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SCUBAPRO Sunday – The Frameless Mask

Sunday, February 21st, 2021

SCUBAPRO’s FRAMELESS mask is diving’s original frameless mask. The Frameless was the first mask to use the lens as its structural support, which significantly increased the field of vision for divers. Over twenty years later, it is still the first choice for military and technical divers worldwide.

Its distinctive rectangular single-lens shape is classic, providing an excellent field of view on the periphery as well as straight ahead. By eliminating the frame, you create a mask that sits closer to your eyes. This provides a broader field of view to better take in the underwater sights, plus it reduces volume, which makes it easier to clear. Since there is no frame, the buckles attach to flexible tabs on the skirt; this optimizes strap angle when dialing in the fit. This also enables the mask to fold relatively flat for packing; it will even sit well into a cargo pocket or a pouch. The soft silicone skirt on the Frameless is comfortable yet durable, and the double-edge seal that helps to give you a great fit. The push-button buckle system is easy to use and allows for quick adjustments. Buckles attach to flexible tabs on the skirt; this optimizes strap angle when dialing in fit. The wide headband spreads the load on the back of the head, greatly enhancing comfort.

SCUBAPRO has a family of Frameless masks, it’s a small family, but nevertheless, it is. There are three Frameless masks. First is the original mask; you can tell these because the mask has a little bit of a shine to the silicon skirt, and it is available in three different colors, Black, Green, and White. The Frameless Gorilla is a little bigger (not by much), and it comes in a flat black color. Last is the mini frameless. This one doesn’t look like the other ones, but it has frameless in its name, so it’s in the family.

SCUBAPRO is always trying to innovate for the working divers and set the standard for new gear. With this in mind, they came up with an adapter for the Frameless and Frameless Gorilla mask that allows them to use the SCUBAPRO comfort strap (QR kit Part Number 24.340.039). It can be added to existing masks and enable the user to add several new features to one of the most iconic masks ever made. SCUBAPRO’s comfort straps are basically like ski goggle straps for dive masks. SCUBAPRO was the first company to come out with the comfort strap idea, and they wanted the frameless masks to be able to use them also. There are a few benefits to using the comfort strap. First, it is a lot less likely to break mid-dive as it is a nylon strap; all rubber and silicone will break down after time. Most of the time, it is at the beginning of a dive or when you are putting your mask on.

The other thing this does is takes all the medal away from the mask, making it non-magnetic, so for EOD use or any other time; you might need a non-magnetic mask. Lastly, it allows you to use the SCUBAPRO Odin mask strap; this enables you to attach your mask directly to your helmet by connecting it to the Ops-Core ARC Rail and the Team Wendy rail. The Odin straps are perfect when you have to wear a helmet when diving or in the water. Like using a DPV, Wearing Jet-boots, Search and Rescue Operations, or working in Fast Moving Water. The Comfort Strap is similar to a ski goggle strap in design. It clips right into the mask buckle adapter and offers a wide adjustment range.

SCUBAPRO wanted a way for the Frameless mask to work with their latest dive computer, the Galileo HUD. There is a Frameless mask that has a hole added before it is tempered. This allows them to add a mount for it can be used with the HUD. We have new accessories for the classic Frameless mask. The latest version of the Frameless is available with an integrated HUD Arm that allows you to mount the SCUBAPRO HUD hands-free dive compute.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Maritime | Comments Off on SCUBAPRO Sunday – The Frameless Mask

Historian Shares 101st Airborne Division Black History Moments

Sunday, February 21st, 2021

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – When the 101st Airborne Division needed big guns at the Battle of the Bulge, two corps artillery units of Black Soldiers delivered.

When the Little Rock Nine needed escorts just to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent in 101st Abn. Div. Soldiers from Fort Campbell.

And when the odds were stacked against them, two Black Soldiers from the 101st Abn. Div. risked it all to save others.

These were all touchstones in the history of the 101st Abn. Div. (Air Assault), the United States Army and nation’s progress in race relations over the years, said John O’Brien, director of the Brig. Gen. Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum.

As the Army celebrates Black History Month, O’Brien reflected on several moments that tell the story of successful integration over the years.

“The result of the progress that has been made is visible when you look at pictures and listen to the stories of where we are today,” he said. “You look at a picture and you see men and women of all races, creeds and religions involved in the operations in which we have been involved.”

World War II

“In World War II, the Army was racially segregated,” O’Brien said. “There were occasions where those segregated units fought with the 101st. One of those occasions was the very famous defense of the city of Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge, which occurred December 1944 to January 1945.”

