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The IDF’s New “Robocop” Knee Pads

Thursday, March 9th, 2017

Agilite Axis™ knee pads selected as new standard issue knee pads for all combat troops.

Holon, Israel, 7th March 2017-The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced the selection of Agilite’s Axis™ tactical knee pads for standard issue to all IDF combat troops from March 2017 onwards.

A 2017 adaptation of an old industrial design, Axis’s primary advantage is that unlike regular knee pads, they do not fall down. Whilst rather unusual in appearance (they are nicknamed “Robocop Knee Pads” in Israel), they outperformed every other type of knee pads in extensive IDF trials that spanned several months.

Agilite worked with IDF SF units to perfect the design which provides over 180 degrees of polymer, hard protection as well as internal closed-cell memory foam for comfort even over extended periods. They are also exceptionally light, weighing in at just 9oz (255g).
“Anyone who has spent five minutes in the military knows that with regular knee pads you spend all your time picking them up from your ankles. You put Axis on your knees and forget about them,” said Eric M, a five year veteran of Israel’s Navy SEALS (Shayetet 13) and Head of International sales at Agilite. “The look of them takes some getting used to but they outperform every other tactical knee pad by miles” said Marks. They are also preferential over internal pant knee pads as they provide exponentially more protection, surface coverage and comfort.

The IDF was looking for a new knee pad with increased durability and performance that does not fall down in order to increase combat awareness and the Agilite Axis was selected after an extended period in IDF SOF.

Agilite is now beginning trials of the Axis knee pads in SOF groups across Europe and North America.

Axis are available in Ranger Green, Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and Black from www.agilitegear.com or authorized Agilite dealers and retail at just $32.90.

For more information about Agilite Axis™ or to become and Axis dealer contact:
eric@agilitegear.com or go to www.agilitegear.com.

Tags: Agilite
Posted in Contracts, Press Release | 11 Comments »

US Army Awards Revision Military $98M Contract For New Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II

Tuesday, March 7th, 2017

The Department of Defense just announced a contract award to Revision Military for production of the new Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II. The helmet shares the same shape of the current issue ACH, but boasts a 24% weight reduction thanks to the use of Polyethylene materials.

Revision Military,* Newport, Vermont, was awarded a $98,111,803 firm-fixed-price contract for Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II (ACH GEN II), which includes the procurement of 293,870 production units. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 6, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-17-D-0008).

Congratulations to our Soldiers who will be getting a lighter weight helmet and to Revision, for getting the chance to build them.

Tags: Revision Military
Posted in Contracts, Helmets | 13 Comments »

Feel The SURG Redux – USSOCOM Again Seeks Suppressor Upper Receiver Group for M4A1 Carbines

Monday, March 6th, 2017

Last year, USSOCOM’s Directorate of Procurement released a solicitation for the Suppressor Upper Receiver Group, however they canceled the program before it was completed. The requirement was a bit too ambitious for the state of the art.

Despite this, SURG isn’t dead. As updates made on the FedBizOpps page from February of this year shows, USSOCOM’s DoP regrouped, rewrote the requirement, and reissued it, with the latest amendment released on March 1st.

As a reminder: “The SURG weapon upgrade of the M4A1 Lower Receiver Group will allow the Warfighter’s weapon to be optimized for continuous suppressed use.” Interestingly, there’s no requirement, at least on the open to the public side, that the upper feature an integral suppressor, just that it is suppressed.

Several companies have licked pieces of the challenge, but not the whole thing as an integrally suppressed upper which can not only handle the M855A1 cartridge but also remain cool enough under use to meet the program’s objectives.

It remains to be seen whether the revitalized requirement will bear an issued product, or will phase out, due to an overly ambitious requirement, like the first time.

Visit www.fbo.gov to view the entire requirement.

Posted in Black Rifle, Contracts, SOF | 10 Comments »

GLOCK Protests XM17 Modular Handgun System Award

Monday, February 27th, 2017

The Government Accounting Office’s protest docket has been updated with GLOCK, Inc’s February 24 protest to SIG SAUER’s January 20th award for the XM17 Modular Handgun System.

The case remains open with a due date of 5 June, 2017. This means work cannot begin on the program until this protest is sorted out.

