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Archive for September, 2023

Fine Group Announces Attendance at DSEI Trade Show: Extending an Invitation to Explore Tailored Textile Solutions

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

London, 30/08/23 — Fine Group, a global leader in textile innovation with roots tracing back to 1948, is excited to announce its attendance at the upcoming DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International) Trade Show. With its established history of innovative textile solutions and its dual manufacturing bases in the UK and the Far East, Fine Group invites attendees to discuss bespoke textile needs and explore what the company can do for them. 

About Fine Group 

Founded in 1948 by Captain Henry Fine of the Royal Army Service Corps, the company began with a resourceful idea to recycle used WWII barrage balloons into bags and tents for a post-war Britain facing material scarcity. From those humble beginnings in Kings Cross, the company has expanded over the years, maintaining a steadfast commitment to innovation and quality. 

Today, Fine Group has design and manufacturing facilities in both the UK and the Far East, supported by a resourceful global supply chain. The company has carved a unique niche for itself, especially in extreme and technically demanding fields. This positions Fine Group at the forefront of textile innovation, enabling it to meet some of the most challenging requirements. 

The DSEI Trade Show 

At the DSEI Trade Show, Fine Group aims to discuss its state-of-the-art textile solutions that are at the intersection of technology and durability. Attendees are invited to engage in one-on-one discussions with experts from Fine Group about their specific textile needs, whether it be for defence, outdoor expeditions, or other specialised applications. 

Get in Touch 

We invite all interested parties attending the DSEI Trade Show to connect with us. Learn how our innovative textile solutions can be tailored to meet your unique challenges.  

To pre-schedule a meeting with our team or to find out more information, please contact: 

Stephen Daniels: stephen@finegroup.co.uk 

Ben O’Toole: ben@finegroup.co.uk 

“We’re excited to meet professionals who are as passionate about innovation as we are. DSEI provides the perfect platform for us to connect with industry experts and potential clients interested in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in textile solutions,” said Trevor Payne, Managing Director at Fine Group. 

 www.finegroup.co.uk

A Game-Changer That Redefines Future Battlefield Capabilities: The Type-X RCV, The First Robotic Combat Vehicle Equipped With A Mixed Reality Situational Awareness System

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

A Game-Changer That Redefines Future Battlefield Capabilities: The Type-X RCV, The First Robotic Combat Vehicle Equipped With A Mixed Reality Situational Awareness System.

Europe’s leading robotics and autonomous systems developer Milrem Robotics will present the Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV), the first-of-its-kind equipped with a mixed reality situational awareness system (MRSAS) at DSEI 2023 in London.

The Vegvisir Remote MRSAS enhances the decision making of Type-X operators by giving them a 360-degree virtual dome with EO/IR sensor fusion for both close and medium proximity vision and target engagement capabilities in any condition. The system is optimised for lower bandwidth for remote use and connects the operator into a digital hub to interact and consume digital data.

“Milrem Robotics continues the development of the Type-X RCV by integrating cutting edge technologies to address the requirements of many countries interested in intelligent robotic systems, especially the Nordics and Western Europe, but also the US,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.

In addition to the new cutting-edge situational awareness system, the Type-X is equipped with KONGSBERG’s latest and best PROTECTOR Medium Calibre Turret that is changeable to specifically meet the particular needs of various end-users. The combination, that has passed several live firing tests, gives mechanized units the means to breach enemy defensive positions with minimal risk to their own troops.

The Type-X is also integrated with the QUADBOX by Elistair, that consists of a tactical tethered UAS for ISR, and communications relay designed to further enhance situational awareness for extended periods whilst on the move.

The Type-X RCV along with other Milrem Robotics’ products can be found at stand no H4-122.