“There were a number of other units that were on the battlefield that came to be encircled with the 101st and fought with the 101st,” he said. “Two of those units were segregated, all Black artillery units.”

He said the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion and 969th Artillery Battalion, made up of Black Soldiers, supplied the big fire power that turned the tide during the siege and repelled the Germans.

The 969th and 333rd were equipped with M1 155mm howitzers, one of the heaviest pieces of artillery at the time. The 101st were a light airborne unit so they had only 75mm and 105mm howitzers.

“Part of the success of the 101st at Bastogne was overwhelming use of artillery and so these two co-corps artillery units that ended up working with the 101st, being part of the 101st and awarded battlefield honors, along with the 101st, are these two African American units,” O’Brien said. “They had the big guns, big artillery pieces. Despite there being a segregated Army, there was not a segregated battlefield.”

Little Rock Nine

On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka that racial segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and called to desegregate schools nationwide.

“The Supreme Court did not say when segregation was to end, and in Arkansas, Gov. (Orval) Faubus prevented the integration of the Little Rock Central High School,” O’Brien said.

President Dwight Eisenhower, who was the Supreme Allied Commander of the European Theater of Operations in World War II, had relied on the 101st to be the vanguard in the invasion into Europe. As president and faced with national and international criticism of segregation in 1957, he again reached out to the 101st Abn. Div.

Some 600 101st Abn. Div. Soldiers assigned to 1-327th Airborne Battle Group were deployed to protect the nine black students from protestors for about three months, O’Brien said.

“It was a civil disturbance and their mission was to make sure the students got to school and protestors were not allowed to prevent them from getting into the school,” he said.

Vietnam and Medals of Honor

“The 101st deployed to Vietnam from 1965 to 1972 and what’s going on in the United States is the height of the Civil Rights movement of that era,” O’Brien said. “We have a fully integrated Army but race relations in Vietnam were an interesting problem.”

O’Brien said the integrated units were not a problem on the battlefield, but at division base camps and some other areas, “there were manifestations of the racial tensions in the United States. The division was very aggressive in addressing that problem.”

Even in combat, he said, leaders addressed racial issues rather than ignoring the topic.

Two 101st Medal of Honor recipients were Black Soldiers – only Sgt. 1st Class Webster Anderson made it home.

Staff Sergeant Clifford C. Sims was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after the squad leader of D Co., 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, led a furious attack against the enemy Feb. 21, 1968.

After moving his Soldiers away from a burning munitions building, it exploded, wounding two Soldiers but his actions saved lives, according to the Medal of Honor citation.

“While continuing through the dense woods, Staff Sgt. Sims and his squad were approaching a bunker when they heard the unmistakable noise of a concealed boobytrap being triggered immediately to their front,” the citation reads. “Staff Sgt. Sims warned his comrades of the danger and unhesitatingly hurled himself upon the device as it exploded, taking the full impact of the blast. In so protecting his fellow Soldiers, he willingly sacrificed his own life.”

The Staff Sgt. Clifford C. Sims Building on Indiana Avenue at Fort Campbell was named in his honor.

Anderson, then a staff sergeant, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving as chief of section in A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment.

After being attacked by North Vietnamese infantry Oct. 15, 1967, Anderson directed howitzer fire on the enemy while providing rifle and grenade defensive fire. Two grenades landed at his feet, severely wounding his legs. Despite excruciating pain he continued to fire and encouraged his men to fight.

“Seeing an enemy grenade land within the gun pit near a wounded member of his gun crew, Staff Sgt. Anderson, heedless of his own safety, seized the grenade and attempted to throw it over the parapet to save his men,” according to the Medal of Honor citation. He was grievously wounded again but refused medical evacuation and encouraged his men to defend the position, showing heroism at the risk of his life.

By Stephanie Ingersoll, Fort Campbell Courier

Posted in Army, Guest Post, History | 8 Comments »

Is CBD Oil Right For Me?

Saturday, February 20th, 2021

I’m going to preface this article with a short introduction. Over the past few years, the national dialogue on marijuana has shifted significantly and particularly for CBD. While still banned for use with DoD and by many other agencies, CBD has offered relief for several complaints such as PTSD.

Some swear by its properties while others brush it off as a placebo. Let’s use this testimony by my friend and former SEAL Will Branum to open a respectful dialogue. And yes, Will believes CBD so much, he founded a company.

-Eric Graves

The transition from military to civilian life was the toughest military mission I had ever been on. I went from being surrounded by a TEAM of World Class Professionals who challenged me every day to NO TEAM, NO PURPOSE, and NO MISSION.

