September 2023 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for September, 2023

Army Announces Terrestrial Layer System – Brigade Combat Team (TLS BCT) Manpack Prototype OTA Agreement

Wednesday, September 20th, 2023

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD – After more than six months of competitive white papers and technical evaluations for the Terrestrial Layer System – Brigade Combat Team (TLS BCT) Manpack, the U.S. Army entered into an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement through the Consortium for Command, Control, and Communications in Cyberspace (C5) with Mastodon Design, LLC to support Phase 1 – Prototype Build and Demonstration. The agreement totals $1,521,490 for a 9-month Period of Performance.

The TLS BCT Manpack system will be a tailorable, modular, terrestrial capability that allows the integration of Signals Intelligence and Electromagnetic Warfare collection, processing, exploitation, reporting, and effects capabilities for SIGINT Collection Team and Electromagnetic Warfare Team elements. TLS BCT Manpack will provide the Brigade Combat Team commander a tactical advantage with agility and improved intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting in Multi-Domain Operations.

“The TLS BCT Manpack compliments the TLS BCT and TLS Echelons Above Brigade (TLS EAB) family of systems with a shared and open systems approach that creates the flexibility and efficiencies needed against a highly adaptive threat,” said Kenneth Strayer, Project Manager, Electronic Warfare and Cyber (PM EW&C). PM EW&C plans to transition the TLS BCT Manpack from prototyping to production in FY2024.

Posted in Army, CEMA, Contracts, EW, Guest Post | Comments Off on Army Announces Terrestrial Layer System – Brigade Combat Team (TLS BCT) Manpack Prototype OTA Agreement

Brownells Adds to Popular BRN-180 Line

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

GRINNELL, Iowa (September 19, 2023) – Brownells unveiled two new additions to its popular line of BRN-180 uppers, releasing a 14.3” and a 13.9” complete upper, both chambered in .223 Wylde.

Both uppers are in stock and shipping now.

The BRN-180 uppers combine the best design aspects of the original AR-180 with modern upgrades like an integral Picatinny rail for easy optics mounting and a free-float handguard to help maximize accuracy.

The two new BRN-180 uppers will offer the same adjustable short-stroke gas piston system as the other BRN-180 uppers and feature a recoil mechanism completely contained in the upper – allowing for use with a folding stock, or no stock at all.

Both uppers will drop seamlessly onto any standard AR-15 lower, or any purpose-built BRN-180 lower receiver.

Because both uppers have barrels shorter than 16” all NFA rules apply. Uppers do not come with muzzle devices to allow customers the option to pin and weld one into place.

• 430106122 BRN-180 14.5” barrel, 223 Wylde Chamber. $849.99 retail

• 430106123 BRN-180 13.9” barrel, 223 Wylde chamber. $849.99 retail

To learn more about the two newest BRN-180 uppers, or the BRN-180 line, visit the BRN-180 Page.

Posted in Press Release, Weapon Accessories | Comments Off on Brownells Adds to Popular BRN-180 Line

215 Gear – Sniper Attachment Platform

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

Designed as an ecosystem for the Sniper or Observer, providing versatility in mounting and configuration options. As your needs change, the system will provide mounting solutions to ensure your application end state is met. Machined with a monolithic, full width Arca Swiss rail for mounting to a RRS tripod head.

Additionally, 21 mounting holes are added for our 1/4-20 Optic Mounting Screws; with 16 M-LOK compatible channels. These channels are for mounting M-LOK compatible accessories, such as Picatinny mounting rails and specialty accessories. You can configure from a Shooting Bag platform to mounting optics, laser range finders or lasers in minutes. We are expanding accessories for this platform, based on current and future mission requirements.

Includes: 6061 Aluminum Adaptor Plate

Does not include: Installation tools or 1/4-20×3/8” screws.

Additional accessories for purchase:

1/4-20×3/8”screws for mounting your item to the Sniper Attachment Plate.

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

Anodized matte FDE or Black.

Product total weight: 5 7/8 oz.

