Industry insiders have confirmed that Point Blank Enterprises has won the selection for new SPEAR soft armor to outfit Special Operations Forces. This means that Point Blank will provide the soft armor inserts regardless of carrier make.
www.pointblankenterprises.com/
We reference DOTMLPF all of the time. But what does it mean? Here is what the Defense Acquisition University has to say about it –
“DOTMLPF stands for:
– Doctrine: the way we fight, e.g., emphasizing maneuver warfare combined air-ground campaigns
– Organization: how we organize to fight; divisions, air wings, Marine-Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs), etc.
– Training: how we prepare to fight tactically; basic training to advanced individual training, various types of unit training, joint exercises, etc.
– Materiel: all the “stuff” necessary to equip our forces, that is, weapons, spares, etc. so they can do operate effectively
– Leadership and education: how we prepare our leaders to lead the fight from squad leader to 4-star general/admiral; professional development
– Personnel: availability of qualified people for peacetime, wartime, and various contingency operations
– Facilities: real property; installations and industrial facilities (e.g. government owned ammunition production facilities) that support our forces
The idea is to fix the capability gap (emphasis added).”
DoD speaks in terms of ‘capability gaps.” This means you are faced with a threat or warfighting challenge that you haven’t encountered before and need a solution for. You see the breakout of each of the letters in DOTMLPF but you have to consider it as a hierarchical means to a solution. Doctrine is way at the top and all of the other attributes have to fall into place to actualize that Doctrine. Notice that Material is toward the bottom. That’s because it is so expensive in both time and money. What you are going to find, is that if you really take a look at the issue, the solution will probably be somewhere else in the hierarchy (or a combination of factors).
If you’ve got a problem, you don’t call the A-Team, you reference DOTMLPF.
By close of business yesterday, the Army had cancelled the Request For Information from industry for “Request for Information on Field Solutions to Soldier Camouflage: Identify in-the-field solutions/materials that will give Soldiers the ability to improve/adjust camouflage uniforms and equipment to better match the specific terrain.” It’s too bad. This could have been pretty cool.
In a Request for Information released last week entitled, “Request for Information on Field Solutions to Soldier Camouflage: Identify in-the-field solutions/materials that will give Soldiers the ability to improve/adjust camouflage uniforms and equipment to better match the specific terrain” the US Army has cast a net seeking “for on-the-spot/field solutions that can be applied to the baseline uniform that will provide for better visual/near-infrared blending for specific areas. These solutions will have the capability to adjust camouflage uniforms and Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) in-the-field to provide enhanced performance in specific sites of conflict.”
During the Q&A portion of the US Army Camouflage Improvement Effort industry day, PEO Soldier officials specifically ruled out such nontraditional solutions for the program which concentrates on a family of printed camouflage patterns for clothing and individual equipment. Apparently, they’ve realized that even three patterns (Temperate, Woodland and Desert) won’t even be specific enough for every environment and that there will be a requirement for even more specific patterns. Considering how long it has taken to make this camo program happen, I don’t blame them. A conflict could well be over before a development program could even begin let alone see its way to completion.
There’s another interesting aspect to this RFI. If a solution is identified, it could allow the Army to retain a single pattern and just rely on the site specific camo technology for anything that doesn’t match well.
Having said all of that I have to mention that I’m not sure what happened, but the Army I was in, way back in the 80s taught Soldiers to utilize natural materials from their local environment to further camouflage themselves. This really might be more of a ‘Training’ issue than a ‘Material’ one (DOTMLPF). I’ve noticed a lot of field craft has gone by the wayside. I don’t know if the Army has forgotten lessons learned, leaders aren’t enforcing standards or the Army is just plain tired after 10 years at war.
At any rate, if you’ve got some great ideas, then check out the RFI and let the Army know about it.
Matthew Cox over at Military.com has a great article identifying the companies that have been down selected for the US Army Individual Carbine program. He says Colt Defense LLC, Heckler & Koch, Remington Arms Company and Adcor Defense Inc have made the cut to compete in Phase II.
Under this year’s Small Business Innovative Research topics from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, there’s a rather interesting topic. According to the call for ideas, the object of Topic DTRA122-010, Intelligent Clothing for Rapid Response to Aid Wounded Soldiers is to “Develop uniforms with integrated sensors built into the fabric allowing for measurement of overall health, detection of bullet location, detection of exposure to CBRNE (Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear and Explosive) agents, and communication capabilities to provide location via GPS coordinates as well as critical health assessment information to medical personnel regarding the wounded soldier.”
The point of the SBIR is to get the Soldier’s clothing to constantly assess the health of the Soldier and alert him (and headquarters) of any maladies, including exposure to CBRNE threats.