I’ve spent my entire adult life in the military and 23 of those 26 years as a Navy SEAL. As a SEAL, every morning I woke up, knew what I was going to do and with whom I would do it. I was surrounded by a badass team with a badass mission. And then in the summer of 2018, it was gone.

My nightly routine consisted of just one glass of Vodka on the rocks to turn off the noise in my head. One glass turned into another, and another and so on. Eventually the noise would reduce enough for me to go to sleep. This habit started before my retirement, but had definitely intensified after I retired. I had to drink myself into a drunken stupor to quiet my mind, slow down, and be able to rest.

I had heard of CBD Oil while I was on active duty but wasn’t about to risk putting my final years in the military or my Top Secret Security Clearance in jeopardy. I am also a child of Nancy Reagan’s War on Drugs, “Just Say No!” Campaign, so I was hesitant to try it. A year after my retirement, I was in Virginia and had lunch with a former SEAL Team mentor. I told him about my interest in CBD and discussed purchasing it while I was in town. I was still unfamiliar with its benefits but was curious to know more. Coincidentally he owned some and gave me a bottle.

That night I noticed that I slept a little better and woke up a little pissed off as I had in the previous months. Over the next 30 days, with continued use of the CBD Oil, I felt small increments of improvement in my attitude as well as unexpected improvements in pain management. Some of the sharp stabbing pain I had been experiencing began to decrease in intensity and become more dull. Additionally, when I ran out of CBD Oil, much of the pain and ailments and my internal anger started to resurface.

CBD helped me turn off the anxiety and noise. To illustrate, we know that water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit and, likewise, I often felt like I was living at 210, just under my boiling point. Taking CBD helped bring down that internal emotional temperature; 208, 205, 200. It helped me get out of the RED ZONE that I was living in and moved me into something closer to ORANGE or YELLOW, a much more relaxed mental and emotional state. That new headspace allowed me to practice better self-talk so I could work on myself, and simultaneously start to quiet the noise in my head without the need for alcohol. CBD isn’t a magical cure-all, but it is an essential tool in my tool box.

CBD had such a life changing effect on me that I started my own CBD Company to share the highest quality CBD available to Veterans and First Responders. Naked Warrior Recovery’s mission is to help you recover from Mental and Physical Trauma, no matter how big or small.

How CBD works: CBD is a non-psychoactive (you don’t get high) molecule from the Hemp Plant. It has been shown to have many medicinal effects on all mammals. CBD supports the Endocannabinoid System, a giant neuro receptor connected to every other system in the body (ie. Central Nerves System, Digestive System, Immune System, Respiratory System, etc.).

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is supported by endogenous cannabinoids that all mammals create. Sometimes the body does not produce enough natural cannabinoids to support the ECS. CBD works like a multivitamin to support the ECS to help bring it back into balance. When the ECS is in balance, it helps bring the other systems into balance. A few other benefits that have been observed from CBD use are reduced chronic inflammation, elliptic seizures, pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, acne, and Parkinson’s.

There is still a lot that to be learned about this natural remedy, but the future looks bright! There are studies coming out daily on PUBMED about CBD and the Endocannabinoid System.

For more information on CBD go to www.nw-recovery.com.

Posted in Guest Post, Veterans | 35 Comments »

US Army Mortar Systems Keep Pace with Modernization Efforts

Saturday, February 20th, 2021

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. — While much attention has focused on the U.S. Army’s ability to achieve greater distances with artillery and missiles, mortar systems are also keeping pace with technology advances.

When it comes to a relatively close fight with the enemy, mortars have a variety of advantages that over the years have made them a warhorse of warfare, with capabilities that have inspired the name “infantryman’s artillery.”

Typically, mortar systems provide close-range, quick-response, indirect fire in tactical combat. This is achieved by launching high explosive, smoke and illumination mortar shells in high-arcing trajectories.

“Mortars have historically been a cheap and effective form of indirect fire to provide suppression of enemies,” said Matthew Terreault, Chief, Mortar Systems Branch, Mortars Division, located at Picatinny Arsenal. The Division is part of the Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, which is under the Army Futures Command.

Mortars are considered an “organic” system because the level of control is assigned to the echelon that uses them. For example, the 60 millimeter mortar is the lightweight company mortar system, responsive to the direction of the company commander. Similarly, the 120mm is a battalion mortar system, so battalion leaders can use it as they see fit.

“When a maneuvering unit calls for fire support from their mortar section, they don’t need approval from any intermediary commands in order to get effective fires. This allows them to be very fast,” Terreault said.

