International | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for the ‘International’ Category

Forging Ahead: Rheinmetall Spearheads Ongoing Consolidation in the Military Vehicle Sector

Monday, July 1st, 2019

The high-tech Rheinmetall Group continues to pursue a strategy of industrial consolidation. Now that the competition authorities have given the project the go-ahead, a military vehicle joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems in the United Kingdom is poised for final implementation.

Moreover, a buyback of shares held by MAN Truck & Bus SE in the joint venture company Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV) is set to further strengthen Rheinmetall in the wheeled armoured vehicles realm, one of the Group’s mainstays.

The planned partial buyback of stock held by MAN Truck & Bus SE in the joint venture Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV) increases the share of the present Tactical Vehicles business unit to 100%. The two partners will continue to cooperate in the field of military trucks through their joint venture Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, in which Rheinmetall holds a 51% stake. The joint venture recently won major orders from Australia and the German Bundeswehr.

As co-owners of RMMV, Rheinmetall and MAN agree that the tactical wheeled vehicle business will grow more robustly under exclusive Rheinmetall management, i.e. outside the RMMV framework.

The Tactical Vehicles business unit is synonymous with products such as the Boxer and Fuchs/Fox wheeled armoured vehicles and the Survivor R tactical law enforcement vehicle. Rheinmetall was recently selected to supply Her Majesty’s Armed Forces with a large number of 8×8 Boxer armoured vehicles. Last year in Australia, Rheinmetall won a roughly €2.1 billion order for the Boxer, one of the largest single contracts in the Group’s history.

The share buyback is due to take place during the second half of 2019, taking retroactive legal effect on 1 January 2019.

Joint Venture with BAE Systems in Great Britain

In January 2019 Rheinmetall and BAE Systems announced that they would be setting up a UK-based joint venture to facilitate cooperation in the land systems field. Rheinmetall thus welcomes the recently published announcement of the British procurement authority CMA approving the creation of a military vehicle joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems. The formal foundation of the joint venture, to be known as Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land, is expected to take place shortly. The company will be located in Telford, England.

The new wheeled armoured Mechanised Infantry Vehicle for the British Army, and the pending modernization of the UK’s fleet of Challenger 2 main battle tanks, are two important projects which the new company will be vying for.

Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems division

The Vehicle Systems division of Rheinmetall AG was formed on 1 January 2016. With annual sales last year of €1.6 billion, it is one of the world’s foremost suppliers of military vehicles. The division is the Düsseldorf-based Group’s centre of excellence for military vehicles ranging from unprotected and protected trucks to heavy armoured fighting vehicles. Serving markets around the globe, the Vehicle Systems division is responsible for Rheinmetall’s complete spectrum of military trucks, including the TG and HX logistic vehicles; tracked and wheeled tactical vehicles like the Fuchs/Fox, Boxer*, Puma* and Lynx; and turret solutions for armoured fighting vehicles – all from a single source.

* jointly produced with other contractors

Posted in Industry, International, Mobility, Press Release | Comments Off on Forging Ahead: Rheinmetall Spearheads Ongoing Consolidation in the Military Vehicle Sector

3M Partner with Agilite to Create New F70 and ULW Cover Systems

Tuesday, June 25th, 2019

3M™ Ceradyne has teamed up with Agilite, the world leader in precision helmet covers and accessory management systems to engineer cutting edge cover and accessories platforms for their new F70 Helmet and their ULW Ultra Lightweight Helmet.

The F70 is 3M’s newest, industry-leading helmet and one of the most advanced combat helmets ever made.

The Agilite F70 cover increases the service life of the helmet by protecting the ballistic surface from scratches, scrapes and the generally abrasive working environment of Special Operations Personnel.

It is also a full spectrum accessories platform designed to house the multiple accessories used by the operator. These include IR Strobes, Counterweights, Battery Packs, Cables, Ballistic goggles and more.

The F70 cover comes in both a high cut and mid cut version and is made from only the finest, mil-spec materials. It is built to withstand even the toughest of Military or Law Enforcement Special Operations environments.

Features include integrated central bungee retention, cable management, a rear pouch for PVS 31 or other Battery packs and counterweights, goggles retention tabs and much more.

For more details or to request a quote for 3M F70 or 3M ULW Ultra Lightweight Helmet Covers click here.

Posted in Helmets, International, Press Release | 1 Comment »

2nd Annual Special Operations Forces K9 Conference Follow Up

Monday, June 24th, 2019

SOF Project’s Krzysztof Puwalski was one of the organizers of the second international conference Special Operations Forces K9 Conference (SOFK9C), which took place from 17 to 21 June near Warsaw.

The theme of this year’s event was: “How can we help you and your dog in achieving and maintaining full operational readiness”.

The conference was attended by SOF operators, dog handlers, trainers, canine specialists and scientists from USA, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden and Poland. This time the main focus was on the operational preparation of both the guide and the combat dog.

