This is the production version of the Polymule Utility Cart which was launched on Kickstarter back in 2017. My favorite feature is the uphill assist which which keeps the wheels from rolling backward as you negotiate hills and obstacles. With a max weight limit of 400 lbs, that is a big help. They’ve also introduced accessories.
The M.250 Hex Toolkit from Tacticagear is a handy pocket driver offering 12 different hex bits as well as a 50mm extender. The holster is features a belt clip.
Coming in 2024 is the Jetboil Trail Spoon. What makes it different than other utensils on the market is that the Spoon and Fork feature telescoping handles to reach into Jetboil’s deeper pots. Additionally, the soon features silicon around the edge so it won’t scratch pots.
Hepher Industrial Park, Israel June 19, 2023 – BlueBird Aero Systems, an Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Group Company, unveils its SpyX, a cutting-edge Loitering Munition UAV platform designed to empower military forces with unmatched tactical capabilities such as 50Km operational range, 1.5 hours mission time, autonomous electro-optical guided attack, optimal effect-on-target and tight integration with Bluebird’s VTOL ISR UAV family. This groundbreaking technology represents a significant milestone in the evolution of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and brings a new era of precision and efficiency to the battlefield, and in an extremely affordable price.
SpyX, developed by BlueBird Aero Systems, is an expendable electric mini-UAV, designed for loitering & strike missions, to enable tactical teams to organically detect, confirm and hit targets at ranges up to 50Km. To increase its target detection capabilities, the SpyX is integrated with a revolutionary belly-mounted dual-sensor stabilized payload and advanced video tracker, to enable autonomous and accurate electro-optical guided attack on the target. To increase its effectiveness, the 2.5Kg warhead (like combined Anti-Personnel, Anti-vehicles, or Anti-tank warheads) is loaded to the SpyX Loitering Munition just before launch, as per the required effect-on-target.
“SpyX is a game-changer in the field of military UAV platforms,” says Ronen Nadir, CEO of BlueBird Aero Systems. “We are proud to introduce this advanced system that combines innovative technology with unmatched versatility and cost-effectiveness. SpyX not only enhances situational awareness and enables precision and effective strikes, but also revolutionizes tactical battlefield superiority through its tight integration with our VTOL ISR UASs. It is a testament to our commitment to provide our customers with cutting-edge solutions that meet their evolving needs of tactical military operations”.
Key Features and Benefits of SpyX:
• Operational Range: An impressive operational range of up to 50km.
• Endurance: An impressive endurance of 1.5 hours, ensuring persistent surveillance and the ability to strike when targets are discovered and identified.
• Versatile Warhead Options: Multiple types of warheads, including anti-tank and anti-personnel/lite vehicle, ensuring optimal effectiveness against different target types.
• Agility: With a weight of only 10 kg, SpyX is a compact and agile platform, enabling rapid deployment and maneuverability in dynamic scenarios.
• High Attack Speed: With an attack-speed of 250 km/h, SpyX ensures efficient engagement of targets. The Target will not see nor hear it coming…
• Separate Warhead Storage: SpyX unique design allows the warhead to be stored separately, to enhance logistic storage capabilities, reduce the required space for safe bunker storage, and simplifies the transportation and handling of the system.
Advanced Military Operations:
SpyX revolutionizes the way tactical military operations are conducted, providing an unparalleled advantage in various scenarios:
• Precision Strikes: With a designed Circular Error Probable (CEP) of less than 1 meter, SpyX ensures exceptional precision in targeting to minimizes the risk to ground forces and reduces collateral damage.
• Reconnaissance and Surveillance: With its advanced dual-sensor payload, the SpyX provides real-time enhanced situational-awareness, enabling better target detection capabilities and decision-making in the field. Additionally, BlueBird’s unique open architecture design allows for joint reconnaissance and target detection efforts by integrating SpyX with BlueBird’s VTOL ISR UASs such as WanderB-VTOL and ThunderB-VTOL UAS. This collaborative approach enhances the mission effectiveness by allowing target detection before launching SpyX, while covering larger areas for longer time using VTOL UAVs, maximizing operational efficiency.
• Force Protection: Safeguard military personnel and critical infrastructure by identifying and neutralizing threats efficiently and effectively. SpyX’s versatile warhead options allow for adaptable mission planning, enabling precise engagement of both armored targets and personnel or light vehicles.
For more information about SpyX and BlueBird’s range of UAS solutions, please visit www.bluebird-uav.com.
Watertown WI, 6-14 , 2023 –
Griffin Armament is releasing the CHECKMATE-HD™ suppressor, a 5.8 ounce 5.7×28 pistol rated rimfire suppressor with CARBON-GARD™ technology- the subject of a pending patent. The 5.8 ounce, 5.04″ overall length, suppressor, features a 17-4 heat treated Eco-Flow baffle system, front cap, and integrated EZ-LOK™ QD mounting system. The tube is 7075-T6 billet machined and hardcoat anodized, for maximum strength. The CHECKMATE-HD™ is the new market leader in rimfire suppressors.
