My friend Grzegorz gave me a pack of playing cards today that were created to help keep people alive in Ukraine.
Intended to educate about different types of munitions, each card features a photo with size and weight ?data and a QR code to learn more about the item.
For example, here it the card for the PFM-1 with the QR code going here.
To learn more, visit fenix-insight.online.
Allen-Vanguard, a global leader in providing customized solutions for defeating Radio Frequency (RF) based terrorist and extremist threats, continues to supply and develop life-saving ECM equipment and capability to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via their partner TRUST International Group LLC (TIG). Allen-Vanguard will be available at IDEX 23, in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre ADNEC (Booth #C3-006) from 20-24 February 2023.
Trust International’s main business is focused on military and defense products and has been working to meet the needs of the UAE Armed Forces and other government agencies since 2004, with specialization in sourcing suitable products, services, spare parts and integrated solutions. TRUST International has supported the supply of Allen-Vanguard’s world renowned ANCILE counter unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) / counter drone system and SCORPION portable EOD ECM to uplift and improve UAE’s defence capabilities in electronic countermeasures.
The use of drones for nefarious means is proliferating. In particular, there is an increase in use for close target reconnaissance and as a weapon delivery system, both in conventional and asymmetric operations; as being witnessed in current conflicts. Allen-Vanguard developed ANCILE to deliver outstanding RF inhibition to combat the wide variety of commercial drones that are available. The system can be remotely updated with optimized inhibition waveforms designed and developed using global threat intelligence gathered by our Threat Management Team (TMT). When optimized, ANCILE ensures a robust and effective 360 degree no-fly zone that can be applied to convoy protection, operational bases and static facilities alike.
Working with partners, the Allen-Vanguard’s Field Service Representatives (FSR) supported the customer to create a fully integrated vehicle mounted ANCILE capability that can be quickly transitioned (5mins) to a ground-based system to provide a simple and robust protective zone. This system has been previously successfully deployed at the G7 and other similar major events in the region. In addition, Allen-Vanguard have also provided their SCORPION portable ECM system, which is in-service with the most prominent Bomb Disposal Squads in Europe, the Middle East and the Southern Hemisphere; a first for the UAE.
Allen-Vanguard is committed to creating an indigenous capability that is locally owned and operated, so that sovereign nations have operational autonomy to detect, protect and deter terrorist threats, all backed by a first-class technical training and support infrastructure provided by Allen-Vanguard and their partners. This initial capability and support for the UAE is the first step in this process. The aim is to grow the necessary connections to local defence partners and academia, thus allowing regional initiatives to support all aspects of ECM capability from manufacture and assembly through to the most crucial aspects of threat management and advanced mitigation techniques.
Allen-Vanguard’s Business Director for Africa, Stuart Wilson, said “This is an excellent example of how we seek to create local capability to help defeat terrorist threats in the Middle East and North African region. I am very proud of the excellent systems that Allen-Vanguard designs and produces, but equally I relish working with the customer to help create and develop a fully integrated and supported local capability that will evolve and endure as the threat changes. For more information on what Allen-Vanguard can do to support your ECM capability please come and find us at IDEX 23.”
At this year’s IDEX show in Abu Dhabi (20-24 February 2023), a compact and lightweight personal mine extraction kit (PMEK) developed by survival equipment experts, BCB International Ltd (Stand 03-C46) is tipped to be a hit with visitors.
The detection of mines and IEDs presents a real challenge for dismounted military personnel. Having close to hand the means to detect these buried devices to safely navigate your way through an area laced with mines and IEDs is vital.
Weighing in at just 400 grams, the BCB Personal (IED and) Mine Extraction Kit (PMEK) is a compact, lightweight kit which fits neatly onto a MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment) system. It is designed for dismounted soldiers as well as armoured vehicle crews to always carry when patrolling in an area of country where mines or IEDs could be hidden.
BCB International Ltd’s Managing Director, Andrew Howell, said: “The PMEK can be deployed and assembled in seconds. It contains all the key components troops needed to help extract themselves out of a mined area, day or night. It can be quickly opened and easily accessed while still attached to a soldier’s waist belt or Body Armour.
Many thousands of our PMEKs have already been supplied to the Ukrainian forces. We invite visitors to this year’s IDEX show to stop by our stand (03-C46) and take a closer look at this indispensable survival item for operations in areas where IEDs and other buried unexploded ordnance could be lurking.”
A three-day familiarization-level course which teaches the basic knowledge needed to identify possible Improvised Explosive Device (IED) threat situations and the skills to address the threat safely and effectively. Topics covered in the course:
• History, overview, and evolution of explosives
• Detection, identification, and sample variations
• Awareness and countermeasure tactics
This course presented by a top-level subject matter expert with relevant operational experience spanning from the 1970’s until 2013.
2022 courses: January 14-16, April 11-13, July 25-27, October 3-5
Location: Henderson, NV
Minimum students: 5
*Restricted to US Government Agencies, DoD & qualified Law Enforcement officers
For more information visit www.centresupport.com/ied-familiarization
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Landmines pose a serious threat in conflict areas, yet modern detection systems struggle to discriminate between explosives and clutter. A project funded by the Army developed a new method for landmine identification that will greatly reduce false alarm rates.
Fewer false alarms will significantly reduce the cost of humanitarian landmine clearance operations and provide greater road mobility by avoiding unnecessary route detours. With this new technology, landmines can be detected without digging.
Vadum, Inc., North Carolina State University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory, collaborated to develop what’s known as the Vibration-ENhanced Underground Sensing system, or VENUS.
