Courtesy of ADS Inc you too can learn the basics of field communications in the first installment of what we hope is a continuing series on the subject. “The Comms Locker” is written by Dave Meadows, a former Navy SEAL who specialized in the field before coming on board with ADS. We like Dave’s laid back style backed up with easy to read diagrams and can’t wait for the next article.
Read it here.
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Early this year, Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane released a solicitation for a new generation of Very Bright Lights. Several companies answered the call and Crane has awarded contracts to SureFire for their HellFighter, M620V Scout Light®, and the M720V RAIDâ„¢ that we wrote about at SHOT Show 2010. Two types of Very bright Lights were selected. The VBL-H (visible bright light heavy) and VBL-III. Both contracts are Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity.
The VBL-H contract is for $16.6 million and will field the HellFighter as a heavy weapons light. The HellFighter is no stranger to SOF troops and models were purchased under a similar contract a few years back. It is designed for use with weapons such as the the M2, illuminating out to over 800 yards. It’s also been used for IED detection. This unit is specific to the needs of the Department of the Navy and is technically the fourth variant. Variants II and III are being tested by other branches of the United States Military.
The VBL-III contract is valued at $14.9 million contract, fielding personal weapon lights for members of USSOCOM. The two light that were chosen feature LED lamps that provide both white and IR light. To choose one or the other the user simply pulls out and twists the head to switch between the modes. The RAID also features additional functionality as you can see on the photo.
For more info visit www.SureFire.com. other organizations who are interested in these lights visit www.adsinc.com/surefire.
In 2009, the Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group undertook a Soldier’s Load Assessment to make our Army more agile. We posted a list of the equipment that they fielded to a deployed battalion in Afghanistan as a test. If you ever wanted to know the rest of the story you can read it now thanks to ADS who was central to the quick turn around on this project. They have published an excellent (if we do say so) history of the subject and it can be downloaded as a PDF document.
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CamelBak Products, LLC, announced earlier this week that its Chem Bio Reservoir X™ (CBR X), the next-generation of hydration safety equipment, meets the US Army’s stringent requirements for a Multi-Purpose Personal Hydration System and is able to withstand 6 hours of chemical challenge after the rigors of 30 days of use, making it easier and safer to stay hydrated in a CBRN threat environment. This means CamelBak is offering a single reservoir that can be used everyday yet meets the rigors of a slimed environment. It seems as though we have been in the COIN fight for so long we have forgotten the old days of the 20th century where we trained exhaustively to fight and win in a CBRN environment.
Camelbak combined their DuraFlex Barrierâ„¢ material, HydroGuardâ„¢ technology and HydroLinkâ„¢ modular attachment systems to create the new CBR X reservoir. “We design, test and manufacture our hydration systems to perform in the most challenging and lethal environments in the world,” said Sally McCoy, CEO of CamelBak. They introduced their first chemical and biological resistant reservoir in 2000 and while they were issued to several units, CamelBak had never received certification from the Army.
CamelBak has been working with the Army on this for YEARS. They stuck with it through all of the technical challenges and kept up with evolving threats to stay at the cutting edge of Chem-Bio protection technology. Thanks guys.
Unit and agency orders can be supported by ADS.
ESS shared a couple of promotional photos with us of Sarah Palin’s upcoming show ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’. She is wearing the ESS ICE NARO. Expect to see these photos EVERYWHERE this weekend including USA Today as well as numerous foreign publications.
Photographs: Gilles Mingasson/Getty Images
You can follow ESS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/esseyepro. If your agency is interested in ESS check out ADS.
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First Light USA’s new Tomahawk TC3 Kit for Combat Medics features a proprietary mix of Red and Green LEDs that “highlight†blood. Unfortunately in the aftermath of IED attacks and vehicle wrecks, medics find that they trouble distinguishing blood from other fluids such as petroleum products. After much experimentation First Light found the perfect mix of lights to make blood stand out from other colored fluids. For example, red light makes blood all but disappear and blue light turns blood black making it indistinguishable from oil.
Along with the red and green mix, the main light also has six IR LEDs that have 3 brightness settings and operate in a separate mode than any of the visible lights. The main white light is a 120 lumen LED that also has 3 brightness settings. Another new feature of the TC3 Kit is the TTL (Tomahawk Task Light) built into the battery cap. It’s a single 5 mm LED available in either Blue or UV. The Blue LED works great for Flourescein eye stain tests. The UV option is a 375 nm LED that can be used to fluoresce certain fungal and bacterial infections and eliminates the need for a medic to carry a bulky and fragile Wood’s Lamp.
I know this is going to sound like one of those Ginsu knife commercials but really, this light combines four different lights into one. You can also attach the TC3 on to a plate carrier with the included MOLLE TRS Mount. The TRS positions the light horizontally on the chest and allows the light to be directed up or down nearly 180 degrees meaning hands-free use while keeping the light off the helmet or head. The Tomahawk, when detached from the TRS mount can be used as a hand-held light, and the angle head design is easier to wield than a standard “tube†light when used in conjunction with small arms.
A full spec sheet is below.
FIRST LIGHT USA’S TAC MED LIGHTS
Unit and agency purchases can be handled by ADS. For more info visit, www.first-light-usa.com.
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The OCP Caps given away at AUSA and here on SSD by ADS were so popular that they have agreed to release a small number for sale through Tactical Distributors. Manufactured from the same softshell material used in the Level 5 garments of ECWCS Gen III, the caps come in the recently authorized Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern, popularly known as Crye MultiCam. These are great hats and you will surprised at how light they are. This is a first come, first served situation and I don’t believe there are a whole lot available as they were giving them away at AUSA.
For those of you who participated in the contest, winners have been notified and will be announced to the public soon.
There is still time to get in on this. Sponsored by ADS, they are giving away these softshell caps in Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern. Visit here for the rules.
