During the recent Eurosatory expo in Paris, the French Army unveiled their new F3 combat helmet.
This aramid helmet offers a new rail configuration as well as additional Velcro. This upgrade retains compatibility with FELIN accessories but increases the ability to integrate additional capabilities.
The French military is investing in multiple upgrades for the individual Soldier such as the new BME camouflage pattern and F3 uniform cut pursuant to the Military Programming Act (MPA) 2019-2025.
The ISKIT from Blackfolium is pretty straightforward, offering the following features:
1) H70 panel compartment.
2) Compartment for stowing Signal mirror and / or various objects.
3) Elastic tape for Cyalume®.
4) Lanyard closure.
5) H70 Signal Panel.
6) Cyalume®.
7) Paracord T1 to bind the Cyalume®
It’s two color (orange and megenta) panel features two Velcro squares so you can add reflective patches and/or IR markers. There are paracord loops at each corner for attachment.
blackfolium.com/it/products/iskit
This Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is Germany’s Grüezil Bag premiere in the US.
What I find compellling about the brand is that the use a combination of down (70%) and wool (30%) as insulation. They cover their down with AlmWolle which protects the down from moisture, even when there is high humidity.
This survival model seen here integrates a bug net and is designed to go down to around 40 deg F.
Paris/Taufkirchen/Athens, 14 June 2022 – HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH and THEON SENSORS SA are establishing a joint company called HENSOLDT THEON NightVision GmbH. The company is headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany. HENSOLDT with THEON SENSORS will appoint the managers.
Both companies are already successfully cooperating within the framework of a bidding consortium for a contract to manufacture and supply 9.550 pairs of night vision goggles, (5.000 for the German and 4.550 for the Belgian armed forces) on behalf of the armament agency OCCAR. Now both partners are complementing their capabilities in the field of thermal imaging and night vision systems. Specifically, new products are to be created on the technological basis of THEON’s night vision goggles and HENSOLDT Optronics’ weapon-adapted night vision attachments.
At the signing of the contract with THEON SENSORS CEO Christian Hadjiminas at EUROSATORY 2022 in Paris, Andreas Hülle, Head of the Optronics & Land Solutions Division and Managing Director of Optronics GmbH, said: “The merger with THEON SENSORS to form HENSOLDT THEON NightVision GmbH is directly related to HENSOLDT’s growth strategy. The current conflict situation in Ukraine shows how important high-performance sensor technology and optical systems are for equipping our armed forces in line with the times.”
Christian Hadjiminas, CEO of THEON SENSORS and President of EFA GROUP, added: “The global geo-political challenges are creating a new focus on the performance and accountability of night vision and thermal imaging systems world-wide. This new joint company HENSOLDT THEON NightVision GmbH will drive new insights and solutions as leading companies, HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS, with complementary capabilities work together to meet the common goal of establishment of strong inter-European defence links.”
By combining capabilities from both parent companies, future product requirements can be developed even faster and in a more targeted manner and made available in a user-oriented manner. Existing products from both parent companies will serve as an innovative basis for further and new development.
For HENSOLDT THEON NightVision GmbH, the production site in Wetzlar is of central importance. In addition to the long-standing cooperation with the German Armed Forces and armed forces of associated nations, HENSOLDT also offers an excellent basis for logistical support. By combining technology, production and logistical services, the added value for customers is significantly increased and new jobs are created at the location. In the medium term, solid growth is planned for the new company due to the demand for state-of-the-art thermal imaging and night vision systems.
Naturally enough Wool+Aid Ltd hails from New Zealand. Their idea was to replace synthetic materials for adhesive bandages with the natural material, wool.
Made of Merino wool, they are plastic free and breathe. What’s more they are biodegradable.
They also won a Media Preview Award from OR.
Lyo Food is a Polish company which began creating freeze dried food for expeditions in the early 1990s. They’ve grown in Europe and are now coming to the United States with their menu.
Like the sign says, they grow all of their own ingredients on their own fields. They process everything in-house and use the freeze drying method to preserve their product because it maintains 97% of the nutrients on the food after preservation. It also offers the longest shelf life and lowest weight to nutrition ratio.
Finally, you’re going to find flavors you’ll get nowhere else. If you’re looking to upgrade your backcountry meals with clean label alternatives check out Lyo Food.