The Type-X RCV is an organic part of mechanized units that can take the most dangerous positions and provide equal or overmatching firepower and tactical usage compared to traditional Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

It was developed to navigate the battlefield autonomously, with a human-in-the-loop control system and artificial intelligence (AI) as an integral part of the operating algorithm. With the Type-X Milrem Robotics also introduces a feature called Indirect Drive that allows remote controlled operations on higher speeds.

Milrem Robotics is the leading European robotics and autonomous systems developer and systems integrator, with offices in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and the US. The company is known for their THeMIS and Multiscope UGVs, the Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle and the MIFIK autonomy kit.

Aurora Specialty Textiles Group Celebrates 140th Anniversary Manufacturing Here in the USA

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

(Yorkville, Illinois, USA, Sept. 5, 2023…) While thousands of US manufacturing companies have closed over the past 40 years, or moved operations overseas, Aurora Specialty Textiles Group (ASTG) has remained in the USA and this year is celebrating 140 years of continuous operation outside Chicago, Illinois. 

Through two world wars, two global pandemics, a major depression, countless recessions and under the terms of 26 different US presidents, Aurora has been a steadfast Chicago region employer and an anchor manufacturing operation for the US textile industry supply chain.

“Today, Aurora is the leading North American textile finishing company with wide width coating capabilities,” said Marcia Ayala, president of the company. “Aurora’s product offerings have expanded greatly from our beginnings in 1883 supplying private label sheeting to Sears & Roebuck. But our core values of supporting both the US textile industry supply chain and the community where we live and work have remained the same.”

ASTG opened in Aurora, Illinois, on the Fox River as the Aurora Cotton Mills 18 years after the Civil War. Over time Aurora’s products and services grew and so did its reputation for innovation and quality. The company’s name also went through a few evolutions  including Aurora Bleachery and Dye Works, Aurora Textiles, Aurora Textile Finishing Company and today, Aurora Specialty Textiles Group.

In 1977 Aurora was purchased by Meridian Industries, a privately owned conglomerate based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In 2015, Aurora moved to an updated facility in Yorkville, Illinois, not far from its original location, to keep up with changing trends and technologies in the US textile industry. With the new plant a mere 10 miles away from the old plant, Aurora was able to retain all employees while adding new personnel and a new generation of high tech finishing and manufacturing equipment.

That investment in state-of-the-art textile technology made it possible for Aurora’s plant in Yorkville to offer a wide array of products and services used in a range of applications including pressure sensitive tapes, industrial belting, digitally printable textiles, military textiles, healthcare & safety, sanding abrasives, and outdoor protective coverings. Aurora offers fabric preparation, fabric coating and finishing, calendering, fabric dyeing, converting services, contract manufacturing and toll manufacturing.

“We are in the best position we have ever been to create something terrific,” at Aurora, said Bruce Pindyck, Chairman, President, and CEO of Meridian Industries. “We are constantly evolving and that is critical to the company’s success.”

While Aurora’s technologies and products have evolved, the company’s commitment to workforce diversity has remained a core value. Aurora hired women from almost day 1 and today, women make up 23 percent of the company’s workforce and 50% of the company’s leadership, which includes the company’s president.  

Also, in step with changing times, Aurora has been a textile industry leader in the area of sustainability, winning awards for the many steps they’ve taken to reduce energy use, water consumption, residual effluent, air pollution and VOC’s.

In addition, Aurora has won numerous awards from the Valley Industrial Association (VIA) for operational excellence and innovation. The VIA serves manufacturing operations throughout the Chicago region’s corner of the Midwest manufacturing belt.

“Our Midwest roots run deep, and so does our commitment to continuous growth, innovation and evolution in step with the changing demands of today’s global textile industry,” said Ayala. “For us, the key to success is continuous improvement while staying rooted in the community where our employees have lived and worked for 140 years. We are all very proud of our history and our continued place as a trusted US textile industry manufacturer.” 

auroratextile.com

Vegvisir Set to Unveil Its Disruptive Situation Awareness System at DSEI

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

The Estonian-Croatian defence industry start-up Vegvisir will be presenting its first ready-made products at this year’s DSEI exhibition in London. Following two years of development and rigorous testing, the company is prepared to showcase Vegvisir Core as the situational awareness system for manned vehicles and the Vegvisir Remote for unmanned platforms.

