SureFire

Archive for the ‘Digitization’ Category

Warrior East 2017 – Juggernaut IMPCT Case

Friday, July 14th, 2017

The Juggernaut IMPCT is the lightest weight case they’ve ever built. Designed for use with the S8, S8 Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, it features a simple, snap-in floor plate with optional rubber gasket for those times you need to protect the connectors from ingress.

It is also compatible with Juggernaut’s line of mounts.

Although it was designed for LE and ruggedized industry, a wide variety of others will want them as well with pricing below $50.

www.juggcase.com

Rheinmetall To Equip 68 Bundeswehr Rifle Platoons With Gladius Future Soldier Systems

Thursday, June 29th, 2017

The German Bundeswehr has placed an order with Rheinmetall valued at €370 million for enough Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES) soldier systems to equip 68 rifle platoons. Called Gladius, the new systems will be delivered beginning in 2018.

IdZ-ES connects dismounted infantrymen into the network, sharing information with another, armored vehicles and higher headquarters. According to Rheinmetall, IdZ-ES has been in service with German troops in Afghanistan since summer 2013.

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However, initial systems were procured in 2012. In total, the Bundeswehr has procured three lots, consisting of 90 systems, each of which is designed to equip a ten-man section or squad. The 68 platoon systems are enough to equip over 2,460 soldiers.

In a press release, Rheinmetall describes Gladius:

Meriting special mention is the core and helmet system. The battery-powered core computer – worn on the soldier’s back and thus known as the “electronic backbone” – controls all the devices and sensors carried by the soldier via various interfaces. Its principal functions include power supply management, access control and monitoring, the soldier information system for map and situation display, navigation, reporting, exchange of reconnaissance and target data, processing sensor data (e.g. own position, line of sight), operator interfaces and visualization as well as system configuration.

The soldier can control the Soldier Command System and communication via a manually operated control and display unit known by its German initials as the BAG. All relevant data concerning the current situation, the position of friendly forces (blue force tracking), the mission and system status are displayed either on the BAG or, alternatively, on the OLED helmet display. The modular battle dress uniform can be readily adapted to meet the current environmental and temperature conditions. Other important features include the ballistic body armour (Protection Class 1) with integrated ventilation shirt as well as a modular harness for?carrying ammunition, ordnance, the electronic backbone and additional equipment. The IdZ-ES protective vest comes complete with chest rig and hip belt; with added ballistic inserts, it offers protection up to German Level 4. The section or squad leader and his assistant are both issued with an additional leader module consisting of a portable command computer operated via touchscreen. A rifle-mounted push-to-talk button enables wireless communication even when the operator leader has raised his weapon. Furthermore, small arms can also be fitted with optical and optronic devices of the latest generation.

Rheinmetall also notes that Canada uses a Gladius variant in their developmental Integrated Soldier System Project.

Air Combat Command Selects Battlefield Airmen – Digital Air Strike Suite

Thursday, June 29th, 2017

Air Combat Command (ACC) recently selected Battlefield Airmen – Digital Air Strike Suite (BA-DASS) as the near term Digitally Aided Close Air Support (DACAS) software solution for Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) warfighters. Following a formal evaluation and comparison of multiple DACAS systems, ACC concluded that BA-DASS was the best fit for the TACP community. ACC stated, “This software selection is to provide immediate force multiplier capability to TACP warfighters.”


Senior Airman Nathan Dupler, 113th Air Support Operations Squadron, Terre Haute, Ind., conducts a close air support training mission with an F-16 Fighting Falcon, July 29, 2015, at Grayling Air Gunnery Range, Grayling, Mich., during Northern Strike 15. NS 15 is an annual training exercise on CGJMTC that assesses joint air-to-ground capability and involves hundreds of military personnel from 20 different states as well as Canada, Latvia, Poland and Australia. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Scott Thompson/released)

BA-DASS integrates with numerous sensors directly enhancing Battlefield Situational Awareness (SA). BA-DASS improves the performance of TACP, Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs), and Guardian Angel (GA) operators during target acquisition and terminal control, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), and personnel recovery operations. With its integrated troubleshooting and DACAS capabilities, BA-DASS reduces potential for errors, enhances the safety and security of friendly forces, increases SA, and ultimately reduces the risks of fratricide. Refer to the BADASS data sheet for a full list of system capabilities.

