Archive for the ‘AUSA’ Category
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Wednesday, October 4th, 2023FibroTex to Launch Snow-Alpine Camouflage System at AUSA
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023
Fibrotex’ new Snow-Alpine (“winter-winter net”) and Woodland-Alpine (“summer-winter net”) has overcome the long-lasting challenge by defeating both UV and SWIR sensors in the Snow environment at the same time and providing, alongside our other combinations, two (2) different battlefields in one (1) single layered system. These new systems join our family of camouflage environments to create a full and complete “global” spectrum suite of solutions (wood/wood, wood/urban, wood/desert and desert/urban).
While the global warming affects every aspect of our lives with uncontrolled, unexpected, and certainly unwelcome weather, we must understand that as challenging as this could be for civilians, it makes it even harder and certainly more dangerous for our warfighters out there. As extreme as this summer was (or still is in some parts of the world), we should anticipate the same or worse for this coming winter and prepare for it already today.
FibroTex capabilities, through the ULCANS program (the US Army & Marine Corps Program of Record) provide the full suite of solutions: Visual and Nir-IR through Shortwave-IR, Thermal (both middle and long wave) and RADAR imbedded in ONE, single layered, Reversible (double-sided), Multispectral system. The Program includes a variety of applications from the individual level and all the way up to combatant vehicles, CPs, and anything else that would need to be or stay undetected.
With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and in other highly volatile regions in the world, signature management was deemed a vital part of today’s battlefield. With those lessons learned It is now a known fact that we need to make sure all our assets wherever vehicles, command posts or even individuals, Static and mobile, are given the ability to be concealed & protected against detecting sensors as such. Fibrotex’ ULCANS POR grants access to those readily available (all with NSN), tested & approved solutions.
As we move into winter warfighting and with a greater temperature difference between the human body/operating platforms and the surrounding temperature than in the summer wherever in Ukraine, Alaska or any other snow environment, this ability to conceal assets in Snow, Alpine and Arctic (SAA) environments is both harder due to the extreme temperature difference between the asset (individual or platform) and the surrounding environment and includes another sensor that the world has long forgotten about – Ultraviolet sensors (UV). Since providing all of the aforementioned sensors into one solution is already ‘not easy’ (apologies for our Engineering and R&DT teams for the use of this light term), adding the UV capability is not only very tricky but was also impossible to date. Not for nothing, the last Snow system was developed in 1972…. Needless to say, every sensor has improved since. Combining high UV reflectance, white colors in the Visual, high Reflectance in the Near-IR BUT low reflectance in the Shortwave-IR (SWIR) and still providing RADAR concealment (with the ability to keep communications on… as with our current systems already in service), the future of winter warfighting is now Finally here!
Come visit our stand at AUSA and see our new ‘winter collection’, our new Thermal Uniforms (yes…more to follow) and our full-spectrum Mobile solutions. Join us in our stand, Fibrotex stand #245 for happy hour on Tuesday, Oct 10th at 3pm.
Noble Biomaterials Launches CIRCUITEX SIGMA at AUSA Tradeshow
Tuesday, September 26th, 2023Berry-compliant signature management program defines a new era for military technology. Electronic and thermal shielding solution protects against energy sensors that detect equipment and soldiers.
SCRANTON, PA. [September 26, 2023] Noble Biomaterials, a global leader in antimicrobial and conductivity solutions for soft surface applications, announces the launch of CIRCUITEX® SIGMA, (Signature Management) with Select Fabricators at the AUSA Annual Meeting in Washington D.C, October 9-11, 2023.
Select Fabricators, a leading U.S. Manufacturer of RF/EMI shielding enclosures, will showcase its new line of products with CIRCUITEX® SIGMA technology at AUSA. Select’s portfolio of products includes RF/EMI shielding tents, boxes, and large-scale modular enclosures. The company supplies product to the U.S. Government for several applications from SCIFS, vehicles, digital forensics, to small electronic device shielding and RFIS isolation.
“We are seeing demand increase for advanced signature management technology,” says Andrew Pluta, President of Select Fabricators. “Our customers require energy management solutions that control data and shield from advanced electromagnetic sensors. Capabilities that mitigate detection are a vital part of our business. Our partnership with Noble allows us to have an advantage in the signature management space for both thermal and electrical protection.”