To see their catalog, click here.
The company has secured a contract to supply Black Eagle 50H, this year.
Eurosatory, Paris, June 13-17 Hall 6, Stand JH493
8 June 2022. Steadicopter – a leader in the Rotary Unmanned Aerial Systems (RUAS) industry – is to highlight the Black Eagle 50H system and the Golden Eagle RUAS at Eurosatory. Following an initial order, the company will supply the BlackEagle 50H – launched just a few months ago – to a naval customer in the current calendar year, for advanced maritime operations.
Designed for a wide range of law enforcement, maritime, civilian and covert missions, the Black Eagle 50H is the first ever hybrid-powered unmanned helicopter. With a maximum takeoff weight of 50 kg, the system can carry multiple large or relatively smaller payloads, and is capable of up to five hours of flight time – extremely high endurance when compared to other VTOL platforms in its class. This enables high performance and maximum operational flexibility for various applications, such as search & rescue, cyber security, intelligence, offshore rigs, and high-end naval missions.
Featuring a hybrid engine and propulsion system, the Black Eagle 50H combines the best of the electric 50E and the gas-powered 50 variants in a platform that is extremely cost effective, simple to operate, easy to maintain, environmentally friendly, and safe. The helicopter has all the proven capabilities of the highly energy-efficient gasoline-powered Black Eagle 50, including vertical take-off and landing, long hover durations, and leading mission sensor suites for all mission scenarios, whether day or night. In addition, like the Black Eagle 50E, it offers excellent reliability and is extremely adaptive to high-altitude flights, thanks to the electric propulsion component, which is less affected by ambient air pressure, making it deployable in many high-altitude operational scenarios.
For enhanced mission versatility, the hybrid platform also enables operators to select power by generator while en route, switching to the quieter direct battery power during the mission itself, enabling maximum covertness.
At the exhibition, the company will also present the recently-launched Golden Eagle – the first-ever unmanned helicopter with precise hit capabilities. Based on the combat-proven Black Eagle 50E platform, the Golden Eagle incorporates AI-based technology and Smart Shooter’s SMASH Dragon system.
Through advanced data processing, the AI system autonomously identifies and distinguishes between different types of targets, such as person or vehicle, whether they are in motion or stationery, and whether they have previously been present in the field. This enables superior situational awareness and autonomous multi-target classification and tracking.
Smart Shooter’s SMASH Dragon system – a remotely-operated robotic weaponry payload – integrates a unique stabilization concept with proprietary target acquisition, tracking algorithms and sophisticated computer vision capabilities. When mounted onto the Golden Eagle, SMASH Dragon locks on the static or moving target, tracks it and ensures a precise target hit. The system can employ various types of assault rifles, sniper rifles, 40mm and other munitions with great precision.
Lightweight – enabling long mission endurance, extremely cost-effective, simple to operate, and easy to maintain, the Golden Eagle has vertical take-off and landing capability for successful mission completion.
“We launched these two new systems, with unique technological capabilities, within a few months of each other and will be displaying them both for the first time at this international exhibition,” says Noam Lidor, VP Sales, Marketing & Business Development at Steadicopter. “We are proud that so soon after its launch, we have already secured a contract for the Black Eagle 50H system, indicating the trust our customers place in the company’s solutions.”
Eurosatory 2022, the most important defence show on the European mainland, takes place this year in Paris from 13 to 17 June. Under the motto “Move – Sense – Strike”, Rheinmetall will be on hand, presenting part of its extensive array of products, systems and activities for the digitized battlefields of the future. With an exhibition area of around 3,000 square metres, this will be Rheinmetall’s biggest-ever presence at Eurosatory. Here are some of the products making their debut at this year’s show:
Future Tanknology – KF51 main battle tank: The KF51 is the newest member of Rheinmetall’s family of tracked armoured fighting vehicles. Delivering dual-capability dominance, the platform sets new standards in every category – lethality, survivability, mobility, networkability and reconnaissance. Its 130mm main armament and other effectors endow the KF51 with superior firepower. The vehicle will be presented at a ceremony on 13 June at 14:00 hrs.