Download the full pdf here.

US Army Introducing Heads Up Display With Tactical Augmented Reality

Wednesday, May 24th, 2017

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) — A novel technology called “Tactical Augmented Reality,” or TAR, is now helping Soldiers precisely locate their positions, as well as the locations of friends and foes, said Richard Nabors.


(Photo Credit: David Vergun)

It even enables them to see in the dark, all with a heads-up display device that looks like night-vision goggles, or NGV, he added. So in essence, TAR replaces NVG, GPS, plus it does much more.

Nabors, an associate for strategic planning at U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center, or CERDEC, spoke about TAR at the Pentagon’s Lab Day, Thursday.

Currently, most Soldiers use a hand-held GPS system that approximates their position, he said, but only if their device is geo-registered to their location.

Geo-registration is the alignment of an observed image with a geodetically-calibrated reference image.

TAR does the geo-registration automatically, he said.

Staff Sgt. Ronald Geer, a counterterrorism non-commissioned officer at CERDEC’s Night Vision and Electronics Sensors Directorate, said that with TAR, Soldiers don’t have to look down at their GPS device. In fact, they no longer need a separate GPS device because with TAR, the image is in the eyepiece, which is mounted to the Soldier’s helmet in the same way NVG is mounted.

So what they would see, he said, is the terrain in front of them, overlaid with a map.

TAR is also designed to be used both day and night, he added.


A novel technology called “Tactical Augmented Reality,” or TAR, is now helping Soldiers precisely locate their positions, as well as the locations of friends and foes. The technology enables a tiny, heads-up display attached to the helmet, as modeled by Staff Sgt. Ronald Geer, a counterterrorism non-commissioned officer at CERDEC’s Night Vision and Electronics Sensors Directorate, during Lab Day at the Pentagon, May 18, 2017. (Photo Credit: David Vergun)

Furthermore, Geer pointed out that the eyepiece is connected wirelessly to a tablet the Soldiers wear on their waist and it’s wirelessly connected to a thermal site mounted on their rifle or carbine.

If a Soldier is pointing his or her weapon, the image of the target, plus other details like the distance to target, can be seen through the eyepiece.

The eyepiece even has a split screen, so for example, if the rifle is pointed rearward and the Soldier is looking forward, the image shows both views, he said.

Also, a Soldier behind a wall or other obstacle could lift the rifle over the wall and see through the sites via the heads-up display without exposing his or her head.

Finally, Geer said that TAR’s wireless system allows a Soldier to share his or her images with other members of the squad. The tablet allows Soldiers to input information they need or to share their own information with others in their squad.

TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGH

David Fellowes, an electronics engineer at CERDEC, said that the key technological breakthrough was miniaturizing the image to fit into the tiny one-inch-by-one-inch eyepiece.


(Photo Credit: US Army)

Current commercial technology compresses images into sizes small enough to fit into tablet and cell phone-sized windows, but getting a high-definition image into the very tiny eyepiece was a challenge that could not be met with commercial, off-the-shelf hardware.

Since about 2008, CERDEC, the Army Research Laboratory and industry have been working to make this miniaturization happen, he said.

By about 2010, the image was compressed enough to be shown in black and white, as well as a greenish monochrome version, he said.

Those systems have already been fielded to certain units, he said.

Currently, CERDEC is working on producing more advanced versions that are in full color and have a brightness display that can even be seen in daylight. The current monochrome versions are also bright enough to be seen in daylight.

Fellowes said he’s not sure when those will be manufactured and fielded, but during user testing, Soldiers expressed their deep appreciation of the image sharpness and contrast.

He added that the TARs will provide Soldiers with a much higher level of situational awareness than they currently have and he said he fully expects that the devices will save lives and contribute to mission success

Warrior West – BadAss New Designs From Juggernaut.Case

Friday, April 21st, 2017

Juggernaut.Case keeps coming up with great designs and the latest additions to the line are BadAss.

