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High-Performance Electronic Devices Straight from the 3D Printer

Tuesday, July 6th, 2021

HENSOLDT and Nano Dimension establish joint venture for 3D printing platform

Taufkirchen/Germany, 01 July 2021 – Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT is strengthening its commitment to the future technology of 3D printing: together with 3D printer manufacturer Nano Dimension, HENSOLDT is founding a joint venture under the name J.A.M.E.S (Jetted Additively Manufactured Electronics Sources), based in Taufkirchen/Germany, which will combine the strengths of both companies and further advance the development of 3D-printed electronic components.

The joint venture is led by HENSOLDT Ventures, an independent division within HENSOLDT that implements new technologies and business models for the HENSOLDT Group and brings them to market. Most recently, HENSOLDT expanded its Ventures portfolio earlier this year with the acquisition of data analytics company SAIL LABS.

“Increasing competition and accelerated customer procurement timelines will be one of the biggest challenges for established providers in the future,” says Marian Rachow, Head of HENSOLDT Ventures. “Our joint venture not only guarantees the rapid development of technology as a real alternative to conventional electronics manufacturing, but also offers small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to efficiently design new products.”

And Yoav Stern, CEO of Nano Dimension, adds: “We will be the largest and most effective high-end electronics design club for data exchange, as well as a marketplace. We could not find a better collaboration partner than HENSOLDT, who contributes the application know-how and market knowledge, while Nano Dimension contributes the 3D electronics-printing technology and innovation. J.A.M.E.S’s target market is the global electronics engineering and circuit design community.”

HENSOLDT, as a market leader in the field of sensor technology and optronics, expects the closer cooperation with Nano Dimension to accelerate development cycles as well as spare parts production in order to be able to respond to customer needs more quickly and cost-effectively. With the help of special dielectric and conductive nanoparticle inks, it is possible to design electrical components directly via the printer and bring them into a three-dimensional form.

Nano Dimension is a leading manufacturer of intelligent machines for the production of Additively Manufactured Electronics, or AME, and is already producing the first 3D-printed electronics in its Multi-Jet process. AME is a very agile and customized method for developing electronic circuits. This leads to a significant reduction of time and costs in the development process. In addition, AME delivers a verified design before production begins, resulting in higher quality of the final product.

The newly formed 3D printing joint venture focuses on building a cloud-based platform. In the future, other companies and customers will be able to upload a wide variety of electronic components in their usual CAD software and convert them into a new type of AME file on the platform. They will also be able to obtain further designs via the platform described, modify them, add their own form factor and have them printed on-demand.

HENSOLDT has been investing in basic research into digital 3D printing of electronic components for several years in order to make the advantages of this technology available for its own development and production. For example, in collaboration with Nano Dimension, HENSOLDT has already printed the world’s first 10-layer printed circuit board (PCB), which carries soldered high-performance electronic structures on both outer sides, using a specially developed polymer ink from Nano Dimension.

Posted in Disruptive Tech, International, Press Release | Comments Off on High-Performance Electronic Devices Straight from the 3D Printer

Tulmar Awarded Canadian Forces Life Preserver Contract

Monday, July 5th, 2021

[Hawkesbury, ON – July 5th, 2021] Tulmar Safety Systems is pleased to announce contract award W8482-218815/001/DMARP4 from the Canadian Department of National Defence to supply the Royal Canadian Navy with Hazardous Duty and Maritime Pouch Life Preservers. Under this contract, Tulmar will provide a firm quantity of 4,000 units with an option to supply up to an additional 14,400 units.

This multi-year contract is familiar work for Tulmar, having delivered more than 32,000 of these life preservers to the Royal Canadian Navy over the past five (5) years under a similar contract for the Department of National Defence.

“We are proud to work as a partner with the Canadian Armed Forces with this opportunity to provide world class, lifesaving equipment to the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy.” Matt Fisher, Defence Solutions Manager for Tulmar and responsible for the relationship with the Canadian Department of National Defence went on to say, “The quality of the product we supply is a testament to the processes of our company and the skill of our staff.”

www.tulmar.com

Posted in Contracts, Industry, International, Maritime, Press Release | 1 Comment »

OCCAR Awards Consortium of HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS with the Delivery of Binocular Night Vision Goggles for Belgian Defence and German Army

Friday, July 2nd, 2021

Wetzlar and Athens, 01 July 2021 – The multinational procurement organisation Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation en matière d’Armement (OCCAR) has contracted a consortium of HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS for the production and delivery of Binocular Night Vision Goggles (BNVG) under the Night Vision Capability Programme. The first phase alone will amount to a high two-digit million euro value.