“New concepts are rare in the area of landmine detection,” said Dr. James Harvey, program manager, ARO. “This advance has the potential to be a game changer.”
The Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate of the U.S. Army CCDC C5ISR Center supported the research as a part of an Army Small Business Technology Transfer award managed by ARO.
Most conventional landmine detectors are based on detecting the electromagnetic signature of the mine itself, which can easily be confused with other buried metal objects or wet or magnetic soil patches.
With this new technology, published in the proceedings of the 2020 SPIE Defense & Commercial Sensing Conference, the small metal parts inside the landmine are stimulated to vibrate using a pulsed magnetic field. Most other buried objects don’t respond to the magnetic pulse and those that do have very different vibrational characteristics. The vibrations are detected by a unique high dynamic range vibrometer that can distinguish closely-spaced low-frequency vibrations.
“This new capability resulted from combining exciting results from several previous ambitious research projects and is an outstanding example of the transition from university basic research to new military and commercial technology capabilities,” said Professor Michael Steer, a NC State research partner. “The mathematical algorithms behind the detection depend on understanding the details of the interaction of magnetic fields, radar pulses, and vibrating components within the landmine as well as with the properties of various soil and clutter objects. Advancing university physical models and analysis continue to support the improvement of the detection algorithms.”
The Army awarded the research team an additional two-year Phase II STTR contract to mature its unique technology.
As part of that award, the research team will work to miniature and ruggedize the detection device for reliable outdoor testing at an Army range. The researchers also will collect data from real landmines in a variety of soil conditions and demonstrate the performance of the technology in demanding and stressing field conditions.
“Because conventional metal detectors and ground penetrating radar rely on similar same fields, it should eventually be possible to upgrade conventional systems with VENUS technology to maximize detection capability,” said Dr. Josh Wetherington, principal Vadum researcher.
By U.S. Army CCDC Army Research Laboratory Public Affairs
SOFWERX, in concert with USSOCOM PEO-SOF Warrior (PEO-SW), will host a Blast Exposure Monitoring (BEMO) System Assessment Event on 27 May 2020 to identify solutions to blast overpressure exposure recognition, which occurs with heavy weapon system use, breaching, and other dynamic training and operational environments.
Select individuals will be allotted a one-on-one session with USSOCOM to pitch, demonstrate, and/or discuss solutions.
Submission Deadline: 19 April 11:59 PM EST
To submit, visit events.sofwerx.org/bemo.
SOFWERX, in concert with USSOCOM Program Executive Office (PEO) SOF Warrior (SW), will host a Blast Exposure Monitoring (BEMO) System Collaboration Event (CE) in April 1st, to identify solutions to blast overpressure exposure recognition. This event will be a compelling opportunity for the leading minds in Industry, National Labs and Academia to better understand and influence current SOF needs.
Experts in the following areas are encouraged to apply:
Hardware:
• Blast pressure sensor capable of detecting 0.5 to 100 psi
• Batteries/Wireless rechargeable atteries
• Mounting/wear options on kit or civilian clothing
• Microphone(s) to capture acoustic events
• Acoustic event counter to count events that exceed safety levels (>140 decibels)
• Trigger count for a dynamic environment (multiple weapons being fired in a small area)
Software/Data:
• Automation of blast data analyses and output
• Algorithm(s) for identifying weapons being fired on a range
• Blast data visualization that are intuitive, informative and easily understood
• Algorithm(s) for identifying directionality or blast and differentiating incidental from reflective overpressure readings on wearable blast gauge sensor
For full details and to register, visit www.sofwerx.org/bemo.
The company has also been awarded a €65 million contract to supply its Vehicular C-Guard System to the Spanish MOD
August 5, 2019. Netline Communications Technologies Ltd. – a leading developer and manufacturer of high-end electronic warfare and spectrum dominance systems for defense forces and homeland security agencies – is supplying its C-Guard Reactive Jamming (RJ) Manpack system to the IDF. The system is already being operated by the IDF, and is also in ongoing use by ground forces in NATO countries, Asia and Africa.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), such as roadside bombs activated by radio-controlled devices (namely cell phones), have become a common threat in today’s asymmetric warfare, as they are easy to make. Netline’s reactive jamming system provides frontline forces with a real-time counter-IED solution.
Easily carried into the battlefield, the C-Guard RJ Manpack system detects and prevents IED activation attempts. The system creates a secured zone around the soldiers on the frontline, reacting to real-time situational electronic warfare (EW) threats by both detecting the threat and providing an immediate response of jamming RF signals that are attempting to detonate the IED. The solution’s advantages include superior reactive jamming capabilities, wide coverage, simple operation by an individual soldier to provide protection of personnel within a specific radius, and better overall control of the operational situation, all without requiring any additional hardware.
Netline has also recently secured a €65 million contract with the Spanish Ministry of Defense. In a show of confidence similar to the IDF’s, both in Netline and its advanced jamming capabilities, this is a major contract to supply the C-Guard RJ vehicle system for use in all military corps of the Spanish Armed Forces, due to begin in December 2019.
“We are proud that the IDF and the Spanish MOD have chosen our life-saving systems to protect their forces in a variety of operational missions,” says Yallon Bahat, CEO of Netline. “For us, this is further evidence that our strategic decision to invest in the development of high-end EW technologies is bearing fruit. We have succeeded in bringing the message of EW defensive measures to the ground tactical arena, and will continue to invest in advanced generations to provide solutions for future threats in this field.”
