February 2022 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for February, 2022

SK Customs Announces The Lost States of America Engravers Series with The Lost State of Jacinto – Sam Houston Introduction

Thursday, February 24th, 2022

SK Customs® restores history by launching “The Lost States of America Engravers Series” production line with “The Lost State of Jacinto – Sam Houston” Colt 1911 pistols engraved in 24KT gold.

An important battle of the Texas Revolution, the Battle of San Jacinto took place in 1836 in present-day Harris County, Texas. General Sam Houston led the Texian Army against General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s Mexican Army in a critical victory. The battle lasted only eighteen minutes and changed the world.

In the end, the United States would gain not only Texas, but also New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Utah and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming. As a result of the Battle of San Jacinto, nearly a third of what is now the United States of America changed ownership. It is one of the most decisive and consequential battles in the history of the United States and indeed the Western world.

“We commemorate General Sam Houston and the Texian Army for avenging the Alamo and Goliad by launching this very exclusive limited edition of only 200 full size government model Colt 1911 pistols chambered in .45ACP,” said Simon Khiabani, owner and founder of SK Customs. “Each pistol includes a special engraved edition number and will be accompanied with a beautiful antique silver commemorative challenge coin.”

Details on each side of the gun include a beautiful custom scroll pattern which flows to the top of the slide. On the left side of the gun, SK Customs has engraved the iconic quote by General Sam Houston, “Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may.”

On the right side is the iconic quote used when the Texian Army charged into battle shouting, “Remember the Alamo, Remember Goliad!”

The top of the slide provides a portrait of General Sam Houston in front of the Monument of San Jacinto, while the rear of the slide is engraved with “The State of Texas” seal and “The Lost State of Jacinto.”

“The grips are made of Genuine Mesquite Burl native to Texas and to enrich the history of this production, both the grips and challenge coins were manufactured and sourced directly from our partners in the Lone Star State making this production even more special,” said Khiabani.

To learn more about SK Guns®, SK Arms VA® and SK Customs®, visit SKARMSVA.com.

Posted in Firearms, Press Release | Comments Off on SK Customs Announces The Lost States of America Engravers Series with The Lost State of Jacinto – Sam Houston Introduction

British Tactical – Mad Jack Sheath for the SA80 Bayonet

Thursday, February 24th, 2022

Not long until the launch of the first sheath in British Tactical’s re-designed range of Mad Jack sheaths, this one is specifically for the SA80 Bayonet.

www.britishtactical.com

Posted in As Seen On Instagram, International, Knives, Load Carrying | Comments Off on British Tactical – Mad Jack Sheath for the SA80 Bayonet

USMC Activates New Littoral Anti-Air Battalion

Thursday, February 24th, 2022

MCB HAWAII, Hawaii —

The Marine Corps administratively activated its first Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, the 3rd LAAB, in a small ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Feb. 11, 2022.

While the unit is not envisioned to be fully operational for several years, the ceremony marks one of the first steps in the Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030 modernization effort.

The administrative activation of 3rd LAAB sets leadership in place and allows the unit to manage existing facilities and equipment previously managed by the recently de-activated 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. Activation also facilitates wargaming and experimentation to better define unit requirements and employment concepts in support of the Marine Corps’ Force Design modernization goals.

As designed, 3rd LAAB will serve as a subordinate unit to the future 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, or 3rd MLR. While the details of how the LAAB will operate are still in development, the Marine Corps envisions the LAAB providing critical support and protection for small teams of MLR Marines distributed across wide areas of the Pacific region.

“Force Design creates advantages by having Marines think, act and organize in new ways…”

Lt. Col. James Arnold, 3rd LAAB commanding officer

Although 3rd LAAB is a new unit, its mission of air defense, air surveillance and early warning, air control, and forward arming and refueling is not new to the Marine Corps. What is new is how the Marine Corps envisions organizing and employing the battalion.

“Force Design creates advantages by having Marines think, act and organize in new ways,” said Lt. Col. James Arnold, 3rd LAAB commanding officer. “The capabilities formerly only found in the Wing that the LAAB will bring to the MLR commander used to require three different units that directly worked for an aviation commander. As envisioned with Force Design, this capability will now be organic to the tactical ground commander.”

The activation ceremony for 3rd LAAB represents a historical milestone, as the unit inherits the official Marine Corps history and lineage of a Marine anti-air unit that saw action from World War II to Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

The 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battalion was activated Dec. 19, 1938 and was re-designated as 3rd Defense Battalion in 1939. After the unit relocated in May 1940 to Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, the unit saw action in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and fought in the battles of Midway, Guadalcanal, the Northern Solomon Islands, and Bougainville. It deactivated in 1944 but was later re-activated as the 1st Provisional Marine Guided Missile Battalion in 1961. The unit re-designated as 3rd Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion, employing its Hawk area defense missile systems as it participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. The unit de-activated Sept. 30, 1994 as the Marine Corps divested of its medium-range air defense capability.

