September 2023 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for September, 2023

Air Force Releases Enlisted Airmanship Continuum

Thursday, September 28th, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass published a letter to Airmen Sept. 18 detailing updates to the enlisted force development model. The model reflects the new Enlisted Airmanship Continuum, a series of changes aiming to provide new development opportunities to Airmen.

Fellow Airmen,

Over the past several years, our service has been working diligently to meet our national defense needs. Our most significant advantage remains steadfast—a powerful, capable enlisted corps. We must continue to improve upon how we develop these Airmen to sustain our competitive advantage. Our Enlisted Professional Military Education, upgrade training, and career progression models have made us the force we are … however, we must always look at ways to improve.

In an age where speed and unity of effort dominate the battle space, a different approach is required. Teamwork between specialties, locations, and commands will be essential if we are to best integrate teams to achieve Agile Combat Employment and empower our Multi-Capable Airmen through mission command.

We commissioned the Enlisted Force Development Action Plan to reimagine and explore an ecosystem that connects rank-based progression and provides more development opportunities for our Airmen.

As a result, and in line with Line of Effort 5, Force Development Ecosystem, in the Action Plan, we are updating our EFD model to reflect the Enlisted Airmanship Continuum (100 – 900).

To best prepare our force for a new era of competition, we will see the following efforts take flight.

1) Foundations Courses will replace our base-level Professional Enhancement Seminars beginning October 2023 and become prerequisite courses for EPME starting in late 2024.
2) Prepping the Line Job Qualification Standard (JQS) was launched earlier in 2023 and supports leadership readiness in key positions and roles defined by the Enlisted Force Structure.
3) On-Demand PME will launch in 2024 and provide unrestricted access to relevant content for Airmen, when and where needed, increasing the level of shared expertise across formations.

The Enlisted Airmanship Continuum builds upon our strong foundation. It directly aligns with what we value as a service through the Airmen Leadership Qualities and Foundational Competencies. It focuses on broader options for the Total Force, closing development gaps, and delivering quality content in a variety of methods. We will continue to listen to the feedback of our Airmen to help us hit the desired targets as these efforts mature. This shift is about the long game and building the force of the future. We owe every Airman deliberate developmental opportunities throughout their careers to grow and become their very best. They will be the difference makers in the future fight, and we are choosing to invest in them now to ensure we remain the Air Force our Nation needs.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | Comments Off on Air Force Releases Enlisted Airmanship Continuum

Lancer Systems, LP, Announces the Title Sponsorship of the Range at Camp Freedom

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

Quakertown, PA, September 27, 2023 – On June 17, 2023, Allon Bloch, Chairman and CEO of Lancer Systems, LP, announced Lancer’s sponsorship of the range at Camp Freedom, in Carbondale, PA. “We are truly honored to announce Lancer’s sponsorship of what is certain to become the premier long range shooting facility, east of the Mississippi river,” said Mr. Bloch. While addressing a crowd of over 400 people at Camp Freedom’s 4th annual fundraising banquet, Mr. Bloch continued, “We have witnessed first-hand, the life-changing service and support that Camp Freedom’s staff delivers to our country’s disabled veterans, first responders, their families, and Gold Star families, and it is nothing short of extraordinary. Going forward, we believe the Lancer Systems Range at Camp Freedom will prove to be a tremendous resource, providing additional funding for the Camp as it expands its scope to include educational services, career transitioning, and additional well-being support.”

The Lancer Systems Range at Camp Freedom will not only support the Camp’s core mission, but will also provide much needed training opportunities for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as become host to a number of national scale, competitive events.

The Lancer Systems Range at Camp Freedom features a 1,760 yard (1 mile) range that will be utilized for long distance shooting training for shooters of all levels of experience, including beginners. The multi-level, covered shooting structure is engineered to provide a world class range experience, and will be wheel chair accessible for guests. The range also features an adjacent 65×145 yard tactical training facility, where shooters can perform traditional sighting, pistol shooting, shotgun shooting, and engage in tactical live fire training.

Camp Freedom’s Executive Director, Matt Guedes, added, “The team at Lancer Systems has been a tremendous partner to Camp Freedom for many years now. Their sponsorship on this range has made the vision a reality. Without their support, we never would have been able to build out the ground work and complete the structure. Lancer’s support will result in many lives of our true American Heroes being rescued and saved.”

