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After Denmark, Lithuania Joins the Growing List of Small Arms Training Indoor Simulator (SATIS) Customers

Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

On March 17th, RUAG Defence France and the Lithuanian Armed Forces signed a major contract for the delivery of Small Arms Training Indoor Simulators (SATIS), following an international competitive bid process.

SATIS is a high-fidelity simulator for indoor shooting training at individual and unit levels. It is an evolution of SITTAL, which is used by the French Armed Forces in more than 50 garrisons countrywide, and by the Ivorian Armed and Law Enforcement Forces. Lithuania opted for the mobile version, allowing fast and easy deployment from garrison to garrison.

Enhanced, tetherless technology

Supporting a variety of tetherless weapons, SATIS helps individuals improve weapon handling, accuracy, and shooting procedures. Instructors can monitor and analyze all relevant data, including firing position, aiming, cant, cast and pitch, shots, and trigger pressure. SATIS features an automatic after-action review (AAR) to improve the assessment of all shooting parameters and results.

Customizable combat scenarios

The Lithuanian Armed Forces will also be able to use SATIS to strengthen decision-making and coordination competencies by running exercises with groups of up to ten soldiers.

SATIS supports AI (artificial intelligence) managed combat scenarios customizable by the instructor and taking place in a great variety of terrain ((urban, countryside, semi-desert, …).

Strong market position

With this new contract, RUAG Simulation & Training further reinforces its position as a benchmark in the field of combat simulators.

Posted in Contracts, International, Press Release, Training | 1 Comment »

Belgium Adopts New Operational Clothing System

Monday, April 4th, 2022

Starting this November Belgian troops will begin to receive new clothing in the MultiCam camouflage pattern. Uniforms will be in the Crye Precision G4 cut in both men’s and women’s sizing.

Photo from Belgium Directorate of Military Resources

The initial package going out includes the following items from the Crye catalog:

The “Belgian Defence Clothing System” includes everything from the skin out including wool underwear, insulating and shell layers as well as eventually new helmets, armor, and load carriage. There is also a CBRN (Chemical, Bacteriological, Radioactive, Nuclear) equipment element of the program.

In order to address sustainability, any chemical finishes and membranes are avoided where possible. There is also an agreement to collect the currently issued uniforms and process them in an ecological way in order to “give them a second life.”

In addition Crye Precision, two Belgian companies, Sioen Apparel and SEYNTEX make up the SSC Consortium and will supply the program for the next 15 years which currently has a total budget of 410 million euros.

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing, Contracts, International, Multicam | 2 Comments »

FBI Awards HUXWRX Safety Co with HRT Suppressor Contract

Friday, April 1st, 2022

US DOJ FBI awards HUXWRX Safety Co. (formerly OSS Suppressors) with the FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) contract for production and delivery of their new 3D-printed FLOW 556k suppressor. The Indefinite Deliverable/Indefinite Quantity Contract is worth $4.9 million to be paid out over a 5-year (1-base year, plus 4 option years) term and is the largest law enforcement suppressor contract to date.

“I personally want to thank the FBI and Ballistics Research Facility for running the most comprehensive suppressor down select ever executed by the United States Government. The HUXWRX team is extremely proud to support the tip of the spear of Law Enforcement professionals within the United States of America,” – Richard (Rick) Elder, CEO HUXWRX Safety Co.

Out of all the submissions that participated in the rigorous FBI Ballistic Research Facility testing, the FLOW 556k finished first in weight, unsuppressed and suppressed flash/spark, sound suppression, gas blowback, and user assessment testing.

HUXWRX Safety Co. is honored to have developed systems utilizing the advanced manufacturing techniques like 3D printing. This emerging technology allows for extreme tolerances, better quality control and flash/sound suppression, weight reduction, and improvements in the development cycle. Ultimately, they have created a product that enables production efficiencies unavailable with traditional CNC manufacturing. The 3D-printed FLOW 556k is one of many technologically advanced systems to come from HUXWRX Safety Co.