CIRCUITEX® SIGMA uses a proprietary silver-based technology that shields emissive thermal signatures such as body heat, engine heat, and active firearms — anything that produces a thermal signature. In addition to emissive shielding benefits, CIRCUITEX® SIGMA can reflect electrical registrations as well. The combination delivers advanced protection allowing military units to stay virtually undetected by advanced sensors.
“Developing products for combat has changed dramatically,” says Joel Furey, Noble Biomaterials Co-founder, and Chief Commercial Officer. “Our domestically manufactured silver technology delivers mission critical solutions that protect lives and valuable equipment. We have refined our product portfolio to meet and exceed expectations while maintaining our Berry-complaint status. The team in Scranton is very proud of the impact our products have on the market, and how they are being delivered.”
Select Fabricators will display its full range of products at the AUSA Annual Meeting, October 9-11 inclusive of Berry-compliant Circuitex Sigma. For interest and inquiries visit booth #544 or call +1 888.599.6113. For more information on CIRCUITEX®, visit noblebiomaterials.com/circuitex
Noble has a history of groundbreaking innovation, from the first EPA-approved silver antimicrobial to the first silver technology in an FDA-approved medical device to the first antimicrobial on the International Space Station. The company is committed to pushing the barriers of material science with its proprietary silver-coating technology, which has been a cornerstone for building its technology portfolio.
Noble Biomaterials is a registered FDA medical device facility, an essential sole-source technology supplier to the US military, and a US EPA–registered antimicrobial manufacturer. Noble products are EPA, FIFRA, BPR, and CE conforming.
For more information on Noble Biomaterials and to view their full range of fabric applications, please visit www.noblebiomaterials.com
Select Fabricators will display at AUSA Annual Meeting in Washington D.C, October 9-11, 2023 at BOOTH #544. Contact directly 1 (888) 599 6113 and visit their full product assortment at www.select-fabricaotrs.com
AUSA Medal Of Honor Graphic Novel Series Features SFC Alwyn Cashe
Thursday, September 14th, 2023Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who ignored his own wounds and repeatedly entered a burning vehicle to save his soldiers, is the focus of the latest graphic novel in the Association of the U.S. Army’s series on recipients of the nation’s highest award for valor.
Medal of Honor: Alwyn Cashe tells of the infantryman’s actions on Oct. 17, 2005, when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb near Samarra, Iraq. Cashe suffered terrible burns, but he kept returning to the burning vehicle to rescue his soldiers.
Cashe pulled six soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter from the wreckage and made sure everyone was taken care of before agreeing to be evacuated. Suffering burns on more than 70% of his body, Cashe died three weeks later.
“I’ve been wanting to tell this story for years. Alwyn Cashe’s actions were extraordinarily heroic, and I am glad he received the recognition he is due,” said Joseph Craig, director of AUSA’s Book Program. “I’m also glad we had such a talented team to put this book together.”
Medal of Honor: Alwyn Cashe is available here.
AUSA launched its Medal of Honor graphic novel series in October 2018. This is the 20th novel in the series. A paperback collection of the four issues produced this year is scheduled for release in the fall.
The digital graphic novels are available here.
A native of Oviedo, Florida, Cashe joined the Army in 1989. He served in South Korea, Germany and at installations across the U.S. and deployed in support of the Gulf War in 1991 before becoming a drill sergeant at Fort Benning, now known as Fort Moore, Georgia.
He participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and deployed there again in 2005 as a platoon sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment.
On Oct. 17, 2005, Cashe and his soldiers were on a nighttime patrol near Samarra when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle came under enemy fire and was hit by a roadside bomb. The blast tore into the vehicle’s fuel cell, causing it to burst into flames.
Drenched in fuel, Cashe escaped through a front hatch. His uniform began to burn as he and another soldier pulled the Bradley’s driver to safety. Already suffering from severe burns, Cashe refused to stop, moving back to the Bradley’s troop compartment to help his soldiers trapped inside, according to his Medal of Honor citation.
Ignoring the pain and the incoming enemy fire, Cashe opened the troop door and helped four of his soldiers to safety. When he noticed that two other soldiers had not been accounted for, he went back to the burning Bradley to get them.
“Despite the severe second- and third-degree burns covering the majority of his body, Cashe persevered through the pain to encourage his fellow soldiers and ensured they received needed medical care,” the citation says.
Cashe died Nov. 8, 2005, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He was 35.
While he was quickly awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor, there was a long campaign to have his award upgraded after the extent of his actions became known.