The CARBON-GARD™ technology seals the entire baffle core with high temperature Silicone O-rings. This allows the suppressor to be more user maintenance friendly than any other rimfire suppressor on the market. After 2000 rounds are fired, the inside diameter of the tube and outside diameter of the core are still spotlessly clean for ease of disassembly without specialized tools other than a US Quarter.
Extensive workup was done to the baffle system resulting in a baffle system with zero first round pop and a market leading sound pressure level (SPL) on rifles and pistols.
When asked about the suppressor, Austin, head of Griffin Armament product development said,
“For its very small size and weight, the CHECKMATE-HD™ is probably the most efficient .22lr suppressor in the world. We are proud to bring back a Checkmate rimfire suppressor that can carry the lineage of our initial, 17 year old suppressor model forward into the future. Built on technology related to a recent note-able baffle technology patent, and with pending patents on the mounting system and user serviceable technology, this suppressor delivers unbeatable performance and value in today’s market. We specifically targeted the previously market leading rimfire suppressor with this model. This is the new market leader in the rimfire class.”
The CHECKMATE-HD comes with an EZ-LOK 1/2×28 coupler and is field ready out of the box. The only supporting accessory outside of various threaded barrel end couplers, is a CAM-LOK® rear mount, making this suppressor very simple, and straightforward for end users to understand and utilize. Unbeatable sound performance, unparalleled ease of maintenance and servicing, light weight, high strength, historically accurate CHECKMATE-QD mounting, and incredibly competitive pricing are the user benefits of the CHECKMATE-HD suppressor.
Key points :
• EZ-LOK™ QD mounting interface and adapter included
• Taper locking QD interface ensures security and accuracy
• Unique patent pending CARBON-GARD™ tech offers an unbeatable user maintenance experience
• Premium 17-4 H900 heat treated stainless steel & 7075-T6 outer tube
• Patent pending ECO-FLOW™ baffle system for reduced blow back and optimally tuned sound performance
• Patented flash reducing tool-less end cap
• PVD and hardcoat anodize provide increased surface hardness, corrosion, and wear resistance
• Warrantied for life with Griffin’s Perpetual Lifetime Warranty
CHECKMATE-HD™ Specs:
• DIMS: 1.07”x 5”
• Weight: 5.8oz
• Sound pressure Level: 115db 22lr pistol 4” / 114db 22lr Rifle 16” : No First Round Pop
• MSRP: $459.00
Accessories supported :
• CAM-LOK™ & Adapters (optional)
• Direct- Thread interface (optional)
• EZ-LOK™ & adapters ( interface & 1/2×28 adapter included)
To find out more on Griffin Armament’s entire product line, please visit their website at www.GriffinArmament.com.
WASHINGTON — The Army rolled out its new Army Body Composition Program Monday that outlines a more accurate way to assess Soldiers’ body fat.
At a recent event, Sgt. Maj. Christopher P. Stevens, Army G-1 personnel sergeant major, and Holly McClung, lead researcher for the body composition study at the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, talked about the roll out of the new program in detail.
“For years, we have been committed to reducing body fat across the force. It’s one of the driving factors in supporting the holistic health and fitness program, as well as one of the reasons to request a study on the Army Body Composition Program,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston in a prepared statement. “As we got feedback from the study, we found there were ways to modernize the ABCP and better uphold the standards established in the regulations. As we implement these policies, performance on the [Army Combat Fitness Test] will increase while body fat decreases at a scale never before seen in our Army.”
The new changes, which also apply to Army National Guard and Army Reserve, replace the older method of measurement with a one-site tape test that is one measurement across the belly button. The previous test had two measurements across the belly and the neck.
“This new tape test requires taping only at one site, and the use of a corresponding calculation model for all Soldiers,” Stevens said. “[The] height and weight screening table remains the first line of assessment so no change to that.”
“From the clinical application in the medical world, a waist circumference, abdominal around your belly button, is linked to long-term health outcomes,” McClung said. “Not only are we looking at the performance of the Soldier today, but the long-term health of the Soldier in years to come within the Army.”
As far as those who are unable to pass, the Army has methods in place that assist Soldiers with a path to a healthier lifestyle and, hopefully, will bring them up to standard.
“We want to help them, we want to put them on a health promotion track, work with some dietitians and some trainers and bring them up to standard,” McClung said. “It’s making sure that we’re helping our Soldiers today, as well as in the long run.”
With the older method, it was found that some Soldiers were passing when they should have failed, and some would fail when they should have passed, McClung said.
“That’s why as a team, the policy working group came up with the three different methods, so that we could pull out those top performers that maybe were failing,” McClung said.
Like the previous test, Soldiers who fail the height and weight will need to take the new standards test. Soldiers who fail the first taping method can use the previous taping method as confirmation until June 12, 2024, as the new method is phased in. After failing those tests, the Soldier will be flagged, which can negatively impact their career.
