It’s definitely coming. We received a package out of the blue from Max at SOD Gear containing a Operative Field Parka (Smock) and Spectre Shirt featuring Hyde Definition’s PenCott Bad Lands.
Archive for the ‘Foreign’ Category
Guess What Showed Up on Our Doorstep Last Week
Monday, September 26th, 2011New Armor Carrier from Drop Zone Tactical
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011From the great white north comes a new armor carrier. Canadian firm Drop Zone Tactical Ltd has introduced a line of products called the Integrated Combat System. The first product from this line is the Warrior Wrap, a cummerbund style plate carrier that accommodates BALCS or Line of Fire cut soft armor.
Drop Zone put a lot into the development of this product and have related to me that they feel the shoulders are its best feature. In testing, subjects related that shoulder fatigue from the weight of ballistic plates, ammo and water were reduced. Their approach? Simple. Broad, load distributing shoulders with generous spacing for the neck.
Built right into the collar is a D-ring designed specifically for the DropZone Single Point Sling Kit but it will fit others as well.
The drag handle is rated to 600lbs and is crafted from a large loop designed to be gripped by gloved hands. However, the center of the handle is tacked with Velcro to keep it close to the vest when not in use.
Be sure to ask about a discount for military personnel.
Stuff We Didn’t Write About
Saturday, September 17th, 2011Cloaked in Pixels – I told you guys Hexagons are the key! Arrgghhh
Here’s what the lucky bastards got to do at Call of Duty XP event (photo gallery)
First FELIN Soldier Systems Delivered to the French Army – Should be titled “First PRODUCTION FELIN…”
Forza NEC to Include Signature Management Poncho
Friday, September 16th, 2011We’ve mentioned the Italian future soldier system, Forza NEC (Network Enabled Capability) before on SSD. Aero Sekur S.p.A is in charge of the clothing portion of the system and they have included a poncho that includes signature management properties.
The poncho features multispectral characteristics including visual, Near IR and Thermal. Aero Sekur claims that the thermal suppression maintains the measurable exterior temperature of the poncho of no more than 4°C above air ambient temperature. Additionally, a white winter variant includes UV properties.
www.aerosekur.com/GroundDefence/Camouflage
Canada is Seeking a New Sidearm
Monday, September 12th, 2011The Canadian Forces have begun the process of looking for a new sidearm. At least, they’ve taken the first step. At this point they are looking at availability and price, sort of like a US pre-solicitation, but won’t issue the actual solicitation until 2015. But, at least they’ve started along the path. The US military has had two false starts since the war began. First with SOCOM and then with the USAF.
According to the online price & availability letter, this new General Service Pistol “will replace the 9mm Browning High Power (HP) and the 9mm Sig Sauer Model 225 pistol.”
The Browning Hi-Power as their current Service Pistol and the Sig P225 is in service with the Canadian Forces Military Police. Interestingly, no mention was given to the Sig P226 which is in service with Naval Boarding Parties. The P&A letter mentions the potential for 10,000 pistols. Furthermore, the eventual winner will be required to provide the Technical Data Package to the Crown who will, in turn, provide it to Colt Canada who will produce the weapons. And oh yeah, they are only interested in 9mm NATO.
Ops-Core Wins Norwegian Helmet Contract
Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Boston-based Ops-Core, Inc was awarded a contract last week to supply the Norwegian Army with their Future Assault Shell Technology (FAST) helmet. The FAST helmet will replace the current PASGT style aramid helmet manufactured by Cato Ringstad AS.
While specific numbers have not yet been released, the Norwegian Army will purchase enough helmets to not only outfit their active forces, but some of the National Guard as well. The current strength of the Norwegian Army sits at around 22,000. However, a post on a Norwegian military forum in July by someone close to the program forecasted the delivery of 1000 helmets for operational use before the end of the year.
In order to supply these helmets, Ops-Core won a year-long competitive program named “Project 4004” with several down select mile-stones which included troop trials, ballistic and other safety testing. Norwegian Special Forces have already been using the Ops-Core helmet for over a year in training as well as operational roles so Ops-Core’s selection, while arduous, was not surprising.
In a press release from Ops-Core, member of Norwegian Defense Logistic Organization (NDLO) program manager Per Morten Brunborg is quoted as saying, “The FAST helmet gave our program flexibility to adapt to a variety of service positions and mission profiles that were difficult to accomplish with only one helmet in the past.†He went on to add, “This helmet saves the overall program money by allowing us to field it service wide in several configurations, instead of having to field several different kinds of helmets like we used to. It’s also very beneficial that we can provide our soldiers better ballistic performance at a much lighter weight than our previous helmet. The Ops-Core FAST High Cut version provides the Norwegian Army the right balance between comfort and integration of attachments, which stress the soldiers neck less than the previous solutions and enhances the durability of the soldier.†As you can see, not only did the Norwegian Army find the FAST helmet’s modularity made possible by the Visual Augmentation System (VAS) shroud and Accessory Rail Connector (ARC) rails particularly desirable, but also its lightweight protection as well.
The FAST helmet boasts a ballistic shell developed during a multi-year collaboration effort between Ops-Core, Ceradyne and DSM Dyneema. Ceradyne, the sub-contractor who molds the shell, has a special seamless processing technique using Dyneema’s ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material that yields outstanding ballistic protection at lower weights. Much of the systems technology used in this helmet has also been in the works over the last ten years with significant inputs from the US Army’s PEO Soldier, the Army Research Lab, and Natick Soldier Systems Center. The FAST helmet actually has more in common with the new Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) for the US Army and Marine Corps than the baseline MICH.
Deliveries of the FAST helmet to Norway are scheduled to commence in 4th Quarter of 2011 and continue through 3rd Quarter of 2012. In what is most likely a Norwegian version of an IDIQ contract, it is valid for 10 years and is good for future Norwegian procurement and purchasing activities. On a final note, Ops-Core is well represented throughout Europe by Norwegian company NFM but the helmets will reportedly be manufactured in the US.
For more information, please visit the Ops-Core website at www.ops-core.com.
Slangvel Goes Badlands
Sunday, September 4th, 2011At this point, you’ve got to have figured out that we think Slangvel builds some cool custom caps. And, we just found out that he is doing a cool recce boonie variant with a mesh panel. Also, it doesn’t hurt that it’s in Hyde Definition’s PenCott Badlands.
Check Slangvel out on eBay.
Armadillo
Thursday, September 1st, 2011Watch the full episode. See more POV.
The Danish documentary, “Armadillo” is now available for viewing on the PBS website. If you haven’t heard of it, here is a brief description.
“In 2009, Janus Metz and cameraman Lars Skree accompanied a platoon of Danish soldiers to Armadillo, a combat operations base in southern Afghanistan. For six months, often while under fire, they captured the lives of the young soldiers fighting the Taliban in a hostile and confusing environment, where official rhetoric about helping civilians too often met the unforgiving reality of being a foreign occupier. Winner of the Critics’ Week Grand Prix at Cannes, Armadillo is one of the most dramatic and candid accounts of combat to come out of Afghanistan.”
In addition to the full length documentary, PBS offers some additional content including an interview with the filmmaker. You’d better hurry, it’s only available until September 29th.