Product dimensions: 8.5”L x 4”W x 0.5”H

www.215gearstore.com/sniperattachmentplatform

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Weapon Accessories | 4 Comments »

Aristotle Bartolome Joins PWS / Lone Wolf Arms as Senior Director of Marketing

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

Boise, ID – PWS (Primary Weapons Systems), a renowned manufacturer of high-end long-stroke piston systems for the AR-15, and 3D printed Titanium Suppressors, along with Lone Wolf Arms, the industry leader in Glock parts and accessories, proudly welcomes Aristotle Bartolome as the Senior Director of Marketing, effective September 5th, 2023. In his new role, Aristotle will spearhead the strategic direction of marketing, partnerships, e-commerce, branding, events, and SEO development for both esteemed brands.

Ari, boasting an impressive 15-year tenure in the tactical firearms sphere, brings a wealth of expertise encompassing sales, marketing, corporate event management, and business development. Over the course of his illustrious career, Ari spent 13 years at Rainier Arms, where he served as the Director of Marketing and contributed significantly to their growth. During this time, he cultivated extensive experience in retail, sales, and marketing, collaborating with over 400 brands and building a formidable network of industry professionals.

His most recent role as the Director of Marketing Strategies for Aero Precision further enriched his understanding of marketing and sales operations within one of the nation’s leading AR15 manufacturers. Ari was instrumental in overseeing E-Commerce technology development, SEO optimization, messaging strategies, ambassador programs, corporate event management, digital and print procurement, and strategic partnerships.

Reflecting on his new role, Bartolome expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I’ve had the honor of witnessing the remarkable evolution of these brands, from a compensator manufacturer to the powerhouse they are today. Even from an external perspective, I’ve always been an admirer of their brand and products. Throughout the years, I’ve built strong friendships with their dedicated staff, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside them”.

COO Jason Curns expressed his excitement about Ari’s addition to the team, saying, “The entire team, representing both PWS (Primary Weapons Systems) and LWA (Lone Wolf Arms), is thrilled to welcome Ari as our Senior Director of Marketing. Ari’s extensive track record in this industry is indisputable, and his ability to elevate brand awareness and excel in various domains is truly remarkable. Personally, I’m incredibly excited to have Ari on board. With a longstanding history both personally and professionally, I know precisely what he’s capable of, and I can’t wait to see his impact.”

CEO Nate Treadaway added, “We are absolutely delighted to have Ari join our expanding team of industry experts. His unwavering passion for brand building is truly infectious, and we eagerly anticipate supporting his endeavors.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

marketing@primaryweapons.com

Posted in Industry, Press Release | 1 Comment »

DSEI 23 – StalkLand Camo by Sniper Dynamics

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

It always cool to run across small US companies while attending European trade shows. Take for instance Sniper Dynamics which exhibited in the Pacific Northwest booth in the US pavilion.

I had first learned of their StalkLand camouflage pattern during Rampart Range Day from Tactical Concealment who was showing the new pattern. Unfortunately, at the time, they didn’t yet have permission to share it publicly.

However during DSEI, Sniper Dynamics had their StalkLand series pattern in full display with prototype uniforms made by Beyond Clothing and individual equipment from a variety of vendors.

Designed by Army and Marine snipers, the pattern hides the wearer with negative space which can be described as the space around and between the subject(s) of an image. Examples of negative space in nature include grasses, leaves, and twigs.

The base pattern itself blends with unobtrusive terrain contained within the negative space, providing what they refer to as Multi-Environment Ready Concealment (M.E.R.C.).

Developed over the past seven years, this family of patterns is available as Berry Compliant textiles in the form of Brookwood printed 500D Cordura for Armor kit & pouches as well 50/50 NyCo & 57/43 NyCo Extreme IHWCU for uniforms as well as jacquard webbing from Murdoch Webbing. They also offer transfer film from TWN Water Transfer Printing.

www.stalkland.com

Posted in Camo, DSEi, Made In USA! | 8 Comments »

DSEI 23 – C2R FAST to Expand Clothing Line

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

C2R FAST gave us a sneak peek at their upcoming line of combat clothing during last week’s DSEI. The line includes combat pants along with short and long sleeved combat shirts.