“That’s also assisted by the fact that they’re relatively short range when you compare it to other forms of modern artillery,” he continued. “And because of their shorter range, they tend to be closer to the fight. With artillery projectiles, the time of flight alone in the artillery firing can be upwards of five minutes, where the flight time for a typical mortar mission is around 50 seconds.”

Improvements in technology and manufacturing have played a role in shifting mortars away from their historic role of bulk suppression of troop movements in favor of very precise fires.

Over time, mortar capabilities have been expanding, along with the increasing demand on the field for greater responsiveness. “That’s caused us to take a look at our mortar systems and try and get them to be more accurate to fit that new role of providing precise fires,” Terreault said. “And you’ll see that across the mortar system portfolio as a whole.”

Improving mortars involves several areas: greater responsiveness, survivability, range and accuracy. This is accomplished through increased automation of fires and adding Soldier protection when possible. The use of digital fire-control helps to both reduce human error and increase accuracy.

As part of the Army’s ongoing drive to improve mortar systems, the Armaments Center has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, with Finnish company Patria Land Oy to determine the feasibility of incorporating its new mortar (NEMO) technology into U.S. systems.

The Patria NEMO is a turreted, breech-loaded, 120mm smooth-bore mortar system with both direct and indirect fire capability. In addition to being highly protected, Patria Nemo is light, compact and easily installable on a light, tracked chassis, wheeled armored vehicles or navy vessels.

Under the agreement, the Army will assess the Patria NEMO’s compatibility with U.S. mortar fire control systems, as well as evaluate the use of, and potential range increase, of the current U.S. 120mm mortar ammunition in the longer, breech-loaded NEMO barrel.

The assessment continues the Army’s effort to provide Armored and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams with rapid, precise indirect and direct fire capability, along with protecting the operating crew and greatly reducing its physical burdens.

“The agreement between the U.S. Army and Patria exemplifies the capability leap that modern turreted mortar systems can introduce to armed forces and illustrates Patria’s leading role in this technology area,” said Jussi Järvinen, President of Patria’s Land Business Unit. “It is also logical continuation to the cooperation between Patria and the U.S. government that began with Patria NEMO sales to a third country through a Foreign Military Sales program.”

The agreement with Patria stemmed from an Army initiative to produce a 120mm Mortar Future Indirect Fire Turret by 2021, and a 120mm Extended Range Mortar system by 2026.

That initiative was undertaken by Product Manager Precision Fires and Mortars, which is part of Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems. Those organizations are under the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition, which is located at Picatinny Arsenal.

The Army’s emerging Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, or AMPV, program has a turreted mortar variant, which provided part of the impetus to closely examine the current state of turreted mortar technology.

“Given the early age of the AMPV program, we felt like it was an opportune time to pursue and look at opportunities to meet requirements that include the incorporation of a turreted mortar system,” Terreault said. “We don’t look at the NEMO project, or the turreted mortar systems projects, as being specific to the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle because we would like to get a modular solution that would also work on the Stryker platform as well.”

A breech-loaded mortar system has several advantages compared to traditional, muzzle-loaded systems. “There’s a crew safety factor, where by the system being breech-loaded, the crew doesn’t need to be near the muzzle of the weapon, where all the blast-over pressure from the firing event occurs,” Terreault said.

Another safety factor related to breech-loading is that loading the weapon occurs from within the vehicle. In contrast, with muzzle-loading, the muzzle needs to be outside the vehicle or outside of protection. That’s because there can’t be anything between the mortar barrel and the open sky when it fires its ammunition.

Breech-loading also offered more flexibility in firing that is related to how the system is automated, maneuvered and controlled. “Once you’re breech-loaded, you no longer have to shoot directly up into the sky,” Terreault said. “You can shoot at lower angles, because you no longer are relying on the rounds that drop down the barrel in order to have enough kinetic energy to strike a firing pin, initiate the primer, and then come back out the muzzle.”

With a combination of breech-loading and an electronic firing mechanism, the weapon can be positioned in a near-horizontal angle and engage targets directly, similar to a tank cannon. “Now, that’s not an optimal mission role for a mortar system, but it does provide the system a certain level of self-defense that it didn’t have previously, which helps make the platform overall more survivable,” Terreault said.

“If we weren’t able to fire below 45 degrees, we’d be very limited in the amount of firing engagements we could use in order to achieve multi-round, simultaneous impact events,” Terreault added. “And typically, we consider anything above 45 degrees as indirect fire and below 45 degrees as direct fire.”

As the march of technology moves ahead, the “infantryman’s artillery” will be part of the impetus of enhancement and capability.