The FLOW 556k is currently only available for Military and Law Enforcement agencies.

For more information, contact the HUXWRX Safety Co. Sales Team at 801-542-0425.

Posted in Contracts, LE, Press Release, Suppressors | 7 Comments »

Major Order from Hungary: Rheinmetall to Supply a Comprehensive Array of Ammunition Worth Several Hundred Million Euros

Wednesday, March 30th, 2022

A reliable supply of modern ammunition is a mainstay of national and alliance defence. The Hungarian Ministry of Defence has contracted with Rheinmetall to supply an extensive package of ammunition worth several hundred million euros. The order encompasses ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, artillery, and decoy systems. Delivery is starting in 2023 and is to be complete by 2031. Most of the ammunition will be manufactured in Hungary.

The package includes three variants of 30mm x 173 ammunition; 120mm tank ammunition; and 155mm artillery shells including propelling charges and fuzes. On order also are 40mm and 76mm decoy cartridges for the Rosy and Maske smoke/obscurant systems, plus 12.7mm and 7.62mm ammunition.

The procurement of this extensive array of ammunition constitutes a further important step by Hungary – a member nation of both NATO and the EU – in the modernization of its armed forces. The new ammunition will also boost interoperability with the armed forces of Hungary’s partner nations.

“We are extremely honoured that Hungary has once again entrusted us with the task of modernizing its military”, declares Rheinmetall chief executive Armin Papperger. “We’re delighted to be cooperating with our Hungarian friends in another key military capability.”

The order just issued makes Rheinmetall one of the Hungarian military’s top suppliers of ammunition. The Düsseldorf-based Group will be supplying ammunition for Hungary’s three main ground combat systems: the Leopard 2A7+ main battle tank, the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer and the new Lynx IFV. Hungary set the process of modernizing its army into motion in 2020 when it ordered 218 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles from Rheinmetall. These state-of-the-art tracked vehicles will replace the country’s aging fleet of Soviet-era systems.

Viewing Hungary as a domestic market, Rheinmetall plans to rely on in-country industrial capacity. In Zalaegerszeg in western Hungary, one of Europe’s most advanced military vehicle plants is now under construction, where the first Hungarian-built Lynx is due to roll off the assembly line in 2023.

The new order underscores Rheinmetall’s role as one of Europe’s foremost makers of ammunition for NATO and other European armed forces. The Group’s portfolio ranges from infantry and medium-calibre ammunition to tank cartridges and mortar and artillery shells, including propelling charges and decoy cartridges.

Posted in Advertiser, Ammo, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Major Order from Hungary: Rheinmetall to Supply a Comprehensive Array of Ammunition Worth Several Hundred Million Euros

L3Harris Equips US Army With Another 1,500 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binoculars

Wednesday, March 30th, 2022

LONDONDERRY, N.H. — L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has delivered more than 1,500 combat-ready Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular (ENVG-B) systems to the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division unit, improving the soldiers’ situational awareness, mobility and protection.

The ENVG-B provides enhanced capability to the entire force by delivering imagery and data from the battlefield directly to the soldier’s eye. The system includes a new, high-resolution display and an embedded soldier wireless personal area network, rapid target acquisition and augmented reality algorithms to interface with the Army’s Nett Warrior.

The complete system will interface with the Army’s family of weapon sights, while enhancing interoperability and data sharing. The system also integrates with L3Harris’ AN/PRC-163 two channel leader radio which further extends the network across the battlefield.

“The ENVG-B continues to be the most advanced night vision goggle ever developed for and fielded by the US Army,” said Lynn Bollengier, President Integrated Vision Solutions, L3Harris. “With this delivery, the US Army has received more than 9,000 combat-ready L3Harris systems, which are directly supporting operational needs and real-time threats facing our close combat forces.”