Colors will include MultiCam, Black, Green, and Grey.

Posted in Clothing, DSEi | Comments Off on DSEI 23 – C2R FAST to Expand Clothing Line

Garmin Unveils tactix 7 AMOLED Edition: Mission-Ready in the Brightest Day or Darkest Night

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

Modern tactical watch features new adaptive screen, optimized heart rate sensor, and dimmable green flashlight with night vision

OLATHE, Kan./September 19, 2023/ – Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the tactix® 7 AMOLED Edition, the newest edition to the tactix 7 lineup. Featuring an easy-to-read adaptive AMOLED display with both traditional button controls and touchscreen, the newest tactix 7 provides dedicated tactical, training and performance features, wrist-based navigation, and comprehensive health and wellness monitoring. Thanks to the new night vision compatible flashlight and up to 31 days of battery life, this high-performance smartwatch will be ready for service even on the darkest night.

“This highly adaptable, modern tactical smartwatch is ready for any environment or assignment. Its dedicated features are designed to meet the many unique situations tactix customers find themselves in, and most importantly – it will serve their needs efficiently and effectively. You can depend on this watch day or night, wherever the mission takes you.”

– Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales.

New to tactix 7 AMOLED Edition

• Adaptive display: A vibrant, sunlight-readable 1.4” screen provides higher detail and can be dimmed to below a single nit of brightness when wanting to go undetected.

• Night vision compatible flashlight: Building on the customer favorite white/green flashlight of current tactix 7 models, the newest edition provides a dimmable green flashlight capable of being used when Night Vision Goggle (NVG) mode is activated, helping preserve the user’s natural night vision while providing light in the immediate area.

• Heart rate sensor: Enhanced optical sensor and specific algorithms offer improved performance tracking for a wider variety of activities, making it easier to better understand how the body is responding to specific environments and physical challenges.

• Red Shift mode: More than just a black and red watch face, Red Shift changes the entire watch interface to shades of red to help preserve night vision by blocking the colors of light that constrict pupils; it can also help reduce sleep cycle disturbances.

Built for action

The tactix 7 AMOLED Edition is built to a military standard (MIL-STD-810) for thermal, shock and water performance, water-rated to 10 ATM1 and can remain mission-ready for up to 31 days. Button guards with reinforced metal lugs are paired with a carbon gray DLC (diamond-like coating) titanium bezel, a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, fiber-reinforced polymer housing and titanium rear cover, and black tactical nylon QuickFit® bands. What’s more, the smartwatch’s rugged yet sophisticated design allows for seamless transitions from the field to formal functions.

Field-ready features

During night operations, the smartwatch provides a built-in multi-LED flashlight providing quick access to a bright, steady light in either white or green. While in NVG mode, the AMOLED display dims to levels functional to the primary user (including those wearing night optic devices) but nearly invisible to anyone else.

In sensitive locations, customers can utilize Stealth Mode which turns off wireless communications but still collects distances traveled and biometric data without recording location data. Leveraging this feature allows the watch to be used and even upload logged data – while concealing its location, which is typically visible through popular mobile training apps.

Customers wanting enhanced solutions provided by Applied Ballistics® (AB) can unlock Applied Ballistic functionality (unlock fee required) via the AB Synapse™ – Garmin mobile app to prepare for their next competition.

Training and health support

Designed for all-day use, the tactix 7 AMOLED Edition features Garmin’s 24/7 health and wellness tools including Pulse Ox, wrist-based heart rate, respiration and stress tracking, plus wellness insights such as Body Battery™, Fitness Age, Morning Report and Sleep Score with Advanced Sleep Monitoring.