The contract includes 4,550 for Belgian Defence and 5,000 for the German Bundeswehr, as well as an option for another 20,000 BNVG for Germany. A full maintenance and repair service for up to 15 years is also included, as well as a series of accessories that will be delivered to the users. Deliveries will start in 2021.

Offering THEON SENSORS’ Mikron 16 mm BNVG, the consortium prevailed in an international open tender process.

Mikron is a spin-off from the well-known NYX family of THEON SENSORS. Using 16 mm tubes, the size and most importantly the weight of this binocular are reduced by up to 20 per cent without any major reduction in performance. Mikron is already in operation with various European end users. This is the first major contract that THEON SENSORS receives, through the consortium with HENSOLDT, for this new state-of-the-art system.

The consortium of HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS is an ideal solution for the two states currently participating in the Night Vision Capability Programme, as both companies have proven track records in the field of image intensifier technology. With the combined production capacities in Wetzlar, Germany, and Athens, Greece, very large lot sizes can be produced in short time and on short notice. A transfer of technology from Athens to Wetzlar will enable HENSOLDT to not only assemble the BNVG locally but also to fulfil the contractual ILS obligations from a local site to Belgian Defence and the Bundeswehr, ensuring short ways and quick reaction times.

Andreas Hülle, Managing Director HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH, stated “The successful cooperation between HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS is a win-win situation for Belgium, Germany and our two companies. This is undoubtedly a great success in an extremely important and great competition. This also opens the doors for synergies and co-operation in other areas within Europe. As a proud supplier to the German Bundeswehr with our sights and scopes for the Future Soldier Programme IdZ, we are happy to extend our portfolio with Binocular Night Vision Goggles and to continue to supply the Belgian Defence.”

Christian Hadjminas, CEO of THEON SENSORS and President of EFA GROUP, added: “THEON SENSORS’ consortium with HENSOLDT is in line with the vision of a strong and joint European defence industry and we will continue to work towards its development and implementation. This large contract is the culmination of THEON SENSORS’ hard work and effort in the field of Night Vision. Given that it is the largest contract ever signed for night vision equipment in the European market and, in general, the largest direct order to a Greek defence industry, we believe that this contract is a turning point for the Greek defence industry and its potential, but also for the country itself. At the same time, this contract is not only an important turning point for us in our history, but also a starting point for evolving THEON SENSORS from being a leading company in man portable night vision systems and thermal products, to a company also for integrated systems and platforms that enable interoperability and real-time information exchange with speed and security. Systems that drastically improve flexibility in decision-making in conducting military operations. This will be achieved through THEON SENSORS’ consistent policy of building strategic alliances especially in Europe.”

OCCAR’s Night Vision Capability Programme offers the possibility for other EU and non-EU countries to join via an established process.

Posted in Contracts, International, Optics, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Statement on the Summary Investigation into a Small Arms Weapons Incident that occurred on November 5, 2020

Thursday, July 1st, 2021

After an investigation into the incident, CANSOFCOM just released their statement on the November 5, 2020 unintentional discharge of a holstered SIG P320. The statement concludes that debris in the holster caused the incident and verifies that the holster was not the proper holster for the weapon. However, they go on to say that a properly fit holster would not have prevented the incident. I’m sure holster manufacturers will have something to say about that. Investigation into the incident will apparently continue.

As a reminder, here is our article containing SIG’s statement on the incident after it was disclosed by CBC on February 5, 2021.

June 30, 2021 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

The Summary Investigation into the unintended discharge of a holstered pistol during a Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) training event on November 5, 2020 is complete.

The investigation found that the procurement process and execution of the training event were not contributing factors to the incident, and that no technical failure occurred within the pistol. The pistol functioned as per the requirements as demonstrated by the weapons technical experts who trialed thousands of rounds without a reoccurrence. The probability of this same incident reoccurring is assessed to be extremely low.

The investigation concluded the primary probable cause of the incident was due to a partial depression of the trigger by a foreign object combined with simultaneous movement of the slide against the pistol frame that then allowed a round to be fired whilst the pistol was still holstered. The investigation also determined that the previously issued holster employed at the time had not been modified for the new pistol. While the investigation concluded the use of a holster not specifically designed for the new weapon was found to be a contributing factor, it determined the use of any other holster would not necessarily have prevented the incident.

The investigation made several recommendations in the areas of further improvements to the process when procuring leading-edge equipment, fielding improvements and weapon system modification.

Central to the decision on the way forward is ensuring our members’ utmost confidence in the effectiveness and safety of their equipment and weapons. As such, the Command assembled a working group consisting of operators, weapons experts and procurement specialists to develop and assess a number of options.