In addition to the iPad Mini 3&4 cases at the lower right, you see a Tab S2 9.7 Tablet Case on a 10-series vehicle mount. To the right of the vehicle mount is a inductive charge vehicle mount. Which allows you to dock and charge your device without plugging in a cable. All of this BadAssery is coming soon.

www.juggcase.com

Stealth Cam unveils a Dual Card reader for IOS and Android Devices

Tuesday, March 28th, 2017

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Stealth Cam is always reinventing products to help consumers make the most of every hunt, with the introduction of the Dual Card Reader, DDMCR, the SD card viewing process just became that much easier! The new and improved Dual Card Reader, DDMCR, is now universal and can be used with both IOS and Android devices. With the included adapters, users can view photos or videos without removing the phones’ protective cases.

To view images on your IOS device, simply download the free I-Easy Drive App and go! For first time users, your device will prompt you to download this app when first inserted into your iPhone or iPad. Once downloaded, the app allows the user to instantly turn their smart device into a viewing device, showcasing the photos or videos captured on your game camera(s). For an Android users, it’s simply plug and play or just access your file manager. The days of hauling an SD card all the way back to a home or office computer, then emailing the photo to obtain it on a phone are a thing of the past! Now, simply remove the SD card from the camera while in the woods, plug it into the card reader and view, download, or share the photos directly from your phone or tablet. Quick and convenient! Stealth Cams Dual Card Reader is compact and lightweight, and can fit into even the smallest hunting packs. The Dual Card Reader, DDMCR, has edged out the competition and delivers an experience that simplifies the lives of those using a game camera. Stealth Cam understands that most sportsman are using protective cases on their smart phones that more often than not are a big hassle to remove, thus the addition of the extension/adapters to bypass your smartphones protective case. The best part about this device is it doesn’t break the bank, coming in at $29.99 MSRP.

Stealth Cam DDMCR Features:

• View trail cam images on your Apple iOS & Android smartphone or tablet with USB-OTG functionality.
• Connection: Micro USB, Lightning, and USB 2.0
• Compatible card types: SD / SDHC / SDXC/ MMC/MMC 4.0 / Micro SD / micro SDHC / micro SDXC
• CE / FCC / RoHS Standards
• Phone & SD card Sold Separately
• Includes Micro USB and Lightning Adapters for use with protective cases
• MSRP: $29.99

Arc’teryx Launches iPhone App

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

Deadbird Fanatics unite! Arc’teryx has released an iPhone app giving you all the access you need for your daily fix of all things from NorVan.

Just the facts:
• Shop Arc’teryx apparel and gear
• Explore your own customized feed of photos, videos, articles and products
• Read customer reviews
• Share photos, articles, and videos from the app
• Find an Arc’teryx brand store or dealer near you

Get yours at appsto.re/us/rfoHgb.i.

T:Worx – I-Rail

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017

SPC Joshua Harris, A CO/1-29 Infantry is firing a carbine outfitted with the latest version of the Intelligent Rail or I-Rail, developed by T:Worx, a subsidiary of Prototype Productions.

It is a Picatinny standard, Weapon Accessory Power and Data Rail. Below, you can see an older variant. There is a short cable that runs across the lower receiver to the grip which attaches further to the batteries contained in the collapsible butt stock.

In addition to providing power to weapon accessories, I-Rail is capable of connecting those accessories to the network through the Nett Warrior end user device and Soldier radio.

I-Rail is one of the technologies undergoing evaluation by US and British Army Soldiers during the 2017 Advanced Expeditionary Warfighting Experiment at Ft Benning, GA.

Here is Cpl Craig Gordon, 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment (The Vikings), moving across a linear danger area during Pilot Mission 1. As you can see, T:Worx has adapted the design to more incorporate more modern features. Gone are the permanent Pic rails at the 3,6,9 and 12 positions.

US Army photos by Angie DePuydt.