The conference was full of interesting lectures, behind-the-scenes conversations and establishing relationships, but above all, practical exercises conducted by leading SOF instructors. The special guest of the conference was James Hatch, a longtime operator and team leader of the K9 Navy SEALs, who had to leave the active service as a result of injuries sustained in a combat operation. James told the participants of the conference about his combat experiences and about the extraordinary bond between the guide and the dog. He also touched on the extremely important issue of coping in everyday life after leaving the service.

The conference was co-organized with the following companies: Silent Technical (Poland) and Norse K9 (Norway).

Special thanks to the event sponsor – Direct Action, producer of high quality tactical equipment.

The next conference is planned for 2021.

Posted in International, K9, SOF | Comments Off on 2nd Annual Special Operations Forces K9 Conference Follow Up

Portuguese Navy Adopts G3 Upgrades By Spuhr AB

Wednesday, June 19th, 2019

After extensive testing, which included dropping the weapon 2 meters onto a steel plate, the Portuguese Navy has adopted the Spuhr upgrade kit for the G3. The deal was brokered by NT Group.

As you can see, it includes a new stock (R-410), upper rail (R-402), and forend (R-401). The stock abd forend are the same as Spuhr developed for the Swedish Army. Except, the sling swivel is diferent and the cheekpiece is not screwmounted and can be detached by hand so the rifle can be used with iron sights.

Posted in International, weapons | 6 Comments »

Rampart Range Day & Expo West 2019

Wednesday, June 19th, 2019

Rampart is bringing Range Day to BC! It’s October 2nd, 2019 at Port Coquitlam, BC. Government customers sign up at RampartCorp.com/rangedaywest.

Posted in International, Rampart Range Day | Comments Off on Rampart Range Day & Expo West 2019

Sneak Peek – CONCAMO Brown

Friday, June 14th, 2019

Longtime German military supplier Leo Köhler will release clothing in the new CONCAMO brown pattern.

Posted in Camo, International | Comments Off on Sneak Peek – CONCAMO Brown

Rheinmetall Books Order for Second Lot of Trucks: Bundeswehr to Buy 252 Unprotected Transport Vehicles Under Framework Contract

Friday, June 14th, 2019

The German Bundeswehr has awarded Rheinmetall an order for 252 unprotected transport vehicles with payloads of five and fifteen tonnes. This order falls under the framework agreement concluded in 2017 for more than 2,200 state-of-the-art military trucks. The order value of the 252 trucks just ordered comes to around €92 million, including value added tax. Before the end of 2019, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV) will build and deliver the vehicles, which include a total of 161 5-tonne trucks and 91 15-tonne trucks. Production of the lot just ordered will commence directly after completion of the first lot of vehicles, which are due to be delivered during the next few months, right on schedule.

Encompassing a total of 2,271 unprotected transport vehicles from RMMV’s HX family, the framework agreement concluded on 5 July 2017 with the Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-service Support (BAAINBw) is worth around €900 million (without VAT), including special tools and training services. As a first step, an order was issued for an initial lot of 558 vehicles.

In undertaking this large-scale project, the Du?sseldorf-based Group for mobility and security solutions is making a major contribution to modernizing the Bundeswehr’s fleet of trucks, which numbers in the thousands. Consisting primarily of components made in Germany, e.g. the engines, axles, transmissions and build-ons, the vehicles will be assembled at the RMMV plant in Vienna.

Particularly when it comes to multinational operations, the widespread global presence of RMMV vehicles results in major advantages with respect to interoperability and logistics. Among others, current users include the armed forces of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark. Norway and Sweden have also placed substantial orders for trucks made by RMMV.

Posted in International, Mobility, Press Release | 1 Comment »

SPARTANAT: Andres Industries TILO-3Z+ in use with Special Forces

Saturday, June 8th, 2019

The TILO-3Z+ thermal was tested in military operation in Afghanistan for 12 weeks. Although the TILO-3Z+ was used on an almost daily basis, no technical problems occurred. Also, there were only minor traces of usage. This shows the absolute ruggedness and first-class workmanship of this small thermal imaging device.

The TILO-3Z+ was used as observation instrument mounted on a helmet as well as attachment to a scope 1.5-6 x 24 on an assault rifle. It was unproblematic to mount the device on an OpsCore Fast Ballistic helmet using the adapter provided. With the 30 mm adapter from ACTinBlack the TILO-3Z+ could also be easily attach to the scope.

Mounted on Helmet

It is standard to perform night missions with a night vision enhancement device in combination with a red dot sight. In our case the GPNVG from L3 Insight Technology as well as the Argus goggles from Theon Sensors were used. By attaching the TILO-3Z+ to the helmet, thermal imaging technology could be deployed quickly. The small form factor of the device facilitated this task. The GPNVG tubes are made with green phosphor. Therefore TILO-3Z+ was used with thermal filter “Cold Green” CG.

