B5 Systems

Archive for the ‘AUSA’ Category

AUSA – FirstSpear Demonstrates Equipment with Protective Products Enterprises

Monday, October 13th, 2014

Pointblank (Protective Products Enterprises) has a guest in their booth. FirstSpear and Pointblank have entered into an exclusive agreement where FS is only offering PPE armor products in their vests including the new FBI package.

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There’s been a lot of interest here at AUSA in the NOC, a low profile soft armorer solution we wrote about earlier this year. The NOC is scalable and offers up to 36 sizes with interchangeable front and rear panels as well as cummerbunds. Interestingly, FS has found that they can fit the 5th – 95th percentile wearer with as few as 9 sizes.

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AUSA – Gerber MP1-AR, MP1-MRO and Cortex Light

Monday, October 13th, 2014

Gerber is displaying several new products but here are three you may be interested in.

First up are the MP1-AR and MP1-MRO are new multi-tools. The AR model is designed for maintenance of the M4/16 family of weapons. It incorporates a full fine edge blade as well as a full serrated blade. It also offers a full maintenance suite including punch tool, scraper, pick, front sight adjustment tool and bit driver complete with 12 bits. To finish it off, it has a spring loaded, forged jaw, needle nose pliers.

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The MP1-MRO shares the same chassis as the AR model but it’s accessories are tuned for maintenance and repair operations. In addition the the full fine edged blade, it has a full serrated blade but this one also has a 550 cord hook. Gerber also knows that blades are often used for things they aren’t designed for so they’ve included a pry bar as well as a unique chisel/scraper. There’s a file with units of measurement scale and a lanyard loop. They’ve also incorporated something you don’t often see. The hook can be used to fish lines and pull cotter pins. Naturally, it also has a bit driver with 11-piece set.

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The Cortex compact is new to the market. What is unique is that it will accept AA or CR123A batteries and offers three settings; high = 175 lumens, medium = ~100 lumens as well as strobe setting. High will get you 2 hours from a 123 battery. It weighs a scant 2oz. Even with its pocket clip.

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All Gerber products are proudly built in Portland, Oregon.

www.gerbergear.com

AUSA – Solace Power

Monday, October 13th, 2014

Newfoundland, Canada-based Solace Power specializes in wireless power. While they don’t manufacture products they offer customizable projects and offer Technical Development Kits. Their goal is to license technology to manufacturers. Today, they’re demonstrating a customizable project applied to a bump helmet to show how it can be wirelessly powered. It’s a demonstrator but I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen.

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They use Electric Field Based RC2 (Resonant Capacitive Coupling) technology. This is slightly different from the magnetic charging technology you see in wireless cell phone chargers. The resonator material is flexible and can be copper or another lightweight conductive material that can be shielded with a simple fabric.

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Additionally, Solace Power’s technology doesn’t heat objects and it still works even if the resonator is punctured or torn. The technology is safety compliant to IEEE, FCC, ICNIRP and Safety Code 6.

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Efficiency wise, they are demonstrating 90% power coupling efficiency at 40 cms and that’s at 100w. They can also use one transmitter with multiple receivers (ie weapon, helmet, radio, etc). The receiver can also act as a repeater but the larger the resonator, the further the power can be transmitted. You’ll notice in the photo above how far the helmet is away and off by enter of the power transmitter. With magnetic power transmission you can’t do that.

Think of the implications. Use of their technology doesn’t alter the Soldier’s behavior. Each piece of equipment doesn’t need a separate battery. There’s also no hot battery swapping or umbilicals/cords.

www.solace.ca

AUSA – EFB Power

Monday, October 13th, 2014

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EFB Power has fielded a power data system for USAF TACPs. Power data, you ask? They’ve established a personal area network in the armor system using cabling. The Air Force uses BA-2590s but EFB ALOs offers Palladium BB-0150/U.

