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INVISIO Has Received Contract Award Decisions from the Swedish Police

Friday, August 30th, 2019

The Swedish police have announced in two contract award decisions that they intend to sign two framework agreements with INVISIO regarding communication equipment. The contract award decisions are not to be regarded as signed agreements.

The agreements include communication equipment with active hearing protection and are framework agreements valid for two years with the possibility to extend for another two years. No volume is guaranteed during the contract periods; call-offs will be made when the need arises.

The tendering process may be subject to review within ten days of the award decision.

INVISIO intends to provide additional information when the company has such and when the agreements are signed.

Posted in Advertiser, Comms, Contracts, International, LE, Press Release | Comments Off on INVISIO Has Received Contract Award Decisions from the Swedish Police

USMC Selects INVISIO for Hearing Enhancement Program, First Order Received

Friday, August 16th, 2019

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has selected INVISIO to provide a suite of hearing enhancement solutions over the coming years that will protect Marines’ hearing while increasing their situational awareness in a variety of training and combat environments. A first order of SEK 43 million has been received that will be delivered during the next 6 months.

The INVISIO systems are compatible with Marine Corps radios and the Marine Corps Enhanced Combat Helmet. The systems consist of both communications enabled versions and as well as hearing protection only. The Program Manager for Infantry Combat Equipment (PM ICE) at Marine Corps System Command is the procuring office.

The new headset systems will allow Marines to wear hearing protection, yet still provide the opportunity to communicate and understand what is going on around them. Infantry, artillery, reconnaissance and combat engineer Marines decided on INVISIO systems based on fit, form, function and comfort. PM ICE will field a suite of hearing protection systems, and Marines will get what they need based on their specific role and unit.

The headset systems are rugged and capable of operating in a wide range of environments a Marine might encounter, from cold weather to extreme heat. In the future, MCSC will release new weapon systems that could potentially cause a greater risk to Marines’ hearing. To be prepared, PM ICE wants to ensure Marines ears are protected in advance. The goal is to field a hearing system that will help Marines communicate better and increase their capabilities on the battlefield.

”We are very excited and pleased to have won the competition for the Marine Hearing Enhancement Program. We look forward to providing Marines with a suite of hearing protection and tactical communications systems combining both protection and capability”, said Ray Clarke, CEO of INVISIO Communications Inc. in the U.S.

“Winning the Marine Hearing Enhancement Program is a milestone for INVISIO and a further strengthening of our already market leading position in the U.S. We are very proud and ready to support the United States Marine Corps over the coming years”, said Lars Højga?rd Hansen, CEO of INVISIO Communications.

Posted in Advertiser, Comms, Contracts, Press Release, USMC | 4 Comments »

Gentex Corporation Awarded GSA Contract for Ops-Core AMP Communication Headset

Tuesday, August 13th, 2019

GENTEX CORPORATION AWARDED GSA SCHEDULE 84 CONTRACT FOR OPS-CORE AMP™ COMMUNICATION HEADSET

Configurable headset solution delivers 3D Hear-Through and advanced hearing protection for combat operations

August 13, 2019

Carbondale, PA, August 13, 2019. Gentex Corporation, a global leader in personal protection and situational awareness solutions for defense forces, emergency responders, and industrial personnel announced it has been awarded a Schedule 84 contract by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the procurement arm of the federal government, for its Ops-Core AMP Communication Headset. GSA Schedule 84 provides federal agencies with security, fire, and law enforcement equipment and services. The contract period is five years, with three separate five-year options.

“This GSA award provides a streamlined contract vehicle for federal customers to purchase our innovative new Ops-Core AMP Communication Headset, a rapid modernization path for those organizations looking to update their situational awareness, communication, and protection capabilities,” said Tom Short, Vice President Ground Systems, Gentex Corporation. “It also allows Gentex Corporation to continue its expansion of its growing communications and hearing protection product portfolio into the federal marketplace and complements existing GSA contracts held by the company.”

Introduced in the fall of 2018, the Ops-Core AMP Communication Headset features 3D Hear-Through Technology, which restores and enhances the operator’s “natural hearing” of the outside environment for improved situational awareness in high noise environments, while also providing robust hearing protection with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 22db. With the addition of optional wire-free, battery-free, Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) Earplugs, NRR is increased to 34dB, while maintaining clear-communication audio and ambient hear through. For optimal flexibility and mission performance, the modular headset can be easily configured to meet a wide range of mission needs with options for headband or helmet rail-mounted use, single or double hearing protection, left- and right-handed configurations of headset downlead cable and boom microphone, and single or multi-channel communications. To learn more about the headset, go to www.opscore.com.

