a good stock placement.

In 2015-2016 the Swedish Defence Force got interested and they started a tender that we won, and I think it’s rather amazing that I got them to realize the problem and then delivered the solution.

But in the tender it was a MUST criteria that the original buffer should be used, and that was really annoying as I was short on time and had to design an all new stock that housed the buffer. But with cheekpiece and buttplate way higher.

The result was adopted and a few years later the Portuguese Marines followed and so did the German Federal Police on their MP5s.

I think it was a success, but of course one can always argue that it should be a folder instead. Thing is, when a gun is upgraded, the cost must be held low in order to get adopted.

Posted in History, International, Weapon Accessories | 4 Comments »

AeroVironment Teams with Robotic Skies for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Maintenance Support

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

AeroVironment’s all-electric VAPOR® 55 helicopter unmanned aircraft system (Photo: AeroVironment)

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. and CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2020 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), today announced a teaming agreement with Robotic Skies, a global maintenance, repair, and overhaul network for UAS, to provide field maintenance, inspection and repair support for AeroVironment customers.

Robotic Skies, through teaming agreements with companies such as AeroVironment, provides UAS fleet operators with local, aviation-grade maintenance services. The company offers a unique combination of expertise in unmanned aircraft systems and traditional aviation maintenance methodology to deliver high-quality, scalable services through its repair network.

“Our customers rely on AeroVironment’s market-leading unmanned aircraft systems to perform critical missions, making timely field maintenance and local support essential,” said Rick Pedigo, AeroVironment vice president of sales and business development. “By teaming with Robotic Skies, our valued customers can expect an even higher level of responsiveness and customer service through a broad service center network, which comprises 200 independently owned and operated, certified repair stations. This relationship will enable our customers to keep their UAS in operation, maximizing their productivity.”

Robotic Skies Founder and CEO, Brad Hayden, said: “We are excited to work with AeroVironment as they grow their fleet. For example, the VAPOR helicopter unmanned aircraft system is capable of operating beyond visual line of sight, and for customers flying under a FAA Part 107 line of sight waiver there are specific requirements to maintain the aircraft in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations. With Robotic Skies, AeroVironment customers can get the benefit of high-quality, OEM-certified maintenance and the peace of mind knowing they can meet any maintenance-related waiver requirements.”

AeroVironment’s all-electric VAPOR helicopter UAS delivers 60 minutes of cruise endurance and up to 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of flexible payload capacity. VAPOR’s modular payload bay provides access to a variety of integrated sensors and third-party payloads including gimbaled EO/IR, survey grade PPK mapping, LiDAR and hyperspectral sensors, and an available Drop/Delivery Mechanism. VAPOR is multi-mission capable for defense, commercial and industrial applications, enabling customers to choose the right configuration based on mission requirements, and the flexibility to create custom configurations that incorporate end-user provided equipment.

AeroVironment customers who are interested in learning more about Robotic Skies’ maintenance services may contact AeroVironment at customerservice@avinc.com or Robotic Skies at hello@roboticskies.com.

Posted in Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on AeroVironment Teams with Robotic Skies for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Maintenance Support