If the Soldier fails both of those versions of the tape test, they can request, if reasonably available, supplemental assessment with the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, InBody 770 or Bod Pod. These three devices are an advanced way to measure body fat composition.
“What’s going to stay in place when it comes to profession in the Army Body Composition Program is weight loss,” Stevens said.
These changes were made based on extensive research. The Army-wide study, which the ABCP is based on, was completed earlier this year, and evaluated the effectiveness of the new test on more than 2,600 Soldiers.
“We were hearing a lot from Soldiers in listening sessions and other forums who were concerned with the ACFT,” McClung said. “One of the main outcomes of this study was the first time that the Army has actually linked physical performance to body composition.”
The Army will continue to use the data from the study to make modifications to the program if necessary.
“This new policy will increase the readiness of the force by giving every Soldier a more accurate assessment of their health and fitness,” Stevens said. “The overall focus of the program is to have an effective and accurate assessment of the holistic health and fitness of the force, while at the same time providing Soldiers with the resources they need to improve and preserve individual and unit readiness.”
By SFC Michael Reinsch, Army News Service
In 1967, two Sikorsky HH-3E search and rescue helicopters made the first non-stop helicopter flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York, over London and finally to Le Bourget during the 27th Paris Air Show. Sikorsky founder Igor Sikorsky (right) and his son, Sergei Sikorsky welcomed the U.S. Air Force crew. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Images courtesy of the Sikorsky Archives.
PARIS, June 19, 2023 — Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), will celebrate its 100th anniversary during the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget this week emphasizing the deep and enduring relationship and the ongoing mission readiness and operational success shared by Sikorsky, its workforce in Poland and its commercial and defence customers across Europe. View the centennial video.
Sikorsky’s history crosses paths with Paris Air Show: Fifty-six years ago, two Sikorsky HH-3E search and rescue helicopters — the first air-refuellable helicopters built — made the first non-stop helicopter flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York, over London and finally to Le Bourget during the 27th Paris Air Show.
“Today Sikorsky helicopters around the world regularly make long-range flights in some of the toughest conditions,” said Paul Lemmo, Sikorsky President. “Those HH-3E flights in 1967 — with refueling supported by a Lockheed HC-130P Hercules tanker — were a testament to the ingenuity and innovation that began 100 years ago with our founder Igor Sikorsky. Innovation is central to our 21st Century Security mission of supporting our customers with systems to address their most difficult challenges.”
“I was there with my father to welcome the crew of the U.S. Air Force’s HH-3E, the original ‘Jolly Green Giant,’ when it arrived at Le Bourget,” said Sergei Sikorsky, one of Igor’s sons who lived in Germany supporting the country’s CH-53G heavy-lift helicopter program starting in 1972. “On the flightline at Le Bourget, we watched the first HH-3E perform a flawless refueling demo with a HC-130P Hercules tanker and then land 30 hours and 46 minutes after it left New York.”
The aircraft traveled 4,270 miles at about 131 mph before landing at 1:53 p.m. local time on June 1, 1967, at Le Bourget. The second HH-3E, which took a slightly altered path so it could clock the New York to London record, landed about 12 minutes later.
The Expanding Black Hawk Legacy
Sikorsky aircraft have supported missions in Europe for decades. For example, the German Armed Forces have operated CH-53G heavy lift helicopters in Germany and during missions all over the world for more than 50 years. Sikorsky’s proven reputation as the world-leader in reliability, safety and mission effectiveness carries on today in Europe with the growing fleet of Black Hawk and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, as well as with the future opportunities with X2™ aircraft and the CH-53K® heavy-lift helicopter.
The Hawk continues to welcome new customers in Europe. Twenty years ago, Austria became the first European country to operate Black Hawk when Sikorsky delivered nine UH-60L to the Bundesheer.
In Poland, Lockheed Martin’s PZL Mielec has been designing, manufacturing and servicing aircraft and helicopters for over 85 years. The company’s 1,500 employees will deliver the 100th S-70 Black Hawk multi-role helicopter from its production facility later this year. This comes after Sikorsky proudly delivered its 5,000th Hawk helicopter in January.
“The multi-mission Black Hawk provides critical capabilities that will strengthen readiness, interoperability and security across Europe for decades to come,” Lemmo said. “We continue to invest in Black Hawk modernization to provide operators with the reliability, versatility and growth they require to deter threats, integrate with the global fleet and support national security.”
Sikorsky S-92 and S-76 helicopters are also used for civil and commercial missions in Europe including VIP and head-of-state transport, oil and gas, and search and rescue. Thirteen S-92 helicopters support head of state missions globally and two S-76s have been providing air transport for the British Royal Family for more than two decades. There are 100 S-92 helicopters operating in the North Sea and supported by Sikorsky forward stocking locations in Norway and Scotland.
For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/sikorsky.
Coming next year, the CoolerTop Table from GCI Outdoor is an add-on accessory for your cooler, offering a variable height aluminum table top.