CANSOFCOM leadership has directed a safety/risk assessment be conducted by a third party before taking a final decision on a way forward. This safety/risk assessment will take a number of months to complete.

Posted in Advertiser, International, Press Release, weapons | 9 Comments »

Milrem Robotics and InnoVfoam Present the Multiscope Rescue Hydra UGV at Sofins

Thursday, July 1st, 2021

The European leading robotics and autonomous systems developer and system integrator Milrem Robotics and InnoVfoam, the specialist in foam extinguishing technology present the Multiscope Rescue Hydra unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) at the Sofins exhibition held in France from June 29 until July 1st.

The jointly developed firefighting solution combines Milrem Robotics’ unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) Multiscope Rescue and InnoVfoam’s Hydra fire monitor and foam proportioning system.

The firefighting robot can be remotely operated by firefighters who remain at a safe distance while receiving a complete overview of the operation area via various cameras, i.e. thermal and infrared, and sensors onboard the robot that can additionally detect gas or chemical leaks.

The fire monitors can be operated independently from the UGV thanks to separate cameras on the UGV and the monitors allowing the vehicle to change position while maintaining a perfect overview of the fire. The system can also be complemented with additional preventive and repressive systems and autonomous functions.

”The Multiscope Rescue Hydra developed together with InnoVfoam can alleviate dangers firefighters face and help contain fires faster,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics. “This is also an ideal tool for military rescue services that face the same challenges as other firefighters,” he added.

The Multiscope Rescue has a maximum payload capacity of 1200 kg and pull force of 15 000 N allowing it to be equipped with a variety of firefighting specific payloads including foam or water tanks, but also tethered drones for better situational awareness.

Robot firefighters can also deliver heavy firehoses to reach areas and enter structures that are inaccessible with bigger vehicles or may collapse on top of firefighters. They also help firefighters conserve energy and time. In case of forest or landscape fires, the robot firefighters can be airdropped to start limiting the spread of fires.

InnoVfoam’s fire monitors can dispense water and foam from 2000 up to 20 000 liters per minute.

Posted in International, Press Release, Robotics | Comments Off on Milrem Robotics and InnoVfoam Present the Multiscope Rescue Hydra UGV at Sofins

Delivery of the GTK Boxer Vehicles Ordered by the Bundeswehr Now Completed

Monday, June 28th, 2021

ARTEC GmbH, on behalf of its parent companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, has officially handed over the last of the Boxer armoured transport vehicles (GTK) ordered to date by the Bundeswehr to representatives of the Federal procurement agency (BAAINBw) and the Ministry of Defence.

The contract for the 2nd batch, which was concluded in December 2015, comprised 131 GTK Boxers and was worth EUR 478 million. All the experience gained with modifications from the successful Afghanistan mission have been incorporated into this A2 version.

Despite the pandemic, which in some cases had a significant impact on delivery dates, the contractual deadlines were met thanks to the constructive, pragmatic and trusting cooperation between the industry and the customer.

In total, the two parent companies of ARTEC GmbH have delivered 405 Boxer vehicles to the Bundeswehr. Among them were 72 Boxers in the ambulance variant, 65 command vehicles and 256 infantry group vehicles.

The combat upgrade commissioned by the Bundeswehr in 2017 provides for all Boxer vehicles, including those from the 1st batch, to be adapted to the A2 design standard.

Most recently, in February 2021, the corresponding upgrade of a second batch of Boxer command vehicles to the A2 standard was contracted, so that from 2024 the entire fleet of a total of 65 German Boxer command vehicles will be available at the latest level.

ARTEC GmbH was founded in 1999 and is a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG and Rheinmetall.

The company coordinates series production and serves as the point of contact for all export issues relating to the Boxer.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Delivery of the GTK Boxer Vehicles Ordered by the Bundeswehr Now Completed

SPARTANAT – Thermal Clip-On TigIR from Andres Industries

Friday, June 25th, 2021

Currently different NATO-partners are introducing the new Thermal Clip-On TigIR from Andres Industries to their armed forces. The special feature of the TigIR (pronounced tiger) is its particularly short design. This makes it the only thermal Clip-On to date that can also fit on the short optical mounts of machine guns. With a recognition range of 3km and weighing only 500g, it is also very light.

With a length of only 6cm, the TILO-6MA is to date the smallest thermal imaging goggles in the world with a resolution of 640 pixels. It is sea water resistant and is therefore also used by naval units. It can also be used, for example, in front of the ELCAN-Specter as a Clip-On Thermal.