1st Lt Isaac Liston, 3rd Marine Division

Posted in Forces Focus, Guest Post, USMC | Comments Off on USMC Activates New Littoral Anti-Air Battalion

Visit Helix Tactical at Enforce Tac

Thursday, February 24th, 2022

Helix Tactical is attending Enforce Tac on the 1st-2nd March in Nuremberg, Germany. This is the best European show for seeing the latest specialist tactical solutions and this year they will be providing you with a multi-level, interactive experience. You will find their stand in Hall 12 – Stand 671.

Posted in Enforce Tac, Mountaineering | Comments Off on Visit Helix Tactical at Enforce Tac

UF PRO Heading to Nuremberg for Enforce Tac and IWA Trade Fairs; Will Introduce Its Much-Anticipated 2022 Tactical Gear Lineup There

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

TRZIN, SLOVENIA (23 February 2022)—UF PRO today confirmed it will be exhbiting new products at the first post-pandemic Enforce Tac and IWA Outdoor Classics trade shows in Nuremberg, Germany, next week.

At those events the company will unveil its 2022 lineup of advanced-technology tactical garments. In addition, UF PRO will offer a sneak peek at other gear coming later.

Enforce Tac will be held 1-2 March in Nuremberg’s exhibition centre. UF PRO’s booth will be at Stand 432 in Hall 12.

IWA Outdoor Classics will be held 3-6 March at the same exhibition center in Nuremberg, but the UF PRO booth will have moved to Hall 3, Stand 315.

UF PRO, which makes cutting-edge tactical gear for military and law-enforcement personnel worldwide, plans to introduce at the two trade shows an impressive roster of innovative field apparel and related gear that includes:

M2 Parka. This reimagining of the iconic M65 parka protects against rain and wind, and is nearly 100% noiseless. UF PRO is positioning it as an all-in-one survival jacket that combines functionality with convenience and that is equally suited for use in foul weather or for everyday wear.

Striker XT Gen.3 Combat Shirt. Carrying forward UF PRO’s tradition of excellence in design and construction, the shirt looks to be a popular item thanks to its super-stretchy, fast-drying material in the torso and moisture-wicking 3D mesh fabric.

Striker XT Gen.3 Combat Pants. Tactical trousers that are set to impress with their improved knee protection plus high-comfort venting and Waist/Flex System-adjusted fit.

Striker FR Gen.2 BDU. This fire-resistant battle dress uniform is designed to significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening injury from flames and intense heat caused by improvised explosive devices as they detonate and by proximity to flashover fires.

Additionally, UF PRO will debut its new Delta Winter line of garments built from a novel water-repellent and windproof softshell material that promises improved breathability, better thermal insulation, and greater tactile-pleasing softness. The line consists of:

Delta Ace Plus Gen.3 Winter Jacket for wearing while engaged in physically demanding activities at freezing temperatures.

Ace Gen.2 Winter Combat Shirt featuring a smart combination of thermal insulation and air vents to support ops in frigid environments.

Delta Eagle Gen.3 Softshell Jacket designed for staying warm while preventing overheating on cool, damp, windy days.

Delta OL 4.0 Tactical Winter Jacket sheds nearly all of the bulk normally associated with outerwear intended use in sub-zero temperatures.

Delta OL 4.0 Tactical Winter Pants fit precisely without restricting the wearer’s freedom of movement while also providing impressive warmth.

For more information about UF PRO products, please visit the company’s website at: www.ufpro.com

Posted in Advertiser, Enforce Tac, Guest Post, IWA | Comments Off on UF PRO Heading to Nuremberg for Enforce Tac and IWA Trade Fairs; Will Introduce Its Much-Anticipated 2022 Tactical Gear Lineup There

Arisaka Defense – Stock Angle Adapter – CTR

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

Based on the success of the first version of the Stock Angle Adapter for the Magpul SL and SL-S stocks, Arisaka Defense has just released a variant for the Magpul CTR stock which makes the CTR stock perform similar to a precision bolt gun stock.

Developed in conjunction with Mike Olivella from Praecore Performance it offers three advantages:

1. Changes the recoil pad angle so it is perpendicular to the bore axis.

2. Adds height and cant adjustments to the recoil pad.

3. Changes the stock to use Magpul SL pads.

arisakadefense.com/stock-angle-adapter-ctr

You MUST use a Magpul SL, Magpul SL Enhanced, or SL Limbsaver recoil pad in combination with this adapter.

