September 2023 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for September, 2023

Rheinmetall Supplies Norway with a Mission Master XT After Demonstrating Its Capabilities in Hostile Nordic Conditions

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

Rheinmetall has supplied Norway with its very first Rheinmetall Mission Master XT, an extreme-terrain unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) capable of thriving in sub-zero temperatures.

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (the prime institution responsible for defence-related research and development in Norway) awarded Rheinmetall the contract after it won a competitive bid with challenging mobility and schedule requirements.

A tried-and-tested solution for Nordic countries

This contract comes just months after Rheinmetall took part in the Artic Mobility Trials in Finland, where the autonomy and mobility of the Rheinmetall Mission Master XT were put to the test. Despite a challenging environment and -30°C weather conditions, the vehicle successfully navigated through icy rivers and climbed up slippery banks.

The Rheinmetall Mission Master XT during the Artic Mobility Trials in Finland

“We are proud to have developed systems that can withstand some of the world’s harshest conditions. These recent trials have proven that we are in a strong position to meet the needs of Nordic countries that face similar challenges to us here in Canada,” stated Alain Tremblay, vice president for business development and innovation at Rheinmetall Canada.

Rheinmetall Mission Master XT, an extreme terrain UGV

Developed by Rheinmetall Canada in 2021, the Rheinmetall Mission Master XT can tackle ice and snow, as well as sandy, rocky and mountainous topography. Its advanced amphibious capabilities allow it to float and swim while maintaining its full payload capacity. Weighing in at 2,217 kg, this powerful A-UGV can carry a 1000 kg payload, allowing troops to transport special equipment to hard-to-reach locations. The diesel-powered engine allows it to travel 750 km without refuelling, while internal batteries enable up to 6 hours of silent watch operations. Another key feature of the Rheinmetall Mission Master XT is its high-performance continuous tyre inflation system, which adjusts the tire pressure according to the terrain.

Like other platforms in the Rheinmetall Mission Master family, the XT vehicle is driven by Rheinmetall PATH, an AI-powered navigation system that can be installed on any vehicle. This agnostic suite of advanced sensors and perception algorithms enables Mission Master vehicles to navigate autonomously through challenging environments, while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way.

The Rheinmetall Canada team took part in the Norwegian Army Technology Days 2023 on August 23 and 24, where it has delivered a presentation on “How to speed up the adoption of and trust towards UGVs”.

For more information on the family of Rheinmetall Mission Master UGVs, please visit rheinmetall.ca.

Posted in Contracts, International, Mobility, Press Release | Comments Off on Rheinmetall Supplies Norway with a Mission Master XT After Demonstrating Its Capabilities in Hostile Nordic Conditions

Agilite Appoints Michael Litwin as Business Development Director of Government Sales

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

Agilite USA has announced the appointment of Michael Litwin as Business Development Director of Government Sales.

Michael previously served on the senior team at Noble, having risen through the ranks of TSSi where he won and managed multiple federal government contracts, managed TSSi’s largest customer accounts and developed custom TACOPS products and kits for many of his customers. Within his last two years he had the unique experience of going through two mergers, NOBLE and Federal Resources, where he participated in the development and management of a variety of business development and sales teams, assisted in process improvement, and strategy planning. During Michael’s tenure he developed lasting relationships within the DoD, Federal Government, State and Local, and Education spaces with clients, but also developed lifelong friendships within the industry as he worked to take the best products to the right customers over his almost eight years with TSSi/NOBLE.

“I’m honored to join the freight train that is Agilite.” said Litwin. “Anyone who’s ever done business with Agilite knows that both the products and the people are extraordinary and it’s exciting to join this industry-leading team.”

Michael’s role is part of the expansion of the team at Agilite USA in order to meet demand from US Forces and other North American clients.

Contact Michael at Michael.L@agilitegear.com

Posted in Industry, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Agilite Appoints Michael Litwin as Business Development Director of Government Sales

215 Gear – Safariland Drop Leg Holster Adaptor

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

Designed to mount any Safariland™ holster or QLS plate, allowing for holster drop and CANT. Other OEM or aftermarket systems allow for holster drop, ignoring the ability to allow for rearward CANT of the pistol grip. By adding negative CANT into the pistol, it provides a streamlined draw of the pistol. To achieve a streamlined draw, CANT the pistol grip rearward, until your forearm and wrist, while in a straight line, naturally drop to your pistol grip. If you have to angle your wrist, you are reducing economy of motion and slowing you draw. The OEM Safariland™ QLS never achieves a neutral or zero, at best at 5º positive CANT.

Our system provides a rock solid clamp onto your belt, for both left and right handed shooters. Additionally built into our base are slots to accommodate the original Safariland™ leg strap, or the 215 Gear™Leg Strap.

Includes: 6061 Aluminum adapter Base Plate, Universal Mounting Adapter, four U.SA. made #8-32×1/2” Adapter Mounting screws, three U.S.A made #8-32×1/2” holster/QLS mounting screws.

Does not include: Installation tools or thread locker.

Additional accessories for purchase:

-Replacement 8-32×1/2” screws for mounting your holster or QLS plate.