Federal customers can access information about the Ops-Core AMP Communication Headset through the GSA Schedules e-Library by searching by contract number (Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) GS-07F-0430K), or other keywords denoting the product or service being sought. They can also place orders on-line through GSA Advantage.

The GSA carefully evaluates companies to determine their capability for providing products to the government. The assessment analyzes a variety of a corporation’s capabilities, including organizational structure, performance history, customer satisfaction, and other source selection criteria. Holding this contract demonstrates that Gentex Corporation is recognized as a preferred vendor and is fully authorized to conduct business directly with government agencies. To learn more about GSA visit gsa.gov.

Posted in Advertiser, Comms, Contracts, Press Release | Comments Off on Gentex Corporation Awarded GSA Contract for Ops-Core AMP Communication Headset

German Army Relies On Rohde & Schwarz

Thursday, July 25th, 2019

IDZ-ES and the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) for the VJTF 2023 are making a start on the end-to-end digital command radio link over the first mile using software defined radios from Rohde & Schwarz.

Munich, July 22, 2019 – The seamless command radio link for the PUMA armored infantry system with the infantryman of the future (IdZ-ES) for the Very High Readiness Joint Taskforce (VJTF) 2023 is provided by Rohde & Schwarz. With the Budget Committee of the German Lower House of German Parliament (Bundestag) having given its approval for the armored infantry system service package at the end of June, the necessary contracts for procurement have now also been completed.

“This order is a milestone that we have reached after winning against international competitors in challenging trials and comparative tests set by the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) in 2018 in Munster, Germany,” explained Hartmut Jäschke, Senior Vice President Market Segments Secure Communications Sales and Projects at Rohde & Schwarz.

Its basis is the intention of the Bundeswehr to be ready with the PUMA IFV/armored infantry system and the latest version of IdZ-ES for NATO VJTF (Land) in 2023. Rohde & Schwarz is a subcontractor of Rheinmetall Electronics, which is responsible for the IdZ-ES system, and will supply the latest tactical software defined radios (SDR) together with suitable waveforms, integration, training and services. The SOVERON family works with the high data rate and interference-immune SOVERON WAVE waveforms for tactical rugged use on the first mile, and is thus an exact match for the spectrum of requirements of a battle group for territorial and collective defense as well as for international crisis management operations. All members of the SOVERON WAVE family of waveforms offer mobile ad hoc network (MANET) functionality. Radios equipped with this capability function as routers within the IP network group, forwarding the information via other communication nodes and thus ensuring that a robust, interference-immune link can be maintained under all circumstances.

Rohde & Schwarz will supply the latest tactical software defined radios of the SOVERON family together with suitable waveforms, integration, training and services to the German Armed Forces for NATO VJTF (Land) in 2023. (Photo: Rohde & Schwarz)

The Rohde & Schwarz VHF/UHF radio systems selected for this project will establish and maintain the command radio link with simultaneous voice and IP data from dismounted troops up to the platoon and company level. The systems concerned are handheld (SDHR/SOVERON HR) and vehicular radios (SDTR/SOVERON VR) that are interoperable with the German Armed Forces joint radio system (SVFuA, series name: SOVERON D) that has already been commissioned by the Bundeswehr and the SDR waveforms procured with it. The first batch of SOVERON D commissioned for command vehicles will be delivered to the troops in the first half of 2020. This interplay is also of great importance for future viability in the context of the Digitalization of Land Based Operations/Tactical Edge Networking (D-LBO/TEN) major project for highly secure and trusted interoperable connections that will only come into effect after VJTF 2023. SOVERON D also provides backward compatibility with the analog SEM radio infrastructure that will be in service for some time yet even though it is obsolete. This capability was also recently demonstrated in further tests.

“With our innovative overall approach – SOVERON – we provide national trusted solutions that can be tailored to the customer’s needs but which, due to their open architecture, are compatible with established radio systems and architectures and, at the same time, will be viable in the future,” Mr. Jäschke continued. “It is an honor for us to bring into operation by the troops the latest state of the art for the VJTF. By doing so, we are not only paving the way for the next steps of D-LBO/TEN and for further strategic projects of the Bundeswehr. There are also significant synergies with the Telecommunications of the Army (TK A) project in Switzerland, comparable to the networking part of D-LBO/TEN. We are in the final round of a multi-year competition here.”