Vegvisir’s innovative situational awareness system uses vehicle-mounted cameras, an immersive ultra-low latency headset, and supplementary data overlay capability to provide the vehicle personnel a comprehensive 360-degree view of the surrounding environment. This heightened awareness equips troops with the tools to navigate complex scenarios and make well-informed decisions on the battlefield.

According to Ingvar Pärnamäe, the CEO of Vegvisir, the company has successfully completed three product demonstrations with the Estonian and Croatian armed forces within the last year.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback from end users who confirm that we are addressing a critical problem often encountered by armoured vehicle personnel on the battlefield. As the cornerstone of our concept is our team members’ first-hand experience from military missions, we know that an adequate understanding of the surroundings can significantly enhance the capabilities of armoured vehicles and their personnel,” said Pärnamäe.

The company is set to showcase two versions of the solution at DSEI – Vegvisir Core and Vegvisir Remote. Vegvisir Core is designed to deliver a comprehensive 360-degree view with the lowest possible latency on infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, combat support platforms, engineering vehicles, and main battle tanks. It connects the crew into a digital hub allowing seamless interaction and access to digital data.

Vegvisir Remote offers a similar experience to Vegvisir Core but is optimized for lower bandwidth, making it ideal for remote use. Its primary application is on optionally manned or unmanned platforms that require remote operation.

The company will be presenting the product demo at the Estonian Pavilion (stand H4-120). Vegvisir Core will be integrated to Patria AMV XP 8×8 at stand H7-120 and Vegvisir Remote will be exhibited live on Milrem Robotics Type-X RCV at stand H4-122.

“For our team, having our product assembled on the platforms of some of the most renowned players in the defence sector is also a significant achievement. We aim to send a strong signal that the Vegvisir solution is a valuable addition to the most advanced platforms within the defence industry, and we are capable of introducing substantial innovation to the field of situational awareness technology,” Ingvar Pärnamäe added.

Vegvisir technical features:

•             4 sensor system modules attached to the vehicle (front, sides and rear)

•             360 degrees field of view  by combining different layers of sensor system

•             Ultra low latency

•             Military grade casings with cleaning system

•             Optional thermal sensors

•             Head or helmet mounted display(goggles)  for MR experience

•             Intuitive user interaction panel

•             Custom 3D virtual engine to support multi user and channel input

•             Additional interfaces available: CAN, ETH

•             Custom UI to effectively show data from vehicle or other systems

•             Battlefield management system integration with data virtualisation and visualisation

•             Vehicle information visualisation

For organising a meet-up at DSEI or receiving additional information please contact:

Karl Kaju, CMO

karl.kaju@vegvisir.ee

www.vegvisir.ee

Integris Is New Company Name for TenCate Advanced Armour

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

Expanding the Market for Survivability Engineering and Composite Solutions
Tysons Corner, Virginia Sept. 5, 2023 — The company that has provided the world’s military and law enforcement with protective armor for 25 years has changed its name and broadened its mission. “TenCate Advanced Armour becomes Integris Composites,” said CEO John W. Mercer.

For decades the firm has been a trusted partner in the design, engineering and manufacturing of survivability solutions for the world’s most demanding defense contractors, including Boeing, Airbus, General Dynamics and BAE Systems as well as major police agencies. Specifically, the company provides body armor plates for military and law enforcement personnel, as well as ballistic and blast protection for land vehicles, aircraft and naval vessels and antiballistic composites that also serve as structural housings for sensitive technologies such as optronics.