-Loctite 242 Single Use thread locker.

-Leg Strap

Made in the U.S.A/ Berry Compliant Made with 100% U.S.A 6061 Aircraft Grade Aluminum.

Anodized matte FDE or Black.

www.215gearstore.com/safailanddroplegholsteradaptor

Be advised of other manufactures products that say “Made in the USA”, but do not specify “Made in the USA with USA materials”. We only use USA materials with certifications. These are the same materials specified for aerospace applications. The difference is almost a 50% difference in materials cost. Words matter.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Load Carrying | Comments Off on 215 Gear – Safariland Drop Leg Holster Adaptor

USSOCOM Awards Accrete Contract for AI Agent Argus to Detect Disinformation Threats from Social Media

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

Anomaly detection AI software, Argus, analyzes social media data to predict emergent narratives and generate intelligence reports at a speed and scale that empowers military forces to neutralize viral disinformation threats.

New York, NY, August 29, 2023 – Accrete AI, a leading dual-use enterprise AI company, deployed its AI software for open-source threat detection, Argus, with the U.S. Department of Defense in 2022. Today, Accrete is excited to announce that it has been awarded a new contract by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to deploy Argus to enable intelligence analysts and special operators in USSOCOM to predict real time disinformation threats from social media.

“Synthetic media, including AI-generated viral narratives, deep fakes, and other harmful social media-based applications of AI, pose a serious threat to U.S national security and civil society,” said Prashant Bhuyan, Founder and CEO of Accrete. “Social media is widely recognized as an unregulated environment where adversaries routinely exploit reasoning vulnerabilities and manipulate behavior through the intentional spread of disinformation. USSOCOM is at the tip of the spear in recognizing the critical need to identify and analytically predict social media narratives at an embryonic stage before those narratives evolve and gain traction. Accrete is proud to support USSOCOM’s mission.”

Argus Social, An Interactive AI Agent for Disinformation Threat Detection

Accrete will also launch an enterprise version of Argus Social for disinformation threat detection later this year called Nebula Social. Nebula Social will address urgent customer pain points pertaining to AI-generated synthetic media, including heightened risk from viral disinformation and deep fakes. Managing AI-generated synthetic media risk requires an AI agent capable of autonomously learning what is most important to an enterprise and predicting the most relevant emergent social media narratives across modalities, including language, image, video, and audio, before they influence behavior.

Nebula Social not only aims to help enterprise customers manage synthetic media risk, such as AI-generated smear campaigns from competitors, but also to autonomously generate timely and relevant content that matches the most influential emergent narratives with authentically engaged audiences to drive more efficient product innovation and go-to-market strategies. Nebula Social has the potential to significantly expand the traditional social listening market by satiating latent enterprise demand for more intelligent and predictive social media tools for a variety of use cases, including crisis management, product innovation, recruiting, marketing, and political strategy.

According to Bhuyan, “Government agencies and enterprises alike have an urgent need to manage a plethora of risks and opportunities posed by AI-generated synthetic media.” Bhuyan goes on to say, “Companies are already experiencing significant economic damage caused by the spread of AI-generated viral disinformation and deep fakes manufactured by competitors, disgruntled employees, and other types of adversaries. We believe that the market for AI that can predict and neutralize malign AI-generated synthetic media is about to explode.”

?Contact Accrete to learn more about our latest social media AI solutions.

Posted in AI / ML, Contracts, Cyber, Information Warfare, Press Release, SOF | 4 Comments »

SIG SAUER P320 Now Available in California

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

NEWINGTON, N.H., (August 31, 2023) – SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to announce the first-ever release of a California-compliant P320 – hailed for its unmatched modularity, unprecedented accuracy, and uncompromising reliability, the P320 is one of the most sought-after firearms on the market today. The P320-M18 (P320-M18 CA) was recently added to the California roster and is now available at California retailers.

“The California P320-M18 is an exciting, long-waited, new release from SIG SAUER as it’s the very first opportunity for California enthusiasts to finally own a P320,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales. “Additionally, Californians can now own the sidearm of the U.S. Military. The P320-M18 CA shares the same features as the firearm that was awarded the U.S. Army contract for the Modular Handgun System (MHS), and is in service with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.”

The P320-M18 California Compliant (P320-M18 CA) is a 9mm, striker-fired modular pistol featuring the P320 Fire Control Unit (FCU), a coyote carry length grip module, a coyote-tan PVD coated optics-ready stainless-steel slide with SIGLITE front night sights and removable night sight rear plate, coyote-tan colored controls, and ambidextrous manual safety. The P320-M18 CA FCU can be exchanged between grip modules, slides, and other accessories, and ships with three 10-round magazines.

P320-M18 California Compliant Specs:

Overall Length: 7.2 in
Overall Height: 5.5 in
Overall Width: 1.6 in
Barrel Length 3.9 in
Sight Radius: 5.8 in
Weight with Magazine: 28.1 oz

The SIG SAUER P320-M18 California Compliant is now shipping and available at California retailers. To learn more about the pistol visit sigsauer.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Firearms, Press Release | 7 Comments »

MATBOCK Raider Line

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

The Raider Line, a cutting-edge waterproof low-profile pouch system meticulously designed to seamlessly integrate with your plate carrier. Say goodbye to waterlogged gear and sandy inconveniences – our Raider pouches form an impenetrable barrier, ensuring your essentials remain pristine in even the harshest conditions.