Posted in Comms, Digitization, International, Press Release | Comments Off on German Army Relies On Rohde & Schwarz

SOFWERX – Next Generation PEO-RW Cockpit Capability Collaboration Event

Sunday, July 7th, 2019

USSOCOM PEO-Rotary Wing (RW) is interested in the next generation Special Operations Aviation (SOA) Cockpit. Join subject matter experts to ideate on potential solutions. This event will help participants understand the operational needs of the RW user community.

Focus areas include:
• Controls
• Voice Activation
• Heads Up Eyes Out Display
• Windscreen
• Display
• Communication/ICS
• Operational Flight Program (Operating System)

The event will ensure exposure to any technology that could increase aviator capability from the cockpit.

SOFWERX will hold an event on 16 July 2019 and the RSVP Deadline: 09 July 11:59 PM EST (sic).

For additional details, visit www.sofwerx.org/cockpit.

Posted in Aviation, Comms, Design, Digitization, SOF | Comments Off on SOFWERX – Next Generation PEO-RW Cockpit Capability Collaboration Event

Marco Refill Kits Now Available from Blue Force Gear

Friday, July 5th, 2019

Blue Force Gear’s revolutionary Marking And Recognition Chemstick Organization dispenser – MARCO – just got better with the introduction of MARCO Refill Kits.

MARCO streamlines the pre-mission preparation of marking lights that are in use by top tier military and law enforcement units that Blue Force Gear is proud to support. Our new refill kits are being brought to market at the request of these end-users, who desire the ability to quickly top-off, or completely refill, dispensers when used in a training environment.

Each MARCO Refill Kit contains 30 individual 2-inch disposable marking sticks housed in a resealable bag and are available in red, blue, green or infrared hues. Miniature marking sticks provide the equivalent lumen output of 4-inch taped ChemLights, as seen through Night Vision Devices and are impervious to the elements; continuing to glow rain or shine, hot or cold.

About MARCO

MARCO is the simplest, most efficient means of carrying multiple marking lights, and reliably dispensing them, during complex room clearing operations. Using the MARCO dispenser and refillable packs in place of the traditional time-consuming method of prepping, taping and bundling chemlights, will save users critical time during pre- mission preparation.

While the MARCO was originally intended for use during urban tactical operations, it has proven to have crossover applications in the hunting, outdoor and off-road segments for marking trails, intersections or trailing downed game during reduced lighting conditions. It’s compactness, durability and ease of use is unrivaled in these applications.

For more information, technical specs or to view a video demonstration of Blue Force Gear’s MARCO Dispenser and other Blue Force Gear products, visit us at www.blueforcegear.com/marco-refill-packs.

Kits will ship Monday, when the crew gets back to work.

Posted in Advertiser, Comms, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Ask SSD – What’s This Antenna?

Tuesday, June 25th, 2019

A friend sent me this photo and asked me to identify the two X shaped antennas in the rear. I am unfamiliar with them. But perhaps an SSD reader will know what they are.

If they turn out to be sensitive, go ahead and shoot me an email. The requester is legit.

Posted in Ask SSD, Comms | 6 Comments »

OR Summer Market – Garmin GPSMAP 66i

Wednesday, June 19th, 2019

The Garmin GPSMAP 66i combines GPS Mapping and Satellite Communications into a single unit.

Currently available exclusively from REI, it comes preloaded with TOPO maps and inReach technology (subscription required) for 2-way messaging and SOS.

Features:

• Button-operated GPS handheld and satellite communicator with interactive SOS alerts

• Large 3 in. sunlight-readable color display is easy to view

• Buttons provide simple operation even with gloves or in the rain

• Trigger an interactive SOS to the GEOS 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center; exchange 2-way messages via the 100% global Iridium® satellite network (subscription required)

• Preloaded Garmin TOPO mapping with direct-to-device BirdsEye Satellite Imagery downloads (no annual subscription)

• Includes multiple Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) support and navigation sensors

• Cellular connectivity lets you access Active Weather forecasts and Geocaching Live

• Compatible with the Garmin Explore™ website and app to help you manage waypoints, routes, activities and collections, use tracks and review trip data from the field

• Internal, rechargeable lithium battery provides up to 35 hrs. of battery life in 10 min. tracking mode (and 1 min. tracking mode with display off

• Expedition mode (30 min. tracking intervals) provides up to 200 hrs. of battery life

• IPX7 rating means the GPSMAP 66i is considered waterproof; it can withstand submersion in water up to 1m deep for up to 30 min.

Posted in Comms, Outdoor Retailer | Comments Off on OR Summer Market – Garmin GPSMAP 66i