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The systems as it stands accepts 3 radios (including PRC-148/152 as well as ROVER), end user device and DAGR/SASM.

www.efbpower.com

AUSA – Sneak Peek – Mystery Ranch MR PC

Monday, October 13th, 2014

This is the first public look at the MR PC. It’s releasable and uses the already existing BASE frame (Body Armor Support Equipment).

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Look for more details soon.

www.MysteryRanch.com

AUSA – 3M Introduces Production Rails

Monday, October 13th, 2014

Shown here on the Ballistic Bump Helmet (which meets SOCOM helmet performance) the new Rail fits their boltless helmets. While it is a bolt less design, it doesn’t connect to the helmet via an epoxy like other designs. Instead, 3M embeds a threaded interface just below the durable surface of the helmet above the ballistic later. This threaded interface accepts two screws that keep the rail in place but do not compromise the ballistic integrity of the helmet.

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It features a T-slot interface that accepts Picatinny rails via their Quick Release adapter. It also accepts side and mandible armor, oxygen masks and a counterweight for NVGs. The 3M family of helmets offers four levels of protection which we covered during SHOT Show.

www.3M.com

2014 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition

Monday, October 13th, 2014

Join us for our live coverage of the 2014 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting & Exposition.

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TEA Headsets – Next Generation Invisio X5 To Be Introduced At AUSA 2014

Monday, October 13th, 2014

Click to view .pdf
Invisio X5

TEA Headsets has announced that they will be introducing the next generation Invision X5 at this year’s AUSA. The full release can be read below:

GEN 2 INVISIO X5 PR Banner

October 13h, 2014 – Brewster, New York – TEA Headsets will introduce the next generation of the INVISIO® X5 dual in-ear bone conduction headset at AUSA in Washington on October 13th. TEA Headsets/INVISIO will be at Booth 7935.

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As in-ear headsets continue to gain major traction and market share, many of the changes found in the new X5 zero in on accommodating even more ear shapes/sizes and comfort.

The next generation INVISIO® X5 is 12% smaller than the current X5. The earpiece’s new contoured shape provides a more ergonomic fit. Also different is the Soft SpringTM (retention spring), which is now integrated into the earpiece housing. To ensure comfort and security the headset now includes 3 different sizes/lengths of Soft Springs, Long/Medium/Short.

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In addition to more Soft Springs the X5 accommodates 6 different sizes of Comply Foam tips to provide the best level of hearing protection and fit possible.

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The entire cable assembly has also been ruggedized. The lower part of the cable has an increased cable diameter and strain relief and the upper part of the assembly has also been beefed up for added durability. Even with the increase in cable size the X5 still achieves a high level of user comfort and feels lightweight when donned.

Also new is an integrated clip for cable management that secures the headset to the user’s tactical vest as well as a more tactile tension adjustment slider that makes it easier to adjust when wearing gloves.

From a performance standpoint the new INVISIO X5 performance remains the same, offering industry leading hearing protection 29NRR/32SNR, audio quality and situational awareness in a small and comfortable in-ear wearing style.

The new INVISIO® X5 is now in full production with evaluation samples available in December and volume deliveries will be in early Q1 of 2015. The headset will be offered for all of the INVISIO® control units.

GEN2 INVISIO X5 Control Units-REV1014

INVISIO Bone Conduction Technology:

The extensively fielded and combat proven INVISIO X5 is a dual in-ear headset that provides hearing protection and enhanced electronic hear-thru that utilizes patented INVISIO Bone Conduction Microphone Technology. This technology captures speech directly from the inner ear via vibrations off the jawbone and provides ultimate speech clarity in high noise or combat applications.

Communication is possible underneath gas masks/HAZMAT suites and sound can be picked up even at a whisper!

TEA will be featuring their new COM-CHECK STATION their AUSA Booth this year.

This new interactive display allows you to quickly try out any of our headsets and hear the TEA difference in quality for yourself!

teaheadsets.com