Innovation takes center stage as the Raider Line allows for swift and efficient access. With a single, fluid motion, operators can unzip the pouches, granting them unfettered access to their gear. What once took an eternity can now be accomplished in a fraction of the time – a true revolution in tactical efficiency.

The numbers speak for themselves: a staggering 60% reduction in time when comparing the Raider Line to legacy waterproof solutions. This isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a leap into the future of tactical gear management. Embrace the advantage that MATBOCK brings to the table and elevate your mission-readiness.

Reach out to sales@matbock.com for more information.

www.matbock.com/collections/maritime/raider

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Load Carrying | Comments Off on MATBOCK Raider Line

DAF Unveils Art Commemorating 75 Years of Air and Space Power

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

Department of the Air Force senior leaders presided over a ceremony unveiling commemorative wall art titled, “A Shared Foundation; Celebrating 75 Years of Air and Space Power,” at the Pentagon Aug. 29.

DAF celebrated the 75th Anniversary of Air and Space heritage in September 2022 and commissioned the art to help tell the stories of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, which required nearly 18 months to complete due to the artist’s extensive research into each of its numerous elements.

The artist, Warren F. Neary, focused the content of the piece on the contributions of Airmen and Guardians throughout the eras. Beginning with the earliest airpower innovators in the Army Air Corps, the art highlights significant milestones and achievements.

“[Neary] met with DAF leadership and visited bases around the country to capture the range of the missions and the people that compose our Air and Space Forces,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall remarked. “The people you see in the painting are depictions of real Airmen, real Guardians; both are part of our heritage and those who are currently serving … [This artwork shows] people who helped build our organization, the aircraft and equipment that shaped our experiences and the missions that drove it all.”

In addition to depicting Airmen and Guardians, the artwork features various Air Force and Space Force platforms and systems. In total, 114 unique visual elements are incorporated into the piece.

Each group of elements in the artwork is designed to form the shape of the delta or infinity symbols. The delta symbol carries a deep, historic meaning for both the Air Force and Space Force and signifies upward trajectory and rapid advancement. The infinity symbol represents the ever-present requirements for adaptation, improvement, innovation and vigilance.

“Our heritage is incredibly important — it tells our story. It reminds us of who we are and where we have come from, and why it all matters. The images that surround this piece are powerful. They shape our culture, our sense of purpose and our warfighter mindset.”

-Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall

Neary has created many works of art throughout his career depicting subjects of air and space power. He has received national-level recognition, and his artwork has been exhibited in the National Museum of the Air Force, the Museum of Aviation, the U.S. Air Force Art Collection and the U.S. Army Center for Military History, in addition to private collections.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force photos by Eric Dietrich

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, History, Space | 1 Comment »

Vortex Introduced the Razor HD 13-39×56 Spotting Scope

Monday, September 4th, 2023

Built to seamlessly fit the packs of today’s weight-wary, backcountry hunters.

BARNEVELD, Wis. – When every ounce counts, this tag-filling machine gives advanced hunters every tool they need in the compact package they demand. Sacrifice nothing with the Razor® HD 13-39×56.

Every ounce matters on long backcountry hunts, where the terrain and the elements can make each step a slog. But hunters are not willing to sacrifice exceptional performance to save on weight. For them, the Razor® HD 13-39×56 spotting scope is the ideal solution, blending premium optics and a compact form factor.

Glassing on the move doesn’t get any better. At just 10.4″ long and 28.6 oz. for the angled model (11.1″ and 29.5 oz. for the straight), the Razor® HD 13-39×56 fits your pack and the way you hunt. Rapid deployment is a snap thanks to a compact, snag-free design highlighted by a helical focus wheel, giving you total control over this spotter’s wide field of view.

• HD Optical System Delivers brilliant edge-to-edge color and clarity in all light conditions.

• Compact Design Incredibly packable without sacrificing optical performance.

• Helical Focus Snag-free for faster, easier packing and mounting.

• Arca-Swiss Compatibility Fits most tripods out-of-the-box for mount-and-go convenience.

• Wide Field of View Perfect for covering vast landscapes.

The Razor® HD 13-39×56 also advances the premium optical experience hunters expect from the Razor® HD line. The HD optical system is further augmented by XR™ Plus lens coatings, which provide maximum light transmission for peak clarity and the very best low-light performance. All of that is protected by a rugged build to stand up to the bumps and bruises of backcountry hunts.

Razor® HD 13-39×56 Spotting Scope Angled
MSRP: $1,299.99
MAP: $999.99

Razor® HD 13-39×56 Spotting Scope Straight
MSRP: $1,299.99
MAP: $999.99

Posted in Optics, Press Release | Comments Off on Vortex Introduced the Razor HD 13-39×56 Spotting Scope