By Ed Lopez, Picatinny Arsenal Public Affairs

Posted in Guest Post, weapons | 2 Comments »

FirstSpear Friday Focus: Ragnar Vest

Friday, February 19th, 2021

This week’s Friday Focus is the Ragnar Vest. They’re an FS nonstandard, nonstocking item, which means you’ll want to get them before they’re gone! The Ragnar is named for the intrepid explorer and cunning warrior Ragnar Lodbrok. This vest and its accessory components are suited for a wide variety of roles and circumstances.

• Loop fabric for pocket attachment
• Four special built-in pockets
• Works with Ragnar Tubes Cummerbund
• Compatible with Ragnar pockets

The carrier is covered in loop fabric and can be altered with different cummerbunds. Four special built-in pockets with retention tabs allow for storage of accessories based upon situational requirements.

You can upgrade the cummerbund to the Ragnar Tubes Tactical Cummerbund to increase functionality. The Tubes Tactical Cummerbund is offered as an upgrade to the Ragnar Vest. It comes with four special pockets with shock cord retention for storing accessories such as magazines. The cummerbund has tubes which connect at the front to keep your Ragnar Vest secure. Get in and out of your Ragnar in seconds with FS Tube Technology.

This is a great multi-mission vest with the sort of flexibility that allows you to use one system for a variety of profiles. There is also a full lineup of pockets compatible with the Ragnar.

Now available in limited quantities in black, ranger, multicam and coyote. For more information about the Ragnar, check out www.first-spear.com/ragnar-vest.

Posted in Advertiser, Armor, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus: Ragnar Vest

US Army Integrated Visual Augmentation System Mounted Amplifies Capabilities

Friday, February 19th, 2021

“IVAS is more than just a goggle, it’s changing the way we fight.”
– MAJ Kevin Smith, PM IVAS Platform Integration DRI

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCORD, WA – The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) is being developed to address capability gaps in the dismounted close combat force identified by Army leadership via the 2018 National Defense Strategy. The intent is to integrate key technology systems into one device to provide a single platform for Soldiers to fight, rehearse, and train.

IVAS looks at the Soldier as a weapons system, carefully balancing weight and Soldier load with its enhanced capabilities. Therefore, the Army is looking to amplify the impact of one dismounted Soldier equipped with IVAS and apply its capability set to mounted platforms as well.

“Up until this point IVAS has really been focused on the dismounted Soldiers and getting that fighting goggle right,” said MAJ Kevin Smith, C5ISR Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Direction (NVESD) Research and Development Coordinator and PM IVAS Platform Integration Directly Responsible Individual (DRI). “So in parallel, we in the Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate have been working to build-in applications to leverage both new and existing sensors on the vehicles to give the Soldier not just enhanced visual situational awareness, but also C2 [Command and Control] situational awareness while they’re inside of a platform or vehicle.”

The integrated team made up of Project Manager IVAS, Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team (SL CFT), NVESD and C5ISR Prototype Integration Facility (PIF), PM Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), PM Bradley, Army Capability Manager Stryker (ACM-S) and Bradley (ACM-B), and industry partners came together at Joint Base Lewis-McCord to tackle how to best amplify the capabilities of IVAS onto vehicle platforms.

“In the past, as the Soldier in the back who’s going to actually be dismounting on the objective you may have a single screen to look at that can maybe toggle between the driver’s view or the commander’s view, or the gunners view, or perhaps you’re looking through periscope blocks or asking the crew themselves what is actually happening around you,” said SFC Joshua Braly, SL CFT. “But overall when you are buttoned up in the back of a platform you have very limited situational awareness to what you’re walking into.”

Beyond the original problem set, IVAS is looking to be applied to an additional capability gap in order to allow the mounted and dismounted Soldier to maintain both C2 and visual situational awareness seamlessly across Army vehicle platforms.

Soldiers from 1-2 SBCT and 3rd Infantry Division joined the multi-dimensional team to learn IVAS and provide feedback on what would be most operationally effective as the technology integrates onto larger platforms.

SOLDIER EXPERIENCE

“I struggled when I was a squad leader getting out of the bay not knowing where I was because we get dropped at different spots in the op order,” said SGT John Martin, Bradley Master Gunner from 3rd Infantry Division. “Not having information on the ground was definitely a challenge that tripped us up.”

The squads took turns in the Stryker and Bradley vehicles testing each camera view and function, power management, communications, and the ease of mounting and dismounting with the IVAS. The Soldiers quickly saw that the capabilities being developed for dismounted Soldiers via IVAS are amplified by integrating the system into platforms using World View, 360 degree, and See capabilities that leverage the view of external sensors to be transmitted to the Heads Up Display (HUD) of each individual Soldier.

