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See Ocean State Innovations at SHOT Show Suppliers Showcase

Tuesday, December 12th, 2023

Ocean State Innovations is excited to welcome you to our SHOT Show Suppliers Showcase Booth 52240, at The Venetian 5th Floor, Palazzo Ballroom, Las Vegas, Nevada on January 22 – 23, 2024. We have the following products to review with you and your production team:

• CORDURA® TrueLock™ Solution Dyed Fabrics – 500D & 1000D.
• Curv® Tactical – Innovative Curv® Thermoplastic Composite Technology
• ITW® Military Products & Hardware
• Velcro® Brand Hook 89 & Loop 1100
• Velcro® Brand Loop in MultiCam®
• OSI Printing Services – Woven Fabrics & Velcro® Brand Loop
• Innovative Textile Developments

Stop by and say hello to the OSI Team members or reach out to make an appointment:

Peter Raneri – peter@osinnovate.com

Geoff Senko – geoff@osinnovate.com

Nick Boulis – nick@osinnovate.com

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Materials, SHOT Show | Comments Off on See Ocean State Innovations at SHOT Show Suppliers Showcase

AFSOC Commander Directs CV-22 Operational Standdown

Tuesday, December 12th, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) —

Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, AFSOC commander, directed an operational standdown of the Air Force CV-22 fleet Dec. 6, 2023, to mitigate risk while the investigation continues on the Nov. 29, 2023, CV-22 mishap near Yakushima, Japan.

Preliminary investigation information indicates a potential materiel failure caused the mishap, but the underlying cause of the failure is unknown at this time. The standdown will provide time and space for a thorough investigation to determine causal factors and recommendations to ensure the Air Force CV-22 fleet returns to flight operations.

We extend sincere gratitude to the Joint Force and Government of Japan’s Self-Defense Force, Coast Guard, law enforcement and civilian volunteers for their tireless assistance in the search and rescue operations for our Air Commandos.

By Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, SOF | 1 Comment »

Next Generation Squad Weapons Tested by Ft Campbell Infantry, Rangers

Monday, December 11th, 2023

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Screaming Eagle Division Soldiers here just completed training and testing the Army’s 6.8mm family of Next Generation Squad Weapon-Rifle (NGSW-R), NGSW-Automatic Rifle (AR) and the NGSW-Fire Control (FC) systems.

Troops of Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and members of 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, undertook New Equipment Training on the NGSW.

“The New Equipment Training gave the Soldiers a good base before coming out and using the NGSWs,” said Infantryman Sgt. Jack Scott, a team leader in Alpha Company.

Their training covered the similarities and differences between the new weapons and the legacy 5.56mm M4A1 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon systems, focusing on enhanced lethality.

“We did a lot of training with both static and maneuver ranges, so the product of Soldier you get now, during the live fire, is high quality due to all of that training,” added Scott.

Once complete with new equipment training, Soldiers tested the NGSW in a Limited User Test, or LUT, in a crawl-walk-run method to ensure all operational data is collected on the weapon, as well as user integration with the new equipment.

Alpha Company and 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment initially conducted static qualification and variable distance ranges with legacy weapon systems and NGSW, to compare performance of both and give Soldiers repetitions and familiarity with the NGSW.

Alpha Company 1st Sgt. Justin Babb appreciated the benefits of participating in an operational test and the opportunity for his junior Soldier’s feedback to contribute and impact Army modernization.

“The candid feedback that the Soldiers and NCOs provided during focus groups and surveys will provide the Army with perspective from the lowest level of user that will actually use the system,” said Babb.

Major differences between the legacy M4, M249 systems and the NGSWs were immediately noticeable by the Soldiers.

Spec. Maximiliano Arguindegui, an automatic rifleman with 1/75th Ranger Regiment, said, “Overall, I feel faster with the M249, but I prefer the NGSW-AR because it makes me more lethal.”

Scott added, “Stopping power with the 6.8 round is a big improvement compared to the M4 and M249 and having the ability to use with or without the suppressor is a huge feature for the support by fire element.”