Posted in Army, Contracts, Optics, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Rheinmetall Subsidiary ZMS Wins Important Order to Equip Bundeswehr Field Hospital in Gao, Mali

Tuesday, March 29th, 2022

The German Bundeswehr has contracted with the new Rheinmetall subsidiary Zeppelin Mobile Systeme GmbH (ZMS) to supply and integrate state-of-the-art medical technology for the field hospital at Camp Castor, the Bundeswehr’s forward operating base in Gao, Mali. In all, the order is worth a figure in the lower two-digit million-euro range. The material will be furnished in the second half of the year, with integration slated to take place at the end of 2022 on location in Mali.

Besides furnishing and integrating high-quality medical technology into the fixed infrastructure of the forward operating base in Gao, ZMS GmbH’s scope of performance includes training of personnel, comprehensive documentation as well as a service and maintenance package.

“As a subsidiary of Rheinmetall, we at ZMS are eager in these challenging times to be the Bundeswehr’s first choice for high-quality medical technology in mobile field hospitals”, states Hauke H. Bindzus, managing director of ZMS GmbH. “Here we offer wide-ranging capabilities for integrating highly advanced medical technology, with an extensive array of products enabling us to supply complete turnkey field hospitals. In the contract just awarded, we will be equipping the field hospital at the forward operating base in Gao with state-of-the-art medical technology. We are keenly aware of the importance of this mission, which is to ensure that our troops deployed in Mali get the best-possible medical care.”

Rheinmetall bought Zeppelin Mobile Systeme GmbH in November 2021, a company based in Meckenbeuren near Lake Constance in southwest Germany. The takeover reflects the strategic decision of Rheinmetall’s International Projects and Services business unit to significantly expand its range of activities in support of customers’ foreign deployed operations. Here, ZMS brings to bear its longstanding expertise in medical technology and mobile field medical care.

Beyond the medical realm, ZMS is a leading maker of individually customized shelter solutions for a wide variety of applications in the security and military sector. Its high-quality shelters are frequently used in a military support context, e.g., as field kitchens, decontaminations systems, mobile maintenance and repair facilities, and for housing military communications equipment.

ZMS is already supporting the Bundeswehr as a direct or indirect supplier in several projects.

The Group’s new International Projects and Services business unit, to which Rheinmetall Project Solutions GmbH and ZMS GmbH both belong, serves a key international market. Going forward, the business unit will bundle Rheinmetall’s capabilities in areas such as operational support, depot organization and the disposal of expired munitions. It seeks to support customers by providing specific long-term services during deployed operations, positioning itself as a “one-stop shop” in the process. For example, Rheinmetall can plan and construct troop accommodations for forward operating bases, including hardened facilities; take charge of surveillance, including state-of-the-art sensor systems and robotics; take over day-to-day running of the base, including logistic services and provision of support personnel; and dismantle the base when the mission ends. Cooperation agreements with other companies and additional acquisitions are planned in order to further expand the portfolio.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, International, Medical, Press Release | Comments Off on Rheinmetall Subsidiary ZMS Wins Important Order to Equip Bundeswehr Field Hospital in Gao, Mali

Short Battery Life: A Drone’s Worst Enemy

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022

IARPA awards $10.2 million for battery research to a team of performers led by Rutgers University for the RESILIENCE program

CAMBRIDGE, MA—March 23, 2022—Sensors and small aerial drones are touted as force multipliers for the military. Drones, known to specialists as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), serve as the eyes and ears for combat and surveillance operations while keeping soldiers and intelligence personnel out of harm’s way.

UAVs can be configured to detect weapons, track troop movements and even pick up trace amounts of chemicals. But a key component that has long stymied UAVs is an adequate power source: aerial drones typically cannot fly for as long or as well in demanding operational conditions as many missions require.