“There’s always a line between the squads and the tracks, and having this equipment is going to help tie them in so the dismounts in the back can see the actual optics of the vehicle itself and then they can seamlessly work with the crew because everyone can see around the vehicle without actually having to step outside of it,” said Martin. “It has countless uses like land navigation, being able to track things while on the battlefield, moving through urban complexes, moving through open terrain, it’s insane.”

Each Soldier with IVAS can “see through” the vehicle to what its external sensors are feeding into the individual HUDs, as if the vehicle has invisible armor. Soldiers with the Stryker Brigade Combat Team understood the implications to not only C2 situational awareness management and safety, but also overall lethality of the force.

“This changes how we operate honestly,” said SGT Philip Bartel with 1-2 SBCT. “Now guys aren’t hanging out of vehicles in dangerous situations trying to get views on what’s going on. Leadership will be able to maneuver their elements and get view-on-target without having to leave the safety of their armored vehicles. Maneuvering elements with that kind of information will minimize casualties and will overall drastically change how we operate and increase our effectiveness on the battlefield.”

“The fact that we are going to be more lethal on the ground, the fact that we won’t be losing as many guys because everyone can see and track the same information, the capabilities and possibilities and implications of this technology are endless,” added Martin.

SOLDIER CENTERED DESIGN

Soldier Centered Design is a driving principle of IVAS technology development. It calls for the Soldier and squad to be understood and developed as a comprehensive weapons system and prioritizes Soldier feedback. By addressing operational capability gaps with a holistic view, it allows the physical interface and load requirements of Soldiers to be better managed and balanced while integrating leap ahead technology to increase lethality on the battlefield.

“Right now the technology is in prototype phase, so we’re getting some really good feedback from actual Soldiers here on the ground today that we can take back and make some critical improvements with, which is awesome,” said Smith. “The reason why we do this is because these requirements need to be generated from the bottom up, not from the top down. So enlisting Soldier feedback is really important to us so that we understand what they need and what their requirements are.”

The program is revolutionizing the way that acquisition requirements are generated. Though engineers and industry experts have always been dedicated to develop effective products to meet Soldier needs through requirements, best practices have now shown that requirements should be developed hand in hand with and by the end user.

“Whereas before requirements were generated, in my opinion, inside of silos, we really need the Soldier’s feedback in order to generate a proper requirement that’s best for the Soldier, period,” said Braly. “It’s really important because we can’t build something that Soldiers are not going use. We have to get that feedback from Soldiers, listen to Soldiers, and implement that feedback. Then it becomes a better product for the Soldier, and they’re going to want to use it. If they don’t want to use it, they won’t, and it’s all for nothing.”

FUTURE OF IVAS

The event was another step towards developing IVAS, which was recently approved to move from rapid prototyping to production and rapid fielding in an effort to deliver next generation capabilities to the close combat force at the speed of relevance.

“One of the goals of IVAS was that it’s going to be a fighting goggle as well as a training goggle and we are 100% attempting to bring both to reality,” said Braly. “This is one of those key moments in our military’s history where we’re able to look back and acknowledge that we’re not where we want to be and we’re willing to make bold strides to get there. IVAS is without question an effort to do that, and we’re working diligently every day to make this a reality.”

Team IVAS continues to iterate the hardware and software prototype towards the Operational Test planned for July 2021 and FUE in 4QFY21.

“This is something that none of us imaged we would see in our careers,” said Martin. “It’s futuristic technology that we’ve all talked about and seen in movies and video games, but it’s something that we never imaged we would have the chance to fight with. It’s definitely technology that we are really excited to use as soon as they can get it to us.”

Story by Courtney Bacon, PEO Soldier

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Optics, PEO-Soldier | 15 Comments »

SERE Specialists Conquer the Arctic

Thursday, February 18th, 2021

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) —

Wind gusts as high as 50 mph, wind chills dropping to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and a place where the sun does not rise above the horizon for 65 consecutive days. Arctic survival training is not for the faint of heart however for the survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists, it is a rite of passage.

SERE specialists from across the country participated in S-V81-C Barren Land Arctic Survival training Jan. 9-23 in Utqia?vik (Barrow), Alaska.

S-V81-C is a part of the SERE five-level upgrade course where SERE specialists gain valuable experience surviving in the harsh arctic environment.

“It’s the experiential factor that enables Air Force SERE specialists to provide the highest standard of arctic training to the Department of Defense,” said Master Sgt. Garrett Wright, Detachment 1, 66th Training Squadron, Arctic Survival School superintendent.