Leaders of Alpha Company also said participating in a test with the Operational Test Command enabled them to get after their internal readiness.

Alpha Company Commander, Capt. Jordan Mares, said, “Being a part of the NGSW test absolutely supported our company readiness. The LUT gave us opportunities to hone our craft, practice lessons learned with feedback from subject-matter experts, and the ability to conduct a lot of repetitions to practice small unit tactics.”

Staff Sgt. Ivan Alvarez, a Squad Leader with Alpha Company, was initially skeptical of the NGSW.

“When we first started the LUT, I was very against the NGSW-R,” he said. “I’m used to the M4 — it’s lighter — I’m used to the recoil, the engagements, everything the M4 has to offer. But, as we went through the LUT with the NGSW-R, I can see the capabilities that it brings to an infantryman, especially at a longer distance.”

Alvarez also said testing the new weapons gave his squad added training opportunities.

“We got after a lot of training that we would normally have to wait months to set up and accomplish,” he said. “We were able to get more marksmanship time, more range time, and were able to train under various environmental conditions.”

Another squad leader with the Rangers provided his observations on the training benefit while participating in an operational test.

“We were able to get reps in on a new weapon system as well as our legacy equipment,” said Sgt. Joseph Martin. “We were able to train on many basic things that we want to train on every year, but condensed to get more repetitions, as well as live fire iterations for our younger, inexperienced Soldiers.”

Story by Maj. Rodrick A. Polk, test officer, Maneuver Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command

Photos by Mr. Mark Scovell, Visual Information Specialist, U.S. Army Operational Test Command

Posted in Army, Guest Post, weapons | 31 Comments »

Army Concludes Network Modernization Experiment 2023

Sunday, December 10th, 2023

JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — The Army completed its annual capstone Network Modernization Experiment, or NetModX, after 10 weeks of experimentation spanning 62 technologies.

Across three locations in New Jersey and Maryland, the Army’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center and partner organizations experimented with a broad spectrum of network-related capabilities in an operationally realistic, threat-informed environment. The C5ISR Center is an element of the Combat Capabilities Development Command.

Because of the Army network’s vast reach, NetModX 23 encompassed 17 focus areas and five modernization priorities: Future Vertical Lift, Long-Range Precision Fires, Network, Next Generation Combat Vehicle and Soldier Lethality.

“As an enabler for multiple Army technologies, the network and its performance in multiple dimensions becomes critical to overall mission success,” said Joe Saldiveri, NetModX 23 lead strategic planner.

NetModX 23 featured projects leveraging a live, virtual and constructive environment that enables experimentation in a distributed manner. LVC assists the NetModX project management team to provide an all-inclusive service by combining real and simulated capabilities to simulate technologies under experimentation. The LVC environment fills in gaps where real systems are too expensive or too scarce to include.

“The C5ISR Center offers a critical service to the C5ISR community by providing the environments and engineering expertise to experiment and inform complex C5ISR integration decisions. LVC is a tool that enables us to answer more complex questions with greater fidelity and more efficiency. We continue to invest and work with our partners in building out our LVC capabilities — to ensure we are pushing the state-of-the-art boundaries,” said Seth Spoenlein, assistant director for system integration.

As part of NetModX, the C5ISR Center routinely partners with a fellow Army R&D organization, DEVCOM Analysis Center, to create an operationally relevant experimentation environment. This environment is vital to experimentation as it exposes emerging technologies to realistic threats for greater learning.

In addition to the work of Army scientists and engineers, the event included Soldier participation from the 75th Innovation Command, 101st Airborne Division and Fires Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate. This allows real-time Soldier feedback on how emergent technologies affect mission threads and performance within those threads.

“Soldier participation in NetModX allows technology developers to gain insights into how Soldiers would interact with the technology in an operational setting, providing valuable lessons across a broad range of technology readiness levels,” said Noah Weston, chief of C5ISR Center’s Strategic Experimentation Office.