Now scientists and engineers are developing a power source for UAVs that can better withstand conditions such as large temperature fluctuations, vibration and shock. The new tech incorporates recent advances in electrochemistry, microelectronics and packaging that combine for novel energy storage. The aim is to create reliable power solutions for missions conducted in extreme and challenging environments—and potentially triple battery life over best-in-class lithium-ion.

Rob Doe, an energy storage expert and microsystems integrator at Draper, says improving a drone’s power supply, or battery, is possible given recent advances in science and technology. “A battery that doubles or triples the energy density while meeting all other necessary performance requirements is well beyond the current performance of commercial solutions, but is within reach of the developer community,” Doe said.

Doe and his colleagues at Draper are contributing to the development of sensors and UAVs as part of a team recently selected by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). Led by Rutgers University, the team is developing portable power solutions for IARPA’s Robust Energy Sources for Intelligence Logistics In Extreme, Novel and Challenging Environments (RESILIENCE) program.

Battery cell development, using rechargeable lithium metal, is headed by Glenn Amatucci, Ph.D., professor of materials science engineering and director of the Energy Storage Research Group at the Rutgers School of Engineering. Draper’s primary contribution is to leverage its expertise in custom microelectronics, packaging and systems integration to optimize the energy storage system output, meet stringent size requirements and accelerate adoption of Rutgers’ energy storage solution.

The team has set a goal of developing a power source for drones, small sensors and portable devices that exceeds that of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and single-use legacy lithium batteries. The team is working to create new electrochemical energy storage solutions, and lay the foundation for using rechargeable lithium metal in the power source they create. The vision is to extend battery life and design a battery that can be charged and discharged thousands of times.

IARPA says the aim of the RESILIENCE program is to develop “portable power solutions for electronics that can operate under the demanding operational conditions experienced by intelligence community officers.” If successful, the effort will provide power sources to extend the function of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with vertical takeoff and landing capability and unattended electronic devices, which must operate in extreme environmental conditions for years.

The company has previously applied its multidisciplinary engineering capabilities to a variety of related programs including to tiny, robust communications and navigation devices; persistent surveillance systems; and navigation software for drones.

www.draper.com

This publication was supported by a subaward from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, under Award No. 2021-21060200003 from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – IARPA.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rutgers or those of the Office of Director of National Intelligence – IARPA.

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DroneShield Receives Its Initial GSA Order

Friday, March 18th, 2022

DroneShield is pleased to advise it has received its initial order via a GSA schedule from a U.S. Government law enforcement and public safety agency.

GSA Schedule (U.S. General Services Administration, or also referred to as Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and Federal Supply Schedule) is a United States long-term government-wide contract with commercial firms providing federal, state, and local government buyers access to more than 11 million commercial supplies (products) and services.

DroneShield products are available for U.S. State, local, and tribal governments through GSA Multiple Award Schedule under Special Item Number (SIN) 334290, or alternatively via GSA’s Cooperative Purchasing Program.

The public safety project includes multiple DroneSentry-C2, DroneShield’s enterprise command-and-control system, DroneShield RfOne long-range UAS direction finder sensors, and RadarZero small form-factor radar.

Matt McCrann, CEO of DroneShield LLC (DroneShield U.S. subsidiary), commented, “State, local and tribal governments have a growing need for drone detection solutions. Often the procurement process presents complexity for Government end users to field the capabilities needed across their organizations. Our availability on the GSA Schedule provides an easy-to-use contract vehicle for them to acquire this capability and field effective counterdrone solutions. With DroneShield solutions now on GSA, Government agencies have the confidence of receiving proven products at competitive pricing.”

Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, added, “We welcome onboard our first customer through GSA, and anticipate for this to be one of numerous U.S. deployments. Purchasing via GSA is also a great indicator of increasing maturity and scale of the C-UAS market, whereby the acquisitions move from experimental budgets to streamlined large acquisition processes.”

Further information about DroneShield’s law enforcement C-UAS solutions can be found at www.droneshield.com/law-enforcement.

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