“With Intelligent Clothing, the location of a bullet can be determined with appropriately-embedded sensors within the clothing’s fibers that can estimate the depth of penetration and the effected surrounding organs. Additionally, if the person was in an environment where a CBRNE weapon had been stored, manufactured, or used, the Intelligent Clothing could identify the agents via specific biomarkers detected within the blood, saliva, sweat, urine, or could distinguish damage at the cellular, tissue, and/or organ levels post exposure. For example, individuals exposed to a commonly used explosives compound, 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT), have been shown to have hemoglobin adducts within their blood and form the urine metabolites of TNT, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene (4ADNT) and 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2ADNT), all of which can be utilized as biomarkers for TNT. In addition, radiation biomarkers include alterations in serum enzyme levels post exposure to ionizing radiation, such as modifications in serum amylase and diamine oxidase concentration levels, which are presently being considered as potential biodosimeters within the medical community. These biomarkers could then be linked to the appropriate array of sensors within the Intelligent Clothing material to detect CBRNE targets, and this information could then be transmitted immediately to emergency responders via communications devices weaved directly into the fabric. This aids in triage and preparation of first responders to be able to handle emergency situations in a critically timely and efficient manner. The collected remotely data would provide commanders venue battlefield awareness as to type of weapons, numbers of casualties and location of engagements.
DTRA requires an assessment of the suitability of various biosensors, communications options and means of integrating these with the appropriate clothing materials and also considering relevant characteristics of the Intelligent Clothing (i.e. – size, thickness, weight, robustness, power requirements, lifetime, as well as sensor sensitivity and selectivity) and the added burdens for the individual troop to manage.”
The investigation will consist of three phases –
“PHASE I: Identify appropriate types of the fabrics, sensors, and related components that are currently available and may be useful for intelligent clothing systems. This phase would also include the selection of biomarkers specific to each agent along with corresponding sensor, and a proof of concept demonstrating operability of components within the military uniform.
PHASE II: Design of selected sensor interfaces and conduct a demonstration of a uniform containing a sensor and communications network.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Other applications currently being researched include heart/muscle monitoring for athletes, vitals measurements for babies, and blood sugar levels for Type I and Type II diabetics. Dual Use may be possible for occupations involving hazardous work conditions, mobile diagnostic of life style (as in mobile heart monitors). Furthermore, identification of potential commercial partners and/or commercialization markets in which Intelligent Clothing technology could be transitioned to as an end-user or for further optimization/development. ”
If you’ve been cooking up something that might meet DoD’s needs visit www.acq.osd.mil to get the lowdown on how to submit your white paper.
The Air Force has extended the response date for their Tactical Capabilities for Battlefield Airmen and Security Forces Broad Agency Announcement through 30 October of 2012.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term ‘Battlefield Airman,’ they are essentially the USAF’s ground forces.
Certain ground combat capabilities are an Airman’s responsibility and require unique surface operations that are integral to the application of air and space power. To meet this responsibility, the Air Force recognized the need to organize, train, and equip a force of Battlefield Airmen (BA) capable of delivering distinctive expertise in a ground combat environment with unequaled firepower, accuracy, responsiveness, flexibility and persistence. These BA include Combat Control, Pararescue, Tactical Air Control and Battlefield Weather professionals. BA provide skill sets not commonly found across the Air Force and typically operate in combat zones outside the perimeter of Air Force bases, often in the deep battle space.
Naturally, Security Forces are the Air Force’s security troops and the provide air base ground defense as well as law enforcement support. They also happen to be the largest enlisted career field in the Air Force. Additionally, Security Forces in particular holds great influence over how the rest of the Air Force’s personnel are armed and equipped for personal protection and collective air base defense.
For the purposes of the BAA, “Research includes scientific study and experimentation directed at developing technologies, components, and quick reaction capabilities (QRC). This work includes tactical level Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), threat intercept, and force application capabilities for Battlefield Airmen and Security Forces. Potential areas of interest include tactical level targeting applications such as wireless network applications, line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communication links, remote sensing, remote switching, target tagging, tactical command and control of ground forces, tactical electrical energy, small Unmanned Aerial Systems, and general improvements in situational awareness, targeting, force protection/fractricide prevention, and damage assessment.”
But, having said that, there are 10 research areas of interest and most if not all are within the purview of the companies that read SSD –
RESEARCH AREA 1 – FORCE PROTECTION ENHANCEMENTS
RESEARCH AREA 2 – PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
RESEARCH AREA 3 – C4 SYSTEMS AND RELATED SOFTWARE
RESEARCH AREA 4 – OPTICS AND DISPLAYS
RESEARCH AREA 5 – NAVAIDS AND SENSORS
RESEARCH AREA 6 – TACTICAL ENERGY
RESEARCH AREA 7 – CLANDESTINE MOBILITY
RESEARCH AREA 8 – MEDICAL
RESEARCH AREA 9 – TACTICAL METEOROLOGICAL SYSTEMS
RESEARCH AREA 10 – ALTERNATE MEANS OF INSERTION AND EXTRACTION
To give you an idea of what types of things they are interested in, here is the description of the Personal Equipment research area.
The goal of this work is to perform basic and applied research in the area of personal equipment items to improve the capabilities and effectiveness of the battlefield airman. The objective is to conduct research which could eventually lead to the development of personal garments, body armor, eye protection and mission related personal items. Research in garments that will aid in camouflage, disguise, deception and concealment while preventing contamination and/or injury or exposure to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) threats may be proposed. In addition, research in the area of enhanced personal performance through improved nutrition, supplements and sustenance may also be proposed.
Full descriptions for all research areas are available at the link.
In all cases, the first step is a white paper. For full details visit www.fbo.gov.