Presenting Integris: CEO John W. Mercer and Managing Director Helle Specht last week introducing employees at the Vissenbjerg, Denmark facility to the company’s new name Integris Composites. The new brand replaces TenCate Advanced Armour. For 25 years the business has provided the world’s military and law enforcement with protective armor designed, engineered and manufactured here as well as in France and the United States. “In 2020 we reestablished the company as a stand-alone business. Now, I am delighted to announce we have a stand-alone identity,” said Mercer, who was Executive Chairman of the Steering Committee until being named CEO in July. Permission is granted for publication. Credit: Holy Cow Media, Denmark

“In 2020 we reestablished the company as a stand-alone business. Now, I am delighted to announce we have a stand-alone identity,” said Mercer, who was Executive Chairman of the Steering Committee until being named CEO in July. “Our name has changed, but not our company, nor our dedication to customers and innovation, nor our commitment to creating cutting-edge composite solutions,” he added.

Integris maintains the ability to develop, test and manufacture armor solutions in its Danish, French and U.S. facilities. “We stand apart because of our ability to collaborate with and supply major contractors virtually anywhere in the world,” said Jonas Holck, group vice president for strategy.

Beyond Armor

“Our goal is to engineer and manufacture cutting-edge composite solutions, in high-performance applications or high-risk environments, that meet or exceed our customers’ expectations of quality, performance and value,” explained D. Andrew Bonham, president of Integris Composites, Inc., the U.S. company.

Stopping Power: Testing ballistic resistance at the shooting range in Primarette, France, home to one of the engineering and manufacturing facilities of Integris Composites. The others are in Denmark and the United States. The new Integris brand replaces TenCate Advanced Armour, which has provided the world’s military and law enforcement with protective armor for 25 years. “Integris stands apart because we design, engineer and produce the full range of ballistic armor and survivability solutions for personal protection; air, land and sea vehicles; and tactical technologies used by defense authorities and leading police agencies worldwide. Other firms support one or two of these needs. Integris supports all segments,” said CEO John W. Mercer. Permission is granted for publication. Credit: Holy Cow Media, Denmark

“Going forward, Integris is expanding its market into other sectors where lightweight, high-performance, innovative, fit-for-purpose composite solutions can be an advantage,” Bonham said.

Value Proposition

With its new name comes a recentering of the company’s mission. “Integris” evokes the reasons for longstanding customer loyalty, according to Mercer. “Reliability, integrity, innovation, design-engineering, research and development. All of that is packed into our new name.”

Integrity, Trust, Doing What You Say You Will Do

The name Integris was developed following a survey of employees that asked what characteristics most accurately define the business. “The answers were integrity, honesty, trust — delivering what you say you will deliver,” Holck said.

Integris provides composite solutions that enhance the value of the customer’s offering. “Customers know they have a partner for life. As a technical company, specialized in engineering, design, and manufacturing of high-quality composite solutions, we have a reputation for supporting long life-cycle programs — on time, on price, on quality — while creating new-generation composite solutions,” explained Mercer.

John W. Mercer: CEO of Integris Composites, the new name for TenCate Advanced Armour, the company that has provided the world’s military and law enforcement with protective armor for 25 years. Mercer served as Executive Chairman of the Steering Committee until being named CEO in July. “In 2020 we reestablished the company as a stand-alone business. Now, I am delighted to announce we have a stand-alone identity,” said Mercer. “Our name has changed, but not our company, nor our dedication to customers and innovation, nor our commitment to creating cutting-edge composite solutions.” Permission is granted for publication. Credit: Holy Cow Media, Denmark

“Integris stands apart because we design, engineer and produce the full range of ballistic armor and survivability solutions for personal protection; air, land and sea vehicles; and tactical technologies used by defense authorities and leading police agencies worldwide. Other firms support one or two of these needs. Integris supports all segments.”

Black Hills Designs RANGE – R PRO

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

Introducing the Black Hills Designs RANGE – R PRO which was designed with some deliberate feedback and help from Praecore Performance Shooting.