Bloch concluded the announcement by stating, “All of us at Lancer Systems are very proud to be a small part of Camp Freedom’s venerable mission, and we’re looking forward to working together in serving and supporting our country’s heroes, for many years to come.”

To learn more about Camp Freedom, please visit www.campfreedompa.org.

Posted in Industry, Press Release | 1 Comment »

LA Police Gear Launches New Website

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

Check it out!

lapolicegear.com

Posted in Industry | Comments Off on LA Police Gear Launches New Website

Spectre Operations Tabletop Gaming

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

Spectre Operations is a tabletop wargame set in the ‘Ultra Modern’ era – kind of like Warhammer or Dungeons and Dragons.

We are about to release our 3rd Edition of the rules, now with even more depth and detail than ever before!

Spectre Operations provides the comprehensive rules for wargames set in the modern era on the tabletop. These rules will allow you to play a myriad of the situations that define Modern Warfare. Lead an Operation consisting of Combined forces against a Near Peer Opponent, Conduct a Special Operations mission to Eliminate a High Value Target, or Covertly Infiltrate and conduct an Intelligence gathering mission against a sensitive target – Spectre Operations allows you to play all aspects of these missions, and more.

We are aware that a big gateway interest in firearms at the moment comes from playing video games, and we really want to give another pathway for people that is a little more hands on and creative. Spectre Miniatures sell a comprehensive range of miniatures to support the rules, which require assembly and painting. We’ve found this is a great way for people of all ages to have some time to focus on a task and have a creative outlet. Following on from this, we have also had a lot of success with supporting Veterans groups, including the use of creative therapy.

Head on over to www.spectreminiatures.com to get your pre-order in today. Pre-Order includes a bunch of freebies and ships worldwide.

Posted in Guest Post, International, Training | Comments Off on Spectre Operations Tabletop Gaming

NDIA Future Forces Conference 23 Poster #3 – The Top-III DeJammer

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

This is the third day we are sharing some of the posters presented during this week’s NDIA Future Force Capabilities Conference in Huntsville, Alabama. I’ll let them speak for themselves.

As always, contact info is on the poster.

Posted in NDIA, Weapon Accessories | Comments Off on NDIA Future Forces Conference 23 Poster #3 – The Top-III DeJammer

The XM919 Individual Assault Munition

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

During yesterday’s briefing by Joint Program Executive Office Ammunition at the Future Forces Capabilities conference in Huntsville, Alabama, they mentioned the XM919 Individual Assault Munition, a new close combat lethality capability which seems to have flown under the radar.

Turns out, Picatinny issued a request for proposal (RFP) in August for the production of the XM919 Individual Assault Munition (IAM), utilizing Full and Open Competition (F&OC) procedures.

Intended to replace the M72 LAW, M136 and M136A1 AT-4 anti-tank weapons, and M141 Bunker Defeat Munition, the XM919 IAM tactical munition is a disposable, lightweight, single shot, multi-target, and Fire from Enclosure (FFE) capable Shoulder Launched Munition (SLM).

The XM919 IAM is for combat units at the squad level, employed by an individual Soldier. This will reduce the Soldier’s need to carry multiple systems, as they will no longer have to choose between an anti-armor or an anti-structure capability.

According the the Army the full XM919 IAM system consists of the XM919 IAM tactical munition and training devices to include the XM922 Sub-Caliber Trainer, associated Sub-Caliber Tracer Cartridge, Field Handling Trainer (FHT), and spare parts.

Due to the Full and Open competition aspect of the Army’s effort, they are relying on industry to deliver the desired effect. Market surveys in previous years have led the Army to believe that industry is more than capable of making this happen.

For example, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems division released this video of their Individual Assault Munition during last year’s AUSA.

We will keep you up to date as the Army continues to pursue this new capability which is expected to begin fielding in FY26.

Posted in Army, Munitions, NDIA | 1 Comment »

Team Barrett Shines as Justin Wolf Takes 2nd at the 2023 King of 2 Miles with New Barrett Rifle

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE — Barrett Firearms announces Justin Wolf and spotter James Archer’s 2nd place finish at the global 2023 King of 2 Miles competition, held at the NRA Whittington Center on September 22-24, 2023. What makes this result even more impressive is that Wolf was 1 of only 3 competitors who successfully engaged all 7 targets, the furthest being 3526 yards in the finals with a new Barrett rifle chambered in .416 Barrett using 500 grain Cutting Edge Lazer Bullets.

