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Archive for the ‘AUSA’ Category

AUSA – Rocky Updates Jungle Boot

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

Based on feedback from the field, Rocky has updated their Jungle Boot, introduced about 18 months ago.

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In addition to the no-snag lacing they introduced last year, they’ve replaced the 550 cord laces with FR laces that don’t absorb water.

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They also slightly modified the balance of Cordura and leather area coverage to enhance breathability and they’ve incorporated a more durable ankle reinforcement.

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The biggest upgrade is in the sole. The older sole is on the left and the new model which incorporates a distinct heel is on the right. They also depended the lugs and made the gaps wider to more easily deal with mud.

www.rockyboots.com

AUSA – WL Gore Expands Flame Retardant Offerings

Monday, October 13th, 2014

W.L. Gore & Associates has announced it will be featuring its expanded line of FR military apparel, consisting of several jackets. The Improved EWOL now features Pyrad face fabric rather than the Nomex fabric on the current model. I have long been a fan of Gore’s Pyrad technology which retains the performance of the base fabric yet adds FR capability.

The full release can be read below:

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ELKTON, MD, OCTOBER 13, 2014 – – W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., will be featuring its expanded line of flame-retardant (FR) military apparel at the 2014 AUSA Exposition in Washington, D.C., October 13-15, in Booth 2719. The portfolio includes: Gore’s FR Lightweight Loft (LWL) Jacket; GORE® PYRAD® Hardshell Jacket; EWOL (Extreme Weather Outer Layer) Jacket; and an IWOL (Intermediate Weather Outer Layer) Jacket. All products meet or exceed industry standards for flammability and thermal protective performance. Standards include, where applicable: PYROMAN™ – ASTM F 1930; Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) – ISO 17492; Flammability – Folded Edge Flame Test Method – ASTM F 1358; and Vertical Flame Test Method – ASTM D 6413.

The GORE® PYRAD® Hardshell Jacket incorporates a self-extinguishing fabric technology that offers protection in heat and flash-fire incidents. The fabric increases thermal protective performance and reduces potential for burn injury. It provides increased thermal stability and maintains physical integrity in the event of exposure to heat and flames. Further, the jacket is waterproof/windproof/breathable due to its GORE-TEX® fabric construction, making it not only protective but comfortable to the wearer in extreme environments, as well.

Gore’s FR Lightweight Loft (LWL) Jacket, which features GORE® PYRAD® Flame Retardant, provides proven heat and flame protection against battlefield hazards without sacrificing protection from the elements, especially cold temps. Gore’s FR Lightweight Loft Jacket provides heat and flame protection, is highly breathable, dries fast and packs quickly.

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Gore’s next generation Extreme Weather Outer Layer (EWOL) jacket provides weather protection utilizing a waterproof, windproof, and breathable GORE-TEX® membrane combined with GORE® PYRAD® Flame Retardant. It is comfortable, provides antistatic protection, and offers penetration resistance against JP-8, DEET, petroleum, oils, and lubricants.

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The Intermediate Weather Outer Layer (IWOL) jacket is constructed from a MASSIF® fabric featuring GORE® FR Stretch technology in a revolutionary nylon-faced, flame resistant, water resistant laminate. This extremely durable, highly breathable fabric offers a superior warmth-to-weight ratio. GORE® membrane technology provides weather protection from rain and wind. The result is a high quality, comfortable, softshell jacket with heat and flame protection.

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GORE® PYRAD® Flame Retardant is an advanced laminate technology that offers an optimal combination of thermal / flashover burn protection, environmental protection, and comfort. This unique technology self-extinguishes flames so that the fabric does not continue to burn. Traditional non-FR textiles will continue to propagate flame, exhibit melting and dripping, and increase the potential of burn injury to the skin. GORE® PYRAD® Flame Retardant increases thermal protective performance and reduces potential for burn injury.

For more information on Gore’s line of FR garments, visit Gore at the 2014 AUSA Exposition in Washington, D.C., October 13-15, in Booth 2719.

www.goremilitary.com

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