Our friends at ePIG Group shared this video with us. They are German and Phantomleaf is a German line of camouflage patterns, so naturally the video is in German, but it also has English subtitles.
They compare the Phantomleaf WASP II Z3A with Flecktarn, ConCamo, Multicam, Multicam Tropic, Pencott Greenzone and A-TACS Foliage Green.
This is the fourth part of a series on Phantomleaf. The links to the other videos can be found at ePIG’s Youtube channel.
Filmed and cut by www.stefan-czech.info
Rheinmetall and the Dutch procurement agency Defence Materiel Organization (DMO) have renewed and expanded their longstanding framework agreement for the supply of various types of ammunition for a period of at least ten years. The framework agreement envisages annual call-offs of around €50 million, meaning that total volume could come to €500 million. The customer is already preparing for the first call-offs.
The framework agreement encompasses the supply of 35mm medium-calibre ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles, 40mm ROSY smoke/obscurant cartridges, and a family of state-of-the-art 155mm artillery ammunition.
Major General Ivo de Jong, Deputy Director of the DMO, and Roman Köhne, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH, signed the contract on 30 July 2020. This is another good example of the fruitful, longstanding cooperation between the DMO and the Düsseldorf-based weapon and ammunition specialist. The framework agreement follows a partnership agreement signed by the two parties just over a year ago and further underscores the customer’s strong confidence in Rheinmetall’s ammunition expertise.
By means of this agreement, the DMO wants to source safe, state-of-the-art ammunition for the Dutch armed forces – both today and tomorrow.
Under the aforementioned partnership agreement, Rheinmetall has already assumed full responsibility for the complete 155mm portfolio, which extends from the Assegai ammunition family to modular charges and fuses.
FOOTPRINT from RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd is a navigation system for dismounted soldiers operating in GPS-denied environments.
The system fuses data from multiple sensors like the one seen mounted to Soldier’s leg above to analyze movements, estimate errors, and provide a highly accurate, and continuous RT self-positioning.
Look, Crossfire Australia calls it a GP jacket, but it’s a smock. It features eight pockets and is made from Nextex’s encapsulated material technology. That’s the same stuff used in SOCOM’s Protective Combat Uniform. It also features a removable thermal liner and pit zips.
Small – XXXLarge in Coyote
Visit www.crossfire.com.au
The REVOLUTION NAV package makes locating, tracking and operating an ROV easier than ever before.
August 18, 2020 – Kitchener, Ontario – Taking a big step towards developing a hybrid autonomous vehicle, submersible robotics company Deep Trekker is proud to announce that they are launching a new ROV package, the REVOLUTION NAV. Offering advanced navigation and stabilization, this new package is leading the way in semi-autonomous vehicles. The REVOLUTION NAV package provides pilots with a Google map showing their ROV’s position on screen, allowing users to see where they are, leave a trail to show where they have been and set points of interest to where they want to return to. Furthermore, advanced stabilization features allow operators to station hold against currents, enable auto altitude and pilot their vehicle precisely and accurately through varying water conditions.
Solving harsh environmental situations with fully assembled, tested and ready to use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), Deep Trekker gets eyes underwater in minutes. With applications in aquaculture, energy, shipping, defense, infrastructure and search and rescue among others, Deep Trekker’s underwater drones are on the leading edge of submersible technology.
“We are thrilled to be launching the REVOLUTION NAV,” shared Deep Trekker President Sam Macdonald. “With this new package, users will be able to know where they are in real time. This advanced navigational tool allows for more complex missions to be successfully carried out by ROV pilots.”
The REVOLUTION NAV’s capabilities are especially useful for applications in open, murky water or when there is significant current. The state-of-the-art features provide benefits across numerous applications for missions requiring precise navigation, location tracking and reporting. Search and recovery teams, for example, will be able to easily see and track what areas have been covered as part of the search.
“The REVOLUTION NAV uses our BRIDGE technology and sensor fusion to provide station keeping, location tracking and intelligent navigation in addition to real time location data,” explained Macdonald. “We aim for constant innovation and the REVOLUTION NAV allows us to continue to provide advancements to our customers and pave the way towards autonomy.”
The pairing of USBL and DVL with Deep Trekker’s BRIDGE technology and sensor fusion bring this intelligent navigation system to life. USBL systems utilize sonar beacons to triangulate the position of the ROV. A GPS chip inside the Deep Trekker BRIDGE Controller allows the system to correlate the data and provide real time latitude and longitude. DVL offers users an enhanced navigational system by providing pilots with the ability to accurately and conveniently determine velocity relative to the seafloor, allowing for easy navigation through the most complex of operations.