New this year was Innovation Week, a two-week extension of NetModX with a focus on sensor-to-shooter experimentation, augmented by LVC capabilities to enhance realism. The intent was to explore high-risk, high-reward experimentation, to push the boundaries of learning by exercising a common sensor-to-shooter mission thread using uncommon technologies and network architectures.

Innovation Week resulted in a series of firsts for the Army network enterprise, providing a basis of knowledge for further exploration, Weston said.

“Leveraging initiatives such as Innovation Week, the Army can discover potential leap-ahead technologies or architectures that are distinct advantages over currently deployed systems. Innovation Week is focused on reducing risk for both our internal science and technology programs and, more importantly, our transition partners. It provided an operationally relevant “safe to fail” environment to conduct systems of systems experimentation,” he said.

By Dan Lafontaine, DEVCOM C5ISR Center Public Affairs

Some photos by James Lee, RJ Regars, and John Tang, DEVCOM C5ISR Center

Posted in Army, Guest Post | Comments Off on Army Concludes Network Modernization Experiment 2023

Fairchild AFB Demonstrates Strategic Deterrence Readiness During Titan Fury 24-1

Saturday, December 9th, 2023

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNS) —

Airmen assigned to the 92nd and the 141st Air Refueling Wings conducted exercise Titan Fury 24-1 at Fairchild Air Force Base, Nov. 13-17.

During the exercise, Airmen demonstrated how various support activities contribute to mobilizing KC-135 Stratotankers at a moment’s notice if called upon to support strategic deterrence and other National Defense Strategy priorities.

“It’s critically important that Fairchild Air Force Base conducts exercises like this for one reason only, and that’s deterrence,” said Lt. Col. William Dowd, 97th Air Refueling Squadron commander. “We have to send a clear message to our adversaries and allies alike that Fairchild Air Force Base stands ready to execute this mission. Without making sure our crews are ready and able—regardless of how hard it is and how fast we need them to be—we can’t ensure the delivery of deterrence worldwide.”

For decades, the KC-135 has been the backbone of Air Mobility Command’s air refueling capabilities around the world because of its ability to extend global reach and project U.S. airpower.

Dowd explained how teamwork and collaboration are the keys to Fairchild AFB’s ability to keep this proud tradition going strong.

“The teamwork that goes into executing a mission of this scale really boils down to the relationship between operations and maintenance, then everything else has to come up and build the support pyramid for those two,” he said. “It is a challenging week for everybody, from maintenance and operations to the defenders in security forces who protect the ramp and aircraft and the folks in the Force Support Squadron who are turning out meals for them and bringing food to the crews at the jet.”

Dowd also praised the hard work and long hours of airfield managers, fuel operations, safety, inspector general and the other essential functions of the exercise that enable mission readiness.

“We could tell they were getting tired, but there was a gleam in their eyes, and we knew they were ready to show the world that Fairchild is ready to execute this mission,” he said. “The 92nd ARW, along with our Guard partners, the 141st ARW, conduct these exercises to ensure we are always prepared because there isn’t an aircraft in our fleet that can kick ass without tanker gas.”

In addition to the 92nd ARW active duty and 141st ARW Air National Guard units at Fairchild AFB, TF-24-1 included aircraft and personnel assigned to the 912th Air Refueling Squadron who traveled from March AFB, California, to participate. The 912th ARS is a geographically separated unit of the 92nd ARW.

According to Lt. Col. Roque Zarate, 912th ARS director of operations, participating in the exercise enabled his unit to integrate with 92nd ARW Airmen and build interoperability in a training environment that resembles the manner in which they would operate during a real-world scenario.

“Titan Fury is important, not only for the aircrews and maintenance, but for our controllers as well,” he explained. “They have to practice things that maybe they’re not used to with the crews that are organic to the 92nd. So, for them to actually integrate us into the exercise, being a geographically separated unit, there’s a lot more planning and a lot more nuances. It’s important for everybody to exercise the way we would go to war, or really, to deter our adversaries from attacking us.