The NSN, also known as the „supply number“ to NATO-members, is used in trade between NATO member states to correctly identify ordered equipment – even across language barriers. Specifically, the numbers are 5855-12-416-6304 for the TigIR-6M and 5855-12-416-6303 for the TILO-6MA. Civilian variants of both devices also exist and are already available in the US.

Links:

Andres: www.andres-industries-shop.de

TigIR: www.andres-industries-shop.de

spartanat: www.spartanat.com

Posted in Contracts, Guest Post, International, Optics, Spartanat | 3 Comments »

Tiger Stripe Cierzo Suit Launches This Weekend

Friday, June 25th, 2021

GET IT HERE: www.ftactical.co.uk/collections/tiger

Flimmuur Tactical and TRC Outdoors are VERY excited to announce a product collaboration!

In parallel to Flimmuur’s current project of developing modern equipment and nylon goods in Tiger Stripe Camouflage, Flimmuur is collaborating with other brands to bring modern clothing products to market. To kick things off, we present the Tiger Stripe Cierzo Suit.

Flimmuur Tactical has long been a leader in innovative design for load bearing equipment particularly the use of laser-cut laminates. Ed from Flimmuur is also well known for his encyclopaedic knowledge on all things camo. TRC Outdoors are therefore very pleased to have been recognised by Flimmuur for our Cierzo Suit design, and invited to join in this collaboration.

Tiger Stripe Camouflage

The Tiger Stripe family of camouflage patterns has always been fascinating for Ed, since its phylogeny perfectly encapsulates the tumultuous period of world history that immediately followed the end of the Second War. During the First Indochina War of the 1950s, French forces and notably paratroopers were issued with TAP 47/52 uniforms in the tenue du leopard or Lizard pattern.

Emblematic of the winds of change, the failure of this French attempt to reassert their dominion gave way to the rise in geopolitical tensions of the Cold War. By the early 60s, the Republic of Vietnam had started creating derivative camouflage patterns, re-using and adapting many brushstroke motifs that resulted in a marked familial resemblance to the earlier Lizard patterns.

Fearing the fall of successive countries to Communism (Domino Theory), increasing American intervention drove a demand for uniforms that were suitable for jungle warfare in humid climes. Many advisors sought out locally produced S?c R?n or striped uniforms of their local counterparts, which resulted in a flourishing cottage industry within Vietnam. In fact, Mom-and-Pop shops from nearby Thailand and Okinawa retooled to capitalise on such insatiable demand, reflecting the significant and oft-forgotten contributions of the wider South East Asia region to the war effort. Mirroring the evolutionary processes of the natural world, slight changes were incorporated into the Tiger Stripe family, resulting in the diversity of camouflage patterns, dyes and fabrics that we observe today.

With the passage of time, Tiger stripe continues to evolve and variants remain in service within Thai and Filipino forces, as a mark of elite status among their special units. Within Western units, Tiger Stripe and its desert variants have re-emerged in Afghanistan; its legacy lives on, with operators from the US 5th Special Forces Group pictured in such uniforms on a recent exercise.

Whilst fabric and manufacturing technologies have come leaps and bounds, it is his intention that the spirit, sacrifices and history of our forefathers can be preserved. To this end, Ed of Flimmuur Tactical has dedicated a lot of time and effort in recreating a classic Tiger Stripe pattern, based on a period artifact. Who knows, Gold Tiger Stripe and French Lizard may be in the works for future projects.

Cierzo Products

Cierzo Shirts are born out of a garment staple used by British SF and Airborne Forces throughout the BCE (before Crye existed) era, falling out of fashion during the GWOT.

The first mention of them we have found was as garments made by SAS Troopers from their parachutes after they had dropped into France prior to D-Day.

TRC Outdoors resurrected them and bought them up to date with modern fabric, a few design tweaks and modern construction techniques.

The garment is meant to be used as a windproof outer layer or as an intermediate layer. They can even be worn under a damp outer layer while it dries out. Cierzos punch well above their weight in terms of the warmth they offer, especially in windy conditions and mountainous terrain. They also excel for use in the Jungle in Wet/Dry drills due to the compact size of the garment and waterproof bag.

Offered here as an individual Shirt or Suit set, which consists of Shirt and Trousers. The Dry Bag can be purchased separately, but is offered as a discount, when purchased with the Suit.

Shirt: www.ftactical.co.uk/collections/tiger/products/cierzo-shirt

Suit: www.ftactical.co.uk/collections/tiger/products/cierzo-suits

Dry Bag: www.ftactical.co.uk/collections/tiger/products/tigerstripe-dry-bags

Posted in Camo, Clothing, International, Press Release | 1 Comment »