On Dec. 16, 2021, Cashe posthumously was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Each AUSA graphic novel is created by a team of professional comic book veterans. The script for the graphic novel on Cashe was written by Chuck Dixon, whose previous work includes Batman, The Punisher and The ‘Nam.
Pencils and inks were by PJ Holden, a veteran of Judge Dredd, Battlefields and World of Tanks; colors were by Peter Pantazis, who previously worked on Justice League, Superman and Black Panther; and the lettering was by Troy Peteri, who has worked on Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men.
Summit Predicts Army of 2030, Future Designs for 2040
Sunday, August 6th, 2023
FORT LIBERTY, N.C. — Achieving the Army of 2030 and designing the Army of 2040 will require transformative vision, thoughtful leadership and sound investment, according to speakers at the July 26-27 Association of the U.S. Army Warfighter Summit and Exposition in Fayetteville, N.C.
Senior Army leaders from nearby Fort Liberty, N.C., across the U.S. Army and industry provided details and discussions on “America’s Army: Ready for Today, Modernizing for 2030 and Beyond.” The theme echoes the Army’s three priorities: people, readiness and modernization. This is the second year AUSA hosted the Warfighter Summit.
More than 800 attendees heard about the future of Soldier training and Army doctrine, Army modernization over the next seven to 17 years, the XVIII Airborne Corps’ role as America’s Contingency Force, the role of Army Security Force Assistance Brigades in 2030, insights from recent conflicts in Europe, training units at the Army’s Combat Training Centers and irregular war campaigning for 2030 with U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
The summit’s primary focus is the Soldier and the defense industry professionals who support the Army warfighter. The summit linked Fort Liberty Soldiers and senior leaders with industry partners to increase understanding of the Army’s emerging requirements and strengthen the partnership between Fort Liberty, AUSA and the surrounding community. Over 65 exhibitors highlighted organizations that provide Soldiers with educational and employment opportunities, military equipment and high-tech devices. The audience included active-duty Army, U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers.
In addition to civilian, commercial vendors, the Warfighter Summit featured U.S. Army equipment, including: the Joint Lightweight Tactical Vehicle, the Infantry Squad Vehicle, the Polaris MRZR-D4, the Ground Mobility Vehicle, the MH-6M Light Assault Helicopter and the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter.
The Army has been consistent and persistent in pursuing modernization initiatives to deliver the Army of 2030 and design the Army of 2040. It is committed to six modernization portfolios: long-range precision fires, next generation combat vehicle, future vertical lift, the network, air and missile defense, and Solider lethality.
Delivering the Army of 2030 and designing the Army of 2040 are priorities of Forces Command, Army Futures Command and Army Training and Doctrine Command. All three commands — as well as the U.S. Army Special Operations Command — were represented at the two-day professional forum.
The Warfighter Summit opened July 26 with a keynote presentation by Gen. Gary Brito, commanding general of Training and Doctrine Command.
“The Army’s most valuable asset is its people,” said Gen. Gary Brito, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. “This is a big, total-team effort and we will succeed at this,” Brito said. “To deliver the Army of 2030 and get ready for 2040, we are turning today’s recruiting challenge into an opportunity and continuing to innovate our talent management approaches.”
“From an acquisition lens, 2030 is really tomorrow,” he said.
Brito said the Army is at an “inflection point right now,” facing changes like those it made 50 years ago at the start of the all-volunteer force and the creation of TRADOC and FORSCOM.
“I think from a technology perspective, this is probably the most disruptive period of time since World War II,” said Gen. James Rainey, Army Futures Command commanding general.
“War remains a contest of wills between human beings: people,” Rainey said. “You have to be able to impose your will. You have to be willing to pay the cost. Because of that, we are going to need the U.S. Army to be able to dominate the land domain … anywhere against any body as part of a joint force with partners and allies. To do that, we need people ”
FORSCOM Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims celebrated his 53rd birthday with a keynote speech at the AUSA Summit.
“Kids these days. I’ve seen you on the job … In training, on deployments and with your teams. I know what you are all about. When I travel around the force, I witness levels of insight and resourcefulness among junior Soldiers.”
“Kids today are smart,” Sims said. “They have unfettered access to all the world’s information. They know how to navigate and apply it in useful ways. Smart young Soldiers have always been one of the Army’s biggest competitive advantages.”