“It’s nice just for us to be able to come here and see how our parent wing executes the same [mission],” Zarate added. “We’re taking lots of notes on how we can do things better at March, and we’re also providing notes to Fairchild on what they can do better.”

Master Sgt. Dustin Brockman, a generation superintendent for TF 24-1, highlighted the importance of exercising to build both proficiency and speed.

“[Getting] the aircraft ready quickly is important,” he said. “If it was a real-world situation, we don’t know how fast we would need to act. If we take too long to get ready, then we might not be able to meet the mission requirements. We work quickly yet safely to get the aircraft generated as fast as possible.”

Like many Airmen, this exercise was a first for Capt. John Will, a KC-135 pilot assigned to the 97th Air Refueling Squadron. He said his first Titan Fury experience enabled him to develop at a steady pace in his role as an aircraft commander supporting Fairchild AFB’s mission.

“There’s still a lot of learning to be done,” he said. “I feel like with every step of the process, I’ve been slowly learning this mission and getting better at it. We do other smaller exercises and classes to get us ready for this, so it’s not just everything at once. Seeing it all come together has been really cool.”

This recurring total force exercise is an example of how the 92nd ARW and the 141st ARW at Fairchild AFB are engaged, postured and ready with a credible force to assure, deter and defend in an increasingly complex security environment.

“We ran 24-hour operations for a week, generated 21 aircraft and demonstrated our ability to deploy personnel and conduct our mission from anywhere,” said Col. Chesley Dycus, 92nd ARW commander. “We did this all by combining our efforts with our teammates in the 141st ARW, and the crews and jet here from the 912th ARS. I couldn’t be more proud.”

92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post | Comments Off on Fairchild AFB Demonstrates Strategic Deterrence Readiness During Titan Fury 24-1

FirstSpear Friday Focus – Padded Plate Backer

Friday, December 8th, 2023

The Padded Plate Backer Kit provides comfort by utilizing non-ballistic foam inserts that contour to your body. They are designed to reduce pressure points while maintaining the plate carrier’s shape. Additionally, these foam inserts can be configured multiple ways to fit your specific needs. Whether you need more support in certain areas or a different fit altogether, this kit has you covered.

Not only does this kit offer increased comfort, but it also features channels on the body side for better ventilation and shock absorption. This added feature provides air flow to the carrier, reducing heat buildup and increasing breathability. The shock absorber function works to disperse energy from impact, minimizing the damage to your body.

One of the best aspects of the Padded Plate Backer is its minimal weight and bulk. The foam inserts do not weigh down your carrier and they do not add unnecessary bulk. With a weight of only 13oz, this kit is perfect for those who are always on the go. The lightweight design allows you to move freely and with ease, while the foam inserts provide the necessary support.

Another advantage is ts durability. The non-ballistic foam inserts are made to last, so you can trust them to withstand harsh conditions and heavy use. These inserts are also water-resistant, protecting against moisture buildup which can lead to mold and foul odors.

Visit FirstSpear to find American Made kit and accessories, Built For The X.

Posted in Advertiser, Armor, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus – Padded Plate Backer

Pioneering Communications Demo Starts US Army Exercise

Friday, December 8th, 2023

SKOPJE, North Macedonia — Soldiers with the 509th Strategic Signal Battalion, 2nd Theater Signal Brigade were the first in history to facilitate en route mission command outside of the U.S. while in-flight with Stryker vehicles as a tactical command post aboard a military aircraft, which kicked off the U.S. Army Europe and Africa exercise, Brave Partner, Dec. 1 at Skopje International Airport.

Brave Partner is a “short notice action planning exercise” that aims to enhance regional partnerships and increase U.S. force readiness and interoperability in a realistic, multinational training environment, including roughly 180 U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment with support from 30 service members from the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dec. 1-10, 2023 at Skopje International Airport and Krivolak Training Area, North Macedonia.