After leaving Barrow and completing training, SERE specialists have gained a new understanding of the difficult conditions isolated personnel could face in the Arctic. With this knowledge in hand, SERE specialists are able to educate personnel across the globe on the various environments they operate in.

From Eielson Air Force Base, five SERE specialists from the 66th Training Squadron, Detachment 1 led S-V81-C training in Barrow.

Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Waterbury, 66th TRS, Det. 1 operations noncommissioned officer in charge, once a student, is now responsible for imparting his technical expertise to others at S-V81-C.

“It is cool to teach a course that I came through (years ago),” said Waterbury. “I never really thought that I would be doing it again; especially running operations for it.”

This year, two classes trained in Barrow and 44 students graduated the course. 24 participants from Jan. 9-16 and 20 from Jan. 16-23. Active duty, Guard and Reserve SERE specialists attended this year’s training along with personnel from the 123rd Contingency Response Group and the Air Force Joint Test Program Office.

This year, Cool School’s operations were supported by an independent medical duty technician from the 354th Medical Group and two defenders from the 354th Security Forces Squadron, who provided overnight polar bear guard.

Additionally, a team led by Lt. Col. Nathan Barrett, the AFJO joint test director, conducted shelter temperature testing as part of Cool School’s efforts to modernize its instructional data.

S-V81-C training includes a day of academic instruction where students learn about health, sustenance, personal protection, signaling, recovery and travel in an arctic environment.

Throughout the week, students learn how to operate in the Arctic and build shelters from snow caves to igloos. In total, students construct six different shelter configurations over the course of four days, to enable their survival in the Arctic tundra.

The Cool School team brought the students out to the Chukchi Sea where they ignited MK-124s, a smoke and illumination flare, to learn about the intricacies of signaling and recovery.

One of the highlights of the training is the cultural immersion with the local indigenous people, giving many students a broader perspective and appreciation for the Arctic.

“Our students have a unique opportunity to learn from the indigenous people, so they can come to a better understanding of the cultural influences that enabled them to survive in such a harsh region for thousands of years,” said Maj. Tyler Williams, 66th TRS, Det. 1 commander. “Before all of this modern equipment, it was the cultural values and practices that allowed them to thrive in this region.”

This immersion also aligns with the Department of the Air Force Arctic Strategy through collaborative planning opportunities particularly building upon relationships with indigenous communities in the Arctic region to learn from their expertise.

What makes this year’s training different from its previous iterations is the introduction of the geopolitical aspects of recovery.

“There’s a lot of people who live across the Arctic,” Wright said. “Students have to understand that they might not be picked up by American forces and they may not even be military.”

Williams emphasized that this training plays an important role in mission preparation to the Air Force Arctic Strategy. The Air Force has recognized the importance to prepare aircrew for operations in extreme polar regions, and SERE specialists perform a vital role in doing just that.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve got the best equipment or aircraft in the world,” Williams said. “If you don’t have the right training, the Arctic environment will kill you.”

Story by Airman 1st Class Jose Miguel T. Tamondong, 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Photos by Maj Tyler Williams and MSgt Ryan M. Dewey

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SERE | 1 Comment »

Soldier Center’s New Capability Streamlines Munition Fragmentation Data Collection

Wednesday, February 17th, 2021

NATICK, Mass. – The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, Soldier Center, working in conjunction with academia and industry, has developed the Fragmentation Rapid Analysis Generator using Computed Tomography, or FRAG-CT.

“FRAG-CT supports the Army Chief of Staff’s priority to better protect the warfighter in current and future combat situations,” said Lisa King-Schiappa, the Protection Technology Development team lead in the Protection Systems Division, Soldier Protection Directorate, at the DEVCOM Soldier Center.

King-Schiappa explained that the “FRAG-CT analysis tool has matured into a stand-alone Graphical User Interface, or GUI, that streamlines the gathering of valuable munition fragmentation data from indirect fire arena tests.”

The method produces a data file of the munition fragmentation characteristics along with a data file used for armor design and also distinct 3D files of each individually scanned fragments for follow-on future analysis. FRAG-CT makes it possible to process arena test bundles up to 200 times faster than current hand-count methods. This new methodology can decrease bundle analysis time from months to hours.

“Timely, accurate and repeatable evaluation of indirect fire threats are critical for developing new armor designs and expeditionary protection systems,” said King-Schiappa. “FRAG-CT is the solution to time-consuming and unreliable fragment hand-count data.”

“The FRAG-CT analysis tool streamlines the gathering of munition data,” said Tom Reynolds, Protection Systems Division leader, Soldier Protection Directorate, DEVCOM Soldier Center. “This tool is less time-consuming and more reliable than other methods and will aid in the development of improved armor design.”