TILO-3Z+ could be easily positioned in front of the eye. It was compatible with the image enhancing technology. Both devices complemented each other perfectly. This increased the spotting ability of the user. TILO-3Z+ was used almost daily as shown on below pictures.

Later, the TILO-3Z+ was combined with Argus goggles. The goggles were installed as a monocular. The operator used them in front of his right eye, while in front of his left eye the TILO-3Z+ was mounted. To assure that both eyes are exposed to green light, also in this case the thermal filter “Cold Green” CG was applied. A clear image was obtained by collimation. This combination allows the use of both night vision techniques simultaneously which presented an invaluable tactical advantage.

The LEDs were also not used with the GPNVG goggles. This reason is: LED lights are positioned on front of the TILO-3Z+. If folded up, they point into the direction of the helmet. If folded down, they could be used but the TILO-3Z+ would block the field of vision of one eye, which is not ideal.

In combination with the Argus goggles the IR LED could be used. But with the ITT Gen 3 tube it was found to work only in total darkness due to its modest brightness (see also IR LED test).

Attached to a Scope

The TILO-3Z+ was attached to a scope from “Schmidt und Bender” 1.5-6 x 24 on an assault rifle. This was easy with the 30 mm camera adapter from ACTinBlack. Following the instructions from the handbook, zeroing and collimation was unproblematic.

During the tests steel objects (30 x 40 cm) were targeted at distances between 100 and 350 m. After being heated up by the sun they could be identified very well from 50 m. At distances from 150 m the limitations of the TILO-3Z+ in combination with a scope became apparent, as a proper identification of the targets was no longer assured.

The resolution of the sensor (320 x 256 pixel @ 60 Hz) in combination with the small objective and the attached scope are probably the limiting factors. To benefit from tactical advantages at more than 150 m, the premium model with 640 x 512 pixel in combination with a 3x ancillary lens should be choose.

It could be also considered to develop the TILO-3 further to become a clip-on thermal sighting system. To such a standalone device an adjustable crosshair would need to be added as well as a mount for a Picatinny rail.

In conclusion, the TILO-3Z+ mounted on helmet is an essential tool in tactical scenarios. Its thermal imaging capabilities provide strong support on the battlefield. Due to its low weight it does not disturb the user. The TILO-3Z+ is suitable only to a limited extend attached to a scope, as in this application its strengths are not fully exploited.

IR LED Test:

The IR LED of TILO-3Z+ was tested with following 3 different Gen 3 tubes for image enhancement to evaluate its brightness:

Goggles GPNVG from L3 Insight Technology Gen 3 L3 tube (green phosphor)
Goggles FGE from L3 Insight Technology Gen 3 tube (white phosphor)
Goggles Argus Panoptes from Theon Sensors Gen 3 ITT tube (green phosphor)

First the brightness was tested with residual light in an urban environment. All 3 tubes were activated. The luminosity of the LED had no visible effect. An image analysis was not possible.

In a second trial a residential container was darkened out completely. A printed comic target was position in about 12 m distance. 3 pictures were taken with each tube: 1 without LED light, 1 with LED light at lowest setting and 1 with LED light at highest setting.

Goggles GPNVG from L3 Insight Technology Gen 3 L3 tube (green phosphor)

No LED

Lowest Setting

Highest Setting

Goggles FGE from L3 Insight Technology Gen 3 tube (white phosphor)

No LED

Lowest Setting

Highest Setting

Goggles Argus Panoptes from Theon Sensors Gen 3 ITT tube (green phosphor)

No LED

Lowest Setting

Highest Setting

Conclusion IR LED Test:

The IR LED of TILO-3Z+ works with the Gen 3 tubes of known US manufacturers. The paper target could be identified easily as well as the depicted weapon. Precondition is complete darkness and a relative short distance to the illuminated medium. The range of the IR LED of TILO-3Z+ in combination with the 3 image enhancement goggles is 20 to 30 m (Note: The real images are significantly better, than those captured on photo.).

Overall Conclusion: The TILO-3Z+ was found to be a felicitous thermal imaging device which has enormous strength in combination with night vision enhancement googles. This device is also a useful companion at hunting grounds.
It was a pleasure to carry and test the TILO-3Z+. Many thanks to Andres Industries for this opportunity.

Comment by Andres Industries regarding IR LED test:
The boost obtained with the American Gen 3 tubes was far less effective than it would have been with European tubes as those enhance much better the longwave light emitted by the IR LED.

ACTinBlack: actinblack.lu
ANDRES INDUSTRIES: www.andres-industries-shop.de
SPARTANAT: www.spartanat.com

Posted in International, Sensors, Spartanat | Comments Off on SPARTANAT: Andres Industries TILO-3Z+ in use with Special Forces