Justin Wolf and spotter James Archer’s with a resounding 2nd Place finish at the global 2023 King of 2 Miles competition.

The three-day event attracts the world’s best marksmen and is regarded as the ultimate proving ground for long-range shooting, pushing the boundaries of precision and equipment performance. Of 69 competitors, Barrett represented 11% of rifles competing in the extreme long range event yet reflected 21% of the global Top 14 finalists. Barrett’s competing rifle system was the only factory configured product represented in this year’s competition that typically showcases custom-built rifles.

Wolf said the results were a testament to the new Barrett rifle’s exceptional precision and the promise it holds for the future of long-range shooting. “It’s always amazing to shoot big ELR events like this. The feeling of accomplishment of making the finals and having this success with the new Barrett equipment is second to none.”

Bryan James, President of Barrett Firearms, said: “Justin’s performance with our rifle at the King of 2 Miles competition is a source of immense pride for Barrett. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in long-range shooting. We look forward to officially unveiling this innovation to the world at the 2024 SHOT Show and bringing the same capability to the hands of marksmen who demand nothing but the best.”

Barrett Firearms invites media, industry professionals, and shooting enthusiasts to visit their booth #10344 or Industry Day at the Range during the 2024 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, from January 23–26, 2024, where they can experience the new product firsthand and learn more about this revolutionary rifle’s specifications and capabilities.

For more information on Barrett Firearms please visit www.barrett.net.

Posted in Firearms, Press Release, Shooting Sports | Comments Off on Team Barrett Shines as Justin Wolf Takes 2nd at the 2023 King of 2 Miles with New Barrett Rifle

Welcome to the Jungle: MARSOC Diversifies Training Environment

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

HAWAII – A team of Marine Raiders recently completed a jungle tracking and mobility course as part of their pre-deployment training program.

The course, administered by instructors from the Tactical Tracking Operations School, teaches mobility in a jungle environment, rope and rappel work, jungle tracking, and anti-tracking techniques.

For roughly two weeks, the team worked on enhancing these skills to be able to effectively operate in a jungle environment while deployed.

“Looking at the Pacific and deployments in that region, learning these skills is essential,” said a critical skills operator. “For so long we trained for desert environments and now we have to look at where we could be needed next, and the jungle is top of that list.”

Since 2015, TTOS has been offering some manner of jungle training for U.S. Special Operations Command units, and in 2021, upon the arrival of their current vice president, Cody Carroll, the program began to evolve into what it is today.

“My last deployment as a reconnaissance officer was to the Pacific region,” said Carroll. “Through my own research and training, I realized most units didn’t have the hard skills or training to succeed in this environment.”

The creation of the current course was not about creating a new, innovative program, but more about getting back to how historical forces would have trained.

“These same problems that we have now: low visibility, difficulty for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, broken communications, and logistical issues, they all existed for troops during WWII and Vietnam,” Carroll said. “We didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, just build the skills that we stopped training because we spent 20 years in the desert.”

Throughout the two weeks, the team trained in every aspect of jungle mobility. They had to navigate thick brush, scale and rappel cliff faces, and traverse rivers and other water features. All while either tracking an adversary or preventing an adversary from being able to track them.

They also spent time learning jungle specific counter improvised explosive device techniques, reaction to contact in dense vegetation, and setting and countering ambushes.

“You see guys that are newer to the team start out very hesitant in these different drills and in tracking,” said a CSO. “By the end of it, the confidence is through the roof, you’ll see those same guys find a track and maneuver the jungle like they’ve been doing it their whole lives.”

The course culminates with an exercise designed to last up to 72 hours where the students are ambushed by an adversary and must regroup and utilize their command and control to organize tracking teams to capture the adversary using all of the tracking and mobility techniques learned over the two weeks.

The team all responded positively to the training, praising its effectiveness and the foundation it provides for SOF units to build upon as they deploy to regions where this sort of mobility is needed.

“I’ve been through this training with two teams now and both experiences were beneficial to everyone on the team,” a CSO said. “I really think every company that can deploy to a jungle environment should come do this training. It’s invaluable.”

Story by Cpl Henry Rodriguez II,

Marine Forces, Special Operations Command

Posted in Guest Post, SOF, Training, USMC | 6 Comments »