To develop FRAG-CT, the Soldier Center collaborated with a number of agencies, along with its development partner Compotech, headquartered in Brewer, Maine, and a CT scanning expert at the University of Maine.

“The collaboration with the National Ground Intelligence Agency, DEVCOM Army Research Lab, DEVCOM Data Analysis Center, DEVCOM Armament Center, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Compotech and UMaine was significant in the development of FRAG-CT,” said King-Schiappa. “The team was comprised of subject matter experts in the fields of threat assessment, munition exploitation, armor design, CT scanning and expeditionary ballistics – these critical aspects support the rapid development of an improved methodology for armor design.”

In addition to protective equipment, FRAG-CT may also aid in munition development.

“Warhead development is an iterative process from design to prototype to testing and back to design,” said Henry Hsieh, mechanical engineer, DEVCOM Armament Center. “This process is often cost prohibitive due to the time and labor required to collect and analyze vast amounts of data after a destructive warhead event. The FRAG-CT technology has the potential to minimize or even eliminate the laborious process of manually picking, cleaning, weighing and sorting tens of thousands of fragments after each warhead test, drastically reducing labor cost as well as data turn-around time. With this technology in place, warhead developers can rapidly and confidently design munitions adapted for our next generation of warfighters.”

Data collection and analysis play an all-important role in DEVCOM Soldier Center’s commitment to advancing capabilities and technologies for the Soldier.

King-Schiappa noted that software technology and analysis capabilities associated with FRAG-CT will also help address mission priorities that emphasize increased maneuver and lightweight expeditionary ballistic protection — thus, delivering protective expeditionary maneuver systems and Mission Command Technologies into Soldiers’ hands more quickly to increase warfighter readiness.

“Threats of interest are ever changing,” said King-Schiappa. “The Army is working diligently to narrow the capability gaps that affect Soldiers and enable the rapid delivery of capabilities to the warfighter. FRAG-CT enforces the aspect of rapid delivery for ongoing threat characterization work.”

The DEVCOM Soldier Center is transferring the software technology and the analysis capability to both the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory and DEVCOM Armament Center.

DEVCOM SC, DEVCOM ARL, and DEVCOM AC have signed a software use agreement, or SUA, that is emplaced for work to support both arena-test methodologies and water-test methodologies using FRAG-CT. This GUI and upgraded test methodology will enable DEVCOM AC and DEVCOM ARL to process arena- and water-test data with greater accuracy, speed and repeatability.

“FRAG-CT is a state-of-the-art software package that allows the user to quickly and accurately process large amounts of fragment data under one platform,” said Justin Pritchett, a mechanical engineer at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory. “It has a multiple-input, multiple-output capability that supports data input from different types of fragmenting munition experiments and outputs various data formats for modeling and simulation codes. This technology advancement will drive how we process and collect large data sets in the future.”

King-Schiappa explained that the methodology and GUI may also feed modeling and analysis efforts tied to software such as the Advanced Joint Effectiveness Model, or AJEM. AJEM is a survivability, lethality, and vulnerability computer simulation code that is capable of analyzing one or more threats attacking one or more rotary-wing or fixed-wing aircraft, small watercraft, ground-mobile system, and mounted or dismounted personnel.

Mike Maffeo, a senior engineer on the Ballistic and Blast Protection Team, Protection Materials Division, Soldier Protection Directorate at the Soldier Center, explained that there are other models in addition to the AJEM model that can also use this data, including a casualty software called the Integrated Casualty Estimation Methodology, or ICEM, model.

Maffeo, who serves as the model manager for ICEM, explained that ICEM was developed specifically to model dismounted soldiers and the body armor they are wearing.

Maffeo believes that FRAG-CT is an important innovation in fragmentation data collection and analysis.

“FRAG?CT looks to be a real game changer in getting new fragment files quickly for armor assessment and vulnerability analysis,” said Maffeo. “With all the data that is being collected by FRAG?CT, it opens opportunities to increase the fidelity of the modeling and analysis. Some of these newer munitions have asymmetric (non?symmetric) burst patterns that are difficult to model without the right data. FRAG?CT should allow us to get this type of data quickly.”

In the future, FRAG-CT may also have applications for Elastic Plastic Impact Computation, or EPIC, and beyond.

By Jane Benson, DEVCOM Soldier Center Public Affairs

Posted in Ammo, Armor, Guest Post, PEO-Soldier | Comments Off on Soldier Center’s New Capability Streamlines Munition Fragmentation Data Collection