Rheinmetall Technology Cube: Now more than ever, defence technology systems are developed in close coordination with their future users. The Rheinmetall Technology Cube exploits cutting-edge technology, including augmented reality, to conduct a dialogue with users and procurement officials when developing next-generation combat vehicles. The aim is to rethink the future together – by integrating new kinds of drives, sensors, and subsystems into fully digitized, scalable vehicle platform concepts.
Airborne vehicle family: In cooperation with Mercedes-Benz and ACS Armoured Car Systems, Rheinmetall now offers a versatile, high mobility 4×4 vehicle family specially designed for light airmobile and special operations units. The vehicle system family will debut at Eurosatory.
Natter remote-controlled weapon station: Rheinmetall has developed a new family of remote-controlled weapon stations. Thanks to its high-performance sensors, modularity and independent stabilization, the Natter (“adder”) features excellent reconnaissance and engagement capabilities. Various versions of the Natter make it possible to arm tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles with a wide spectrum of effectors ranging from light machineguns to medium calibre cannon.
Unmanned systems and robotics: For the first time, Rheinmetall will be presenting the newly developed LUNA NG (Next Generation) unmanned aerial vehicle, designed for unmanned aerial reconnaissance, classification, and recognition of objects in real time. Rheinmetall will also be showing how various integrated, unmanned air-supported reconnaissance systems can reinforce the sensors of ground platforms and improve overall situational awareness. The Robotics-L walking robot and Mission Master models SP and XT demonstrate how robotics is already changing the modern battlefield. Robotics-L can carry out reconnaissance missions. The Mission Master SP vehicle is configured for a transporting cargo, while the XT is a designed for a fire support role with a launcher for loitering munitions.
Loitering munitions: These air-supported precision munitions combine the characteristics of drones and guided missiles. They enhance the ability of even small units to reconnoitre target zones from above, coupled with standoff, high-precision engagement of targets. Rheinmetall and its partner UVision have entered a cooperation agreement to market UV’s Hero family of loitering munitions in Europe. At Eurosatory, the two companies will be highlighting possibilities for integrating Hero LM systems into manned and unmanned vehicles.
In addition to these debuts, Rheinmetall will also be presenting various other products and projects. These include:
HX3 vehicle family: Rheinmetall’s new HX3 vehicle generation features improved protection, even better mobility, greater driving comfort and digital interface architecture, assuring heightened operational flexibility and abundant scope for future performance upgrades. At Eurosatory 2022, Rheinmetall’s wheeled self-propelled howitzer will be on display, mounted on a high mobility HX 10×10 chassis. The HX3 can also serve as the transport component for the Skynex air defence system.
Air defence: Mobile, modular, and scalable, ground-based air defence systems are gaining new importance now that NATO armed forces are focusing once again on defending national and allied territory and airspace. At Eurosatory, Rheinmetall is displaying a Boxer 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicle configured for an air defence role, topped with the Sykranger 30 turret and an integrated surface-to-air missile launcher. Also on show will be the Skynex air defence system, consisting of a 35mm Mk3 Revolver Gun, Multi Sensor Unit with AESA radar, and a Control Node 1 command centre, with a high-energy laser functioning as a future effector.
Force protection: Rheinmetall’s comprehensive expertise in the field of force protection ranges from individual passive ballistic solutions to advanced stand-off active protection systems for combat vehicles. Visitors to Eurosatory 2022 can inspect Rheinmetall’s StrikeShield, an integrated hybrid module for vehicles that combines active and passive protection technology.
Digitized battlefield: As a leading systems integrator, Rheinmetall possesses all the knowledge necessary for networking various entities on the digital battlefield of the future. At Eurosatory 2022, Rheinmetall will show how the interplay of sensors, effectors and human-machine interfaces can lift the “fog of war”. Rheinmetall will also be showcasing the current configuration of its Gladius 2.0 soldier system and how it can be networked with manned and unmanned vehicles and subsystems.
At Eurosatory 2022, furthermore Rheinmetall will be presenting its comprehensive expertise in practically every other capability category. These include weapons and ammunition for threat-commensurate, scalable application of force as well as innovative, networkable sensor systems for applications on land, at sea and in the air, in addition to high-performance simulation technology for top-of-the-line training. We look forward to welcoming you to Eurosatory 2022 at Stand F241-240 in the outdoor area behind Hall 6!