Sims also spoke about “Training the Force of 2030” — to include the Army’s premier Combat Training Centers: the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, Lousiana.
Fort Liberty leaders emphasized the Army post’s role as America’s Contingency Force during a discussion by Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Liberty, and by XVIII Airborne Corps’ Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. “T.J” Holland.
“The XVIII Airborne Corps is really FORSCOM’s and the Army’s contribution to the contingency force,” Donahue said. “It’s made up of four separate divisions, but the ‘critical sauce’ is those separate brigades. That forms the Army’s contribution to any time we have to go anywhere to compete against any adversary across the globe. Fort Liberty is the strategic platform for the U.S. Army. It has every contingency Special Operations Forces; every contingency force on the larger capability is here.”
U.S. Army Special Operations Command’s deputy commanding general, Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson, also highlighted Fort Liberty’s vital role in irregular warfare.
“USASOC provides all of the Army Special Operations Forces to the Joint Force,” Roberson said. Over the last 20 years, we were focused on irregular warfare campaigning throughout the world.”
Maj. Gen. Donn Hill, commanding general of the Army Security Force Assistance Command, also based at Fort Liberty, said “The adviser teams of today are designed to advise at the tactical level. We were all about counterinsurgency and stability operations, but the world has changed. The Army is changing.”
“We’re in 30 countries on any given day,” Hill said about the six security force assistance brigades. Additionally, the teams are on the ground persistently, spending six months with allied partner armies before they are replaced by another team of Soldiers.
Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen, deputy Army chief of staff for installations, G-9, at the Pentagon discussed employment opportunities for Soldiers and spouses. “The G-9 enables readiness through our quality-of-life plans, programs and policies that help the Army recruit, train, fight and win,” he said.
A highlight of the Warfighter Summit was a discussion by Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, who spoke about the key leadership role of the U.S. Army’s Non-Commissioned Officer Corps. He also conducted a panel discussion with Fort Liberty NCOs and Soldiers about the 75th anniversary of the integration of the U.S. Armed Forces.
By FORSCOM Public Affairs
Polaris Government & Defense – MRZR Alpha Arctic Cab and Track
Thursday, October 27th, 2022Polaris Defense & Government continues to show how versatile the MRZR Alpha is with their AUSA exhibit featuring the Arctic Cab.
Developed for the US Special Operations Command and Marine Corps, the new cab enclosure is part of an Arctic Mobility kit that also features a track system to replace the wheels. Originally designed for enhanced Arctic and tundra mobility, the interchangeable elements of the cab enclosure and track kit can be mixed and matched for mission flexibility.
The cab helps protect occupants from weather conditions and environmental elements. The doors and upper window panels can be removed and the integrated front windshield features a wiper and spray bottle. There is a heat and defrost capability. Additionally, every component of the cab kit can be painted.
The track conversion kit replaces each wheel with a separate track assembly, providing off-road, all-terrain maneuver capability over snow, soft soil and mixed terrain.
ONYX Remotely Actuated Weapon
Monday, October 24th, 2022One of the most promising pieces of equipment meant I saw at AUSA is the Remotely Actuated Weapon by ONYX.
RAW is a Platform-Agnostic Modular Lower Receiver allowing the user to Bring Your Own Upper Receiver.
Currently at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) signifying it has a fully functional prototype or representational model. The RAW itself is less than 4 lbs and can be mounted to static fixtures or air, ground, or maritime platforms including robotic systems.
It can also be used in conjunction with the Onyx X360 gimbal, which provides 360-degree azimuth and 40-degree elevation integrated with intelligent slew-to-cue automation.
Additionally, ONYX is working on image characterization in order to alert the user to what the system is looking at.
GORE-TEX Stretch Fabric Technology
Thursday, October 20th, 2022
During last week’s AUSA event GORE-TEX brand outfitted three mannequins with jackets made from their GORE-TEX Stretch Fabric Technology which retains the water and wind proof breathable characteristics of Gore’s ePTFe material but adds the ability to stretch.
This offers an adaptive fit that reduces air gaps and leads to a more optimized design with less bulk. This means a garment with a more tailored fit can be worn with underlayers without going up a size. It will also move with the wearer. An added bonus is that the fabric improves the garment’s evaporative resistance and increases breathability by 25%.
It was an excellent means to demonstrate how verstaile a shell garment made from the GORE-TEX Stretch fabric is. It can be worn under armor, or over it, fully protecting the gear from
invelement weather.