STERLING, VA – Qore Performance has partnered with European distributors, Brownells Deutschland and Terräng MP-Sec, to facilitate access to their thermoregulation technologies for customers throughout Europe. Brownells has a network of retail and mail order locations across Europe, making order fulfillment and shipping costs far more efficient for Qore Performance customers on the far side of the Atlantic. Along with their close relationship with French Special Operations and Law Enforcement organizations, MP-Sec distributes to customers in France, Belgium, Italy, and North Africa.
Louis Tidey, Director of Commercial Sales for MP-Sec said, “We are very excited to represent Qore Performance products in France and to introduce these great products to the French MIL/LEO forces. We believe it’s the next stage for soldier hydration management.”
Qore Performance Director of Sales and Business Development, Doug Burr added, “Qore Performance is proud to facilitate access of our products to our friends and allies in Europe. We look forward to building our relationship with these two great companies. Brownells Deutschland and MP-Sec were both specifically chosen as our distributors due to their established records of excellence in supplying and serving customers across Europe.”
Both MP-Sec and Brownells Deutschland will carry many elements of the Qore Performance IceAge Ecosystem, including IcePlate Curve and IcePlate Sleeve Combo, as well as IceVents Aero and IceVents Classic padding solutions. The IceAge Ecosystem is focused on thermoregulation to enhance human performance in any environment through lightweight, durable, multi-use products that provide multiple modes of heating, cooling, and hydration. The IceAge Ecosystem is compatible with almost every tactical load carriage system on the market today.
Guelph, Ontario, Canada, September 2020 – HumanSystems® Incorporated has been awarded $1,000,000 through the Department of National Defence’s (DND) Innovation For Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program to continue its development of the CitadelTM (Pat. Pending) respirator designed to better protect soldiers in hazardous chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) environments.
This project follows a previous IDEaS contract to HumanSystems® Incorporated in 2019 to develop a proof of concept design. Working with the DND’s science and technology organization, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), the goal of this twelve-month project is to further develop the CitadelTM respirator design to the point where it can be tested in realistic operational environments.
“Recent changes to Canadian Armed Forces policies allow for short beards and longer hairstyles. This funding will bring the novel CitadelTM respirator concept closer to commercialization and to providing a more protective CBRN Respirator/Mask for individuals with various face/head shapes, hairstyles, and/or facial hair,” says Harry Angel, the HSI® CitadelTM project technical lead.
The proof of concept CitadelTM respirator was designed to mitigate any leakage of contaminants into the respirator mask caused by various face shapes and/or beards or facial stubble. In preliminary user testing, individuals with beards or facial stubble could not achieve an acceptable fit factor with the standard protective mask, meaning that they were susceptible to contaminants entering the mask. The CitadelTM respirator design was able to achieve an acceptable fit factor well above the minimum acceptable standard. These promising results showed that people with beards and facial stubble would be significantly less vulnerable to contaminants entering the respirator mask.
The HSI® technical team, Harry Angel and Jordan Bray-Miners, bring over 30 years of experience in human factors for personal protective equipment, biomechanics and instrumentation design.
“The HSI® team is proud to work with DRDC and to advance the HSI® CitadelTM respirator concept to better protect people in the armed forces and wherever such protection might be needed,” says Jordan Bray-Miners, Senior Consultant at HSI .
For more than 35 years, with clients in Canada, the U.S. and other countries, HSI® has been a leader in human factors and human system integration support. We work in sectors including defence, emergency responders, health care, occupational safety and utilities. Individually and for teams, HSI® helps integrate people, performance and technology so systems work effectively, efficiently and safely. HSI® services include research, design, validation and training management. We focus on user fit between the abilities of the people and the technologies that together make up any system. In this way, HSI® supports product and system developers as well as procurement decision makers to reduce risks, lower life cycle costs and benefit return on investment.
IDEaS supports the development of solutions from their conceptual stage, through prototype testing and capability development. The program includes several elements that promote collaboration between innovators, provides developmental resources and provides opportunities to interact with DND’s science and military members. Through which all innovators are on an even playing field to solve specific defence and security challenges. For more about the program, see here: www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/defence-ideas
According to the German language publication Soldat und Technik, the German Army has selected the CG Haenel MK556 carbine to replace the G36. The MK556 is a short-stroke piston design in 5.56mm NATO.
This ends the service’s multi-year search for a G36 replacement. The program to purchase around 120,000 new rifles began in 2017 and suffered a slight set back in 2019 when testing had to be reaccomplished. The G36 entered service in 1997 and underwent two upgrades during its service.
The MK556 beat out the new Heckler & Koch HK433 which was developed specifically for this tender after the German government told H&K that their existing HK416 (adopted by the German Kommando Spezialkräfte or, Special Forces) was too expensive.
Interestingly enough, Haenel part of the Merkel Group, which is under Tawazun Holding (United Arab Emirates) (Caracal). So the Bundeswehr is essentially getting a lower cost HK416.
