SKIEN, Norway – May 21, 2024 – Green Ammo, AS, developers of the industry’s only drop-in electronic blanks system for live weapons, today announced the successful demonstration of its electronic blanks (E-Blanks) weapon system as part of a U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division’s (ID) Live Fire Exercise (LFX).
Conducted as part of the 25th ID collective live fire event certifying the platoon’s ability to effectively synchronize weapons, the demonstration featured Green Ammo’s M4 and M249 weapon kits, enabling soldiers to train with personally configured, individual service weapons. Armed with the E-Blanks system, soldiers conducted battle drills while reacting to simulated stoppages consistent with the use of live ammunition, delivering a more realistic training experience. The platoons also observed the kit’s laser system and enhanced training aides to analyze performance across formations by assessing marksmanship principles.
Throughout the day and night drills, the platoons navigated diverse terrain spanning jungle environments to plains, expending the equivalent of 36,000 rounds of 5.56 ammunition and 57,600 rounds of 5.56 linked round ammunition. Additionally, given the electronic nature of the systems, units conducted training without the additional time, planning and energy typically required to transport, distribute and clean up after traditional blank ammunition training.
“Effective tactical training drills are core to mission preparedness and directly influence operational outcomes. Our soldiers train with familiar weapons but in doing so must also account for the preparation, transport of heavy cargo and cleanup associated with conventional blank ammunition. Those requirements limit the types of environments they can train in and the amount of time actually spent training,” said Lieutenant Colonel Pete Walther, Battalion Commander in the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, Senior Trainer of the event. “Live fire training exercises and certifications are crucial to ensuring our soldiers’ preparedness and ability to adequately perform tactical maneuvers in theater, underscoring the importance of training time.”
The Green Ammo E-Blanks system offers a completely electronic alternative to live and traditional blank ammunition for tactical training exercises, eliminating key pain points around blank ammunition control, cost, safety and sustainability. Additionally, the kit has operated under military-grade pressure testing, demonstrating its ability to withstand harsh environments and extreme temperatures ranging from up to 140° Fahrenheit down to 5° Fahrenheit.
“With the completion of these exercises, we’ve successfully demonstrated the reliability, durability and functionality of our Green Ammo E-Blanks system and played a role in certifying three platoons’ large-scale mission preparedness,” said Rolf Inge Roth, CEO of Green Ammo. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to participate in a live demo with the 25th (ID) and are very pleased with the kit’s performance. We look forward to continuing to build on this momentum and enhance soldiers across the globe.”
To learn more about Green Ammo’s patented electronic blank technology and its applications, visit www.greenammo.com.
Certainly value added in being able to increase training events without the added cost of blanks and using them in locations where they are not as feasible such as non-purpose designed facilities. The ability to practice marksmanship is a bonus because instead of using a tethered weapon simulator like FATS/CATS, EST2000, etc the soldier is, for the most part, handling their issued weapon.
Where value is subtracted is the load planning and logistics involved with humping your ammo to the objective and other tasks such as load redistribution when you’re adding casualty evac in your training scenarios. I’m sure these kits could be purchased with multiple magazines to simulate this but at a cost penalty.
The immediate action and reload drills remind me of an overly simplified action more akin to an arcade game. They force reaction on the soldier’s part to reduce the problem but their overuse will, 100% guaranteed, introduce training scars.
Minor LIMFACs in the overall picture. Blanks have their problems too.
If issued in a quantity as AII to each weapon system so everyone has em, and we can use them anytime (no coordination for CL V required), then this rocks.
Will it connect with what ever is replacing I-MILES?
If just another training aid we have to share then it will fall by the wayside.
More batteries required?
Fantastic innovation! Green Ammo’s E-Blanks offer a safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for military training. Keep up the great work!