Tags: GAO, Glock, Sig Sauer
Posted in Contracts | 79 Comments »

BREAKING: USMC Begins Process To Issue M27 IAR to Every Rifleman; Issues RFI To Industry

Friday, February 10th, 2017

Earlier today MARCORSYSCOM issued “Request for Information (RFI) M67854-17-I-1218 For Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM), Quantico, VA Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR)”. They are very clear at this point that is solely an initiation of market research under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP). To be clear, issuing an RFI is a natural step in the acquisition process.

This action comes after a short duration experiment last Fall during which, an entire Marine Infantry Battalion was equipped with the IAR instead of their issue M4s. The experiment was obviously a success. At the time there was still no requirement but apparently, they’ve worked that out and lined up funding to make this happen.

As the RFI only calls for the production of an additional 11,000 rifles, this means that only additional select Infantrymen will be issued the M27. Conversely, the Marines purchased over 45,000 M4 carbines. When the M27 IAR was initially selected, the Marines had undertaken a study to determine what it would cost and how quickly the manufacturer H&K, could build the rifles in order to pure fleet the service. At the time, H&K did not have the production capacity to meet the Marine Corps’ fielding timeline so the plan was scrapped. This new move may very well be incremental in nature, with further fielding taking a longer timeline and encompassing a larger portion of the Marines.

The 5.56mm M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle is manufactured by Heckler & Koch. It is based on their HK416 carbine and was fielded to the Marines to supplant beltfed the M249 SAW in the Rifle Squad. This RFI will assuredly be used by SYSCOM to create a a sole-source “Justification and Approval” in order to purchase the rifles directly from manufacturer H&K without going for an open solicitation. While the RFI describes the M27’s salient characteristics to a “T”, what may throw a monkey wrench in this plan is if another manufacturer or two claim they can build the weapons as well with a model based on a 416 clone.

We will watch this procurement closely and keep you updated on its progress. Offerers have until March 17th at 3:00 PM to respond.

Tags: H&K
Posted in Contracts, MARCORSYSCOM, weapons | 63 Comments »

SIG SAUER, Inc. Awarded the U.S. Army Contract for its New Modular Handgun System (MHS)

Friday, January 20th, 2017

Newington, NH (January 19, 2017) – SIG SAUER, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Army has selected the SIG SAUER Model P320 to replace the M9 service pistol currently in use since the mid-1980’s. Released in 2014, the P320 is a polymer striker-fired pistol that has proven itself in both the United States and worldwide markets. The P320 is the first modular pistol with interchangeable grip modules that can also be adjusted in frame size and caliber by the operator. All pistols will be produced at the SIG SAUER facilities in New Hampshire.

The MHS Program provides for the delivery of both full size and compact P320’s, over a period of ten (10) years. All pistols will be configurable to receive silencers and will also include both standard and extended capacity magazines.

“I am tremendously proud of the Modular Handgun System Team,” said Army Acquisition Executive, Steffanie Easter in the release. “By maximizing full and open competition across our industry partners, we truly have optimized the private sector advancements in handguns, ammunition and magazines and the end result will ensure a decidedly superior weapon system for our warfighters.”

Ron Cohen, President and CEO of SIG SAUER, said “We are both humbled and proud that the P320 was selected by the U.S. Army as its weapon of choice. Securing this contract is a testimony to SIG SAUER employees and their commitment to innovation, quality and manufacturing the most reliable firearms in the world.”

Tags: Sig Sauer
Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, PEO-Soldier, weapons | 31 Comments »

Blast From The Past – AUSA 2014 – SIG SAUER Gives Us A Look At Their Modular Handgun System Candidate

Friday, January 20th, 2017

In consideration of SIG SAUER’s win of the Modular Handgun Program earlier today, we are sharing this story from October 2014, showcasing what the SIG P320-based submission looked like at the time. Congrats to Team SIG on this win.

At AUSA, SIG SAUER‘s Kevin Brittingham walked us through their candidate for the Army’s Modular Handgun System program which may replace the M9 Pistol issued since the mid-80s and is based on the Beretta 92F.

Although based on the commercially available P320 modular pistol, SIG made a few changes to be in compliance with the Army’s requirement.

-Tan Color
-Ambi Thumb Safety
-Lower Profile Ambi Slide Release
-Loaded Chamber Indicator
-Trigger Boot
-Firing Pin Assembly

Although SIG is very optimistic about their chances, they also look at programs like this as an opportunity to improve their firearms. Some of these changes may we find their way into the P320 and other SIG firearms.