In addition to dedicated activities such as hunting, mountain climbing and strength training, it provides new tools for customers to reach peak performance, including Endurance Score and Hill Score to measure sustained physical exertion while evaluating progress. In addition, the new Wrist-based Running Power allows users to gauge how much physical power is being exerted to manage and fine-tune training preparedness.

Aviation-ready features

Both civilian and military aviators will benefit from the smartwatch’s Direct-To-Navigation feature, which allows users to navigate straight to an airport in the world aeronautical database or use the “Nearest” function to activate a path to a nearby airport. Additionally, pilots can access aviation weather, including NEXRAD radar, METARs and TAFs to see winds, visibility, barometric pressure and more directly on their smartwatch3.

During airborne operations, Jumpmaster can be used for three jump types: HAHO, HALO, and Static.

Set the watch to dual-positioning mode, and it will simultaneously display two sets of coordinate systems, such as MGRS and latitude/longitude, on a single data screen.

Global navigation

Using multi-band GPS support, customers can access multiple frequencies sent by navigation satellites for improved position accuracy. The new model of tactix 7 comes preloaded with TopoActive maps and Public Land Boundaries Maps, SkiView™ Maps, and more than 43,000 full-color golf courses around the world and is compatible with Garmin’s Outdoor Maps+ service. With Outdoor Maps+, users can access premium mapping content such as Satellite Imagery, State Plat Maps, Hunting Units and more.

The tactix 7 AMOLED Edition is available now with a starting suggested retail price of $1,399.99. To learn more, visit garmin.com/outdoor.

Posted in Press Release, Watches | 7 Comments »

Saab Secures U.S. AT4 and Carl-Gustaf Ammunition Order

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has expanded a current framework agreement with Saab for AT4 systems and Carl-Gustaf® ammunition. A new order has also been signed valued at USD 104.9 million with deliveries during 2024-2026.

The Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) framework agreement was originally signed in 2019. The extension will allow the U.S. customer to place orders of Saab’s world-leading close combat solutions for up to an additional USD 422 million.

The new order within the framework agreement includes AT4CS RS systems and the latest high explosive round for Carl-Gustaf Weapon System, HE 448, designated as HE 441E in the U.S. This latest order will support the U.S. Army, U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Marine Corps.

“Saab’s shoulder-launched weapons and munitions are unmatched for their effectiveness against a wide range of tactical targets and dramatically improve the survivability of warfighters,” said Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab in the U.S. “The DoD’s expanded commitment to our close combat solutions validates Saab’s focus on delivering innovative, advanced products that can evolve to meet the long-term needs of our partners. We’re incredibly proud that the U.S. Armed Forces has extended our partnership for close combat systems, which will now exceed four decades and endure for years to come.”

“We are proud that our combat solutions are making a difference for our customers. The expansion of the framework agreement further strengthens our position as a trusted U.S. partner and ensures the armed forces can use AT4CS RS and Carl-Gustaf for years to come,” says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

The AT4CS RS is a man-portable and fully disposable anti-armor system that provides the U.S. Armed Forces with a proven, flexible Shoulder-Launched Munition (SLM). Beginning with the U.S. Army in 1985, Saab has delivered more than 700,000 AT4 systems in the U.S. Fifteen countries around the world currently deploy the AT4CS RS and or its variants.

The Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle is a Multi-purpose Anti-armor Anti-personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) that offers warfighters a highly flexible, single-weapon system for any combat situation on the modern battlefield. The Carl-Gustaf M4 is compatible with advanced fire control devices and specialized ammunition, such as the HE 448 (designated as HE 441E in the U.S), which provides increased efficiency and greater accuracy. The multi-role fuse on HE 448 (designated as HE 441E in the U.S) can be used in impact mode to destroy soft-skinned vehicles and other semi-hardened targets, or in airburst mode to allow neutralization of infantry in the open or in open trenches.

Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring mission, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 20,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer, more sustainable and more equitable world. Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems. Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations.

Posted in Contracts, Munitions, Press Release | Comments Off on Saab Secures U.S. AT4 and Carl-Gustaf Ammunition Order