It offers the ability to Correct Fire, Vector Fire, Navigate, and Range, all in one. The RANGE-R PRO is the Rifleman and Special Operations best friend that fits in your pocket.

Features:

-MIL scale for Correcting Fire or MIL Ranging

-1:10,000/100,000 map scale

-1:50,000 map scale

-4 Map Marking Stencils

-10 CM ruler

-2m reticle

-M80 Ball and 556 m855a1 Ballistic Drop Visualizers

www.blackhillsdesigns.net

The Australian Combat Assault Rifle by Lithgow Arms

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

Australian small arms manufacturer Lithgow Arms has formally launched their Australian Combat Assault Rifle line with two current models, the ACAR 5.56/300BLK and the ACAR 7.62. Both feature Direct Impingement operating systems. However, Lithgow Arms continues to develop the line and we should see a piston gun next year.

Designed and manufactured in a collaboration between Thales’s Lithgow Arms and Australian small arms specialist Wedgetail Industries, the ACAR series delivers high quality and mission flexibility for defence and law enforcement customers.

This video gives a quick overview of the ACAR.

We offered a sneak peek during last year’s Land Forces conference and will check these latest versions out during next week’s DSEI in London.

To learn more, visit www.lithgowarms.com/defence-law-enforcement

2nd Infantry Division Soldiers Test New Army Command Post Communications

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Washington — Soldiers here are testing new gear to achieve the Army’s top priority in communications to reduce its command post battlefield footprint while improving mobility and agility.

Under development in two increments, termed Increment 0 and Increment 1, Soldiers of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Ghost,” 2nd Infantry Division, are testing Inc. 0 of the Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2).

Maj. Joseph Brown, brigade fire support officer, and lead planner for the exercise and test, said, “CPI2 is intended to provide the Army a more survivable mission command platform.”

Brown said it is important for combat units like his to be able to tear down, move, and stand up their capabilities rapidly.

“If it functions the way it is intended,” he said, “brigades will consume less time in transitions and the improved survivability makes our C2 structure more resilient to enemy attack.”

“Soldiers are exercising the CPI2 by conducting real-world missions in an operational environment,” said Mr. Beresford Doherty, test officer with the U.S. Army Operational Test Command, based at West Fort Cavazos, Texas.

“Nine production representative vehicles are being tested under simulated combat operations,” he added.

According to its website, Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communication Tactical (PEO C3T) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, CPI2 is currently executing multiple phases of prototyping, integration, and experimentation.

Doherty said CPI2 will replace the dated Command Post Tent System (SICUP) with a family of more mobile systems.

“One of the most important elements of the test is Army Soldier feedback of how the CPI2 performs in support of their mission,” Doherty said.

“Soldier feedback and lessons learned during Inc. 0 will inform Inc. 1, which expands upon product lines with an additional mix of military vehicle platforms, including armored vehicles, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and Medium Tactical Vehicles,” he added.

Sgt. 1st Class Austin Bradford, brigade help desk NCOIC said, “So far it’s been pretty good, we’ve run into some issues, but I think as we work things out it’s going to get better and faster.”

Platoon Leader 2nd Lt.  Cassie Daly, working out of the brigade’s tactical action center, seemed excited about the overall set up of the “expando” vehicles and quick connection capabilities.

“It’s been cool to see the attachments to the S3, or our attachments to the BDE S6 and other S shops that are fielding these new expandos,” she said.

“The coolest part is that they can connect the services we provide through wireless, verses through fiber, across the battlefield. And just the whole set up of the expando is like a mini conference room.”

According to Mr. Robert Potter, chief of Mission Command at the U.S. Army Evaluation Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, data points collected during the test will be used to assess operational effectiveness, suitability, and survivability of CPI2, as well as any effects across the Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership, Personnel and Facility domains.

Story by Jacqueline Howard, Test Officer, Mission Command Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command

Photos by Tad Browning, Lead Audiovisual Production Specialist, U.S. Army Operational Test Command