“I find it exceptionally phenomenal to have the opportunity to field equipment and work with partner units as well as partner nations,” said Capt. Shenelle Stallings, 509th SSB Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment commander. “The cohesion and the trust we’re building with one another — because I’m from the 509th, and we’re providing comms for 2CR, and we’re in North Macedonia — so all those pieces coming together and seeing how these things work makes it all the more worthwhile.”

Stallings said her team is making history by validating en route mission command that’s first-of-its-kind on a strategic network, and they’re setting a foundation and building it from the ground up in their area of operation. They achieved excellent signal speeds that exceeded their expectations with minimal latency. They faced snow and heavy clouds, which had the potential to degrade signal transmissions. She explained that taxiing and takeoff were the most important parts of the test while transitioning between equipment from ground to air, and that was also successful.

“I was on a video chat the entire time, and it was crystal clear,” said Stallings. “We use the Voyager 8 and the KAFMA antenna that allows us to reach back to our strategic network in Italy, and then we’re also able to come here with our Starlink and transition to that seamlessly.”

One of Stallings’ Soldiers, Cpl. Deandra Winston, is an expert on communications equipment and prefers the Voyager 8 transit case to bulkier equipment she’s used in the past. She explained that tactical signal equipment is becoming increasingly innovative and mobile. Being able to connect users without waiting for equipment to be set up on ground is key.

“It will create an ease of understanding between troops that are coming and going and a faster understanding of the mission that needs to be executed,” said Winston. “New technology comes out every day, and it’s best to not be scared to try new tech. Everything takes time, and I understand that, but it’s time to get rid of the old and use the new.”

As part of USAREUR-AF’s Tactical Mission Data Platform, 2CR’s Stryker vehicles were a command post aboard a C-17 aircraft, demonstrating innovation and speed in exchanging information between commanders en route in the sky and warfighters on the battlefield.

As this initial event for Brave Partner took place, the charter plane carrying a majority of the 2CR Soldiers was also arriving at Skopje International Airport.

Army of the Republic of North Macedonia Sgt. Maj. Igor Petrovski, airport liaison officer, was on-site and coordinated the C-17’s arrival as well as the charter plane’s arrival that carried most Soldiers who arrived for Brave Partner. He has a wealth of experience facilitating flights for NATO partners, including C-17s, C-130s and charter flights for the U.S.

The Republic of North Macedonia has a partnership with the Vermont National Guard, and Petrovski explained that his country’s military hosts international exercises with NATO countries, including the U.S. Army and especially the Vermont National Guard.

“We are brothers in arms with the Vermont National Guard,” said Petrovski. “The partnership is leveled up year by year.”

Army of the Republic of North Macedonia Lt. Col. Vladimir Cvetkovski, chief of the Host Nation Support Coordination Center, explained that North Macedonia is new to NATO with three years of membership, but they’ve taken many steps to maintain standards, and they are committed to training with the U.S. as well as keeping good relations with all of NATO.

“The U.S. is our strategic partner,” said Cvetkovski. “We have very good support from the U.S.”

A majority of Brave Partner is scheduled to involve live-fire ranges for 2CR Soldiers to train with Stryker armored fighting vehicles. Cvetkovski explained that Krivolak Training Area has the best terrain and facilities for that type of training. He said the training area accommodates a variety of military vehicles, aircraft and munitions.

“We have a very good training area here,” said Cvetkovski. “KTA is in the top 3 of all training areas in all of Europe.”

By Capt. Maria Salcido

Posted in Army, Comms, Guest Post | Comments Off on Pioneering Communications Demo Starts US Army Exercise

Crye Precision Adds Color Options for Female Fit Uniforms

Thursday, December 7th, 2023

Now available, three new color offerings for the G4 Female Fit line.

The G4 Female Fit line tailor the uniforms specifically to a woman’s body, creating unparalleled fit and function. Combined with the feature set of the G4 line, the uniforms are now available in Ranger Green. Khaki, and Black.

www.cryeprecision.com

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing, For the Ladies, Guest Post | 1 Comment »