Posted in Advertiser, Weapon Accessories | 2 Comments »

Sneak Peek – BZN Special Blend 001 Summit 26 from Mystery Ranch

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

Mystery Ranch has been teasing the first of three drops called BZN Special Blend. I present the first, the BZN Special Blend 001 Summit 26 – Black & Orange which is based on a classic Kletterwerks design with a touch of the Ranch thrown in for good measure.

The name itself is pretty cool. About 15 years ago Mystery Ranch created a pack for Navy SEALs called “Dana’s Special Blend.” These fully featured expedition packs are still sought after by military personnel and hikers alike, demanding top dollar. The BZN in the name obviously refers to Bozeman, the town Dana Gleason chose to set down roots as he wandered across country, working his way west from Massachusetts in various outdoor stores. It’s also where these packs are made; right at home in the mothership.

The pack lives up to the name in its basic coolness. It goes way beyond the fact that there are only going to be 250 of these on the street.

The 26 Liter Summit 26 is perfect for running around town. It features a large zippered panel loading pocket with an internal padded laptop sleeve. For those of you who are a bit more adventurous, there’s an internal toggle to hang your hydration reservoir. There’s also a Velcro pile field on the inside of the panel flap to attach your favorite accessories.

Externally, you get two padded straps outfitted with a quite functional sternum strap and a generously padded back with polymer reinforcement for rigidity.

There are a couple of rows of low profile PALS webbing at each side of the bag along with bar tacked webbing down the front of the panel flap, to strap extras on. There’s also a vertically zippered pocket on the panel flap for those items you need to access quickly and it’s furnished with dual webbing haul handles at the top. It’s very well set up for travel and commuting.

The colors are Black with Orange accents, which are not only MR brand colors, but damned practical as well. Not only does the Black hide the dirt of every day carry pretty well, the Orange accents make it stand out from others and gives the inside a glow when you need to find something in the bottom of the pack quickly.

A final note…the zippers. These aren’t just any old zippers. These are YKK IR-compliant zippers. I’d expect nothing less from Mystery Ranch, the entire pack is well made and from the highest quality materials.

Launching 1 March, 2022.

Keep checking www.mysteryranch.com/BZNBuilt which should go live soon with additional info.

Posted in Advertiser, Packs | 11 Comments »

The Time Is Now For Next Generation Squad Weapons

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

Over four years ago, then Army Chief of Staff GEN Mark Milley told Congress that the US Army needed a new family of squad weapons which would provide overmatch for their small arms. The resulting program, Next Generation Squad Weapons is ready to deliver on that requirement. Base on events earlier this week in Ukraine, this program must move forward, with all speed.

Any day now, the US Army may announce the winner to provide replacements for up to 120,000 of the M4 carbines and M249 Squad automatic weapons currently wielded by close combat forces. The Marine Corps is monitoring the program to consider making similar changes. This program doesn’t just concern weapons, but also the ammunition a Soldier fires. The Army specified a performance spec based around a government provided 6.8mm projectile which is similar to 270 WSM.

The contest is now down to two very different candidates. One is a low risk option; SIG SAUER’s weapons consist of a rifle and belt-fed machine gun which fire a hybrid-cased cartridge. Alternatively, True Velocity’s option* is a bullpup design with box-fed rifle and automatic rifle firing a composite-cased cartridge.

Both SIG and TV are ready to move forward, having announced commercial variants of both their ammunition and weapons. At this point, we are approaching COTS.

It’s time to stop the delays and announce the winner. The Army has already selected a Fire Control solution from Vortex Optics as well as let a contract to Winchester which operates the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant and will produce whichever type of 6.8mm cartridge is selected. The pieces are falling into place.

Procured using an Other Transaction Agreement, there is a lot of flexibility on how this moves forward, but it must. At this point, the ball is truly in the Army’s court. Even after the award, there’s still a lot work to be done but the sooner it begins the better. Not only does moving forward with this program get us on the way to achieving small arms overmatch, but it sends a serious message to Russia that US forces are equipping themselves with weapons to defeat their ground forces in combat, regardless of their personal armor. This may give Russia pause in their stated goal to restore the former republics of the USSR to Russian control. It will assuredly weigh on the psyche of their troops. Either is a psychological win.

*The US Army novated General Dynmanics’ NGSW OTA to Lone Star Future Weapons which is owned by True Velocity in June.

Posted in Advertiser, Ammo, Army, weapons | 60 Comments »