TYR Tactical

Archive for the ‘International’ Category

Milipol 17 – Good Guys In Bad Lands

Tuesday, November 28th, 2017

At last week’s Milipol Exposition in Paris, I met the founders of the Italy-based international military/LE chaity, Good Guys in Bad Lands.

8AAA8ACB-8F4A-40D4-B3BC-82EF4B10FD5B

Good Guys in Bad Lands was born in 2012 on Facebook by an Afghanistan Veteran as a page to commemorate Fallen Soldiers worldwide. These days they are a charity, raising funds via auctions and the sale of memorabilia to train local agencies, provide support to the survivors of fallen service and LE members, and support those with service related PTSD. They have several industry partners such as Garmin, which is offering a special version of their tactix Bravo.

959451CA-EC64-47C0-BF6B-E482D05E7A82

To learn more, visit goodguysinbadlands.com.

“GSG 9 The special operations unit of the Federal Police: Germany’s spearhead in the fight against terrorism”

Sunday, November 26th, 2017

My friend Dr Jan-Phillipp Weisswange has teamed up with Sören Sünkler to present the new book, “GSG 9. The special operations unit of the Federal Police – Germany’s spearhead in the fight against terrorism”, available from k-isom.com.

img_0425.jpg

The photographs are excellent and the book includes English text, so don’t shy away because of language concerns.

A384CC69-2625-4665-A653-2DBBEE4B8055

He offered me this description of the book:

Producing an illustrated volume aimed at introducing today’s GSG 9 to a wider public is undoubtedly among the highpoints in any specialized journalist’s career. It has been an honour and a pleasure to turn this project into reality. On 16th October 2017, Sören Sünkler (my publisher, producer and co-author) and me have had the great honour to presenting the very first copy of our book “GSG 9. The special operations unit of the Federal Police – Germany’s spearhead in the fight against terrorism” to the unit’s commander, Colonel Jerome Fuchs. Now the book is available on the market finally!

The core task of GSG 9 is the fight against terrorism and other forms of serious and violent crime. In performing this mission, protecting human lives has always been GSG 9’s utmost priority.
Ever since its foundation in 1972, this has been its raison d’être – around the clock and around the world.

Throughout its 45-year history, continuity and change have been GSG 9’s constant companions. Founded on 26 September 1972 as “Grenzschutzgruppe 9”, or Border Guard Group 9, of the former Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS), or Federal Border Guard, it is one of the world’s oldest police special operations units. Following the transformation and renaming of the BGS to the Bundespolizei, or Federal Police, in July 2005, GSG 9 was the only unit to retain its traditional nomenclature. Since then, the special operations unit has been officially known as “GSG 9 der Bundespolizei”.

Evolving “modi operandi” and the emergence of new threats as well as the ever-changing global political situation have confronted the GSG 9 with fresh challenges right from the start – challenges which GSG 9 has invariably met with matchless resolve.

Featuring 208 pages, the lavishly illustrated book offers a unique look at today’s GSG 9, the ultramodern special operations unit of the German Federal Police, and its 45-year history. Short texts in German as well as in English language provide further information about GSG 9’s tasks, organization, selection and training, operational units, special skills, missions, national and multinational cooperation, weapons and equipment as well as history.

I was fortunate to meet with Jan-Phillipp at Milipol where he presented me with a copy.

CC30AF21-07E5-4128-AD55-101114ABB741

The first edition of the book is strictly limited to 2.000 copies for the public book trade. When ordering (bestellung@k-isom.com), a number between 1001 and 3000 can be chosen and will be delivered if still available. I already have number 1776.

Jan-Phillipp Weisswange and Sören Sünkler: GSG 9. The special operations unit of the Federal Police – Germany’s spearhead in the fight against terrorism. Nuremberg/Germany 1/2017: S.Ka-Verlag. ISBN: 978-3-9815795-4-3. 208 pages, Hardcover. Price: 49,00 € plus shipping. Contact: bestellung@k-isom.com

QinetiQ Launches UK ‘Centre of Excellence’ For Laser Technology

Sunday, November 26th, 2017

24 November 2017 – QinetiQ has opened a new ‘centre of excellence’ for the development and testing of advanced laser technology at its headquarters in Farnborough, UK.

The new facility, named Dragonworks, will serve as a test bed for all technologies associated with high-energy lasers for military or commercial applications. It includes a clean-room to enable work with sensitive optical equipment to be conducted away from contaminants, and the UK’s only Reflective Hazard Assessment Tool (RHAT), designed to examine how laser energy is reflected from different surfaces. Further additions to the building over the coming months will create an environment in which customers can conduct full-scale testing of high-energy lasers.

Steve Wadey, QinetiQ CEO, said: “Dragonworks introduces a brand new sovereign capability, which will significantly enhance the UK’s ability to operate and characterise high energy lasers. It will help our customers to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with this disruptive technology, informing their critical strategic and tactical decisions. We are investing in this asset as part of our strategy to modernise the UK’s test and evaluation services, which will ensure our customers can keep pace with rapid technological advances and maintain their competitive edge.”

The first project to be undertaken at Dragonworks will be the assembly and testing of the laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) currently in development by the UK’s Dragonfire consortium, led by MBDA. Components will arrive in early 2018, when QinetiQ will begin building the weapon’s laser source in the purpose-built clean room. Over the following months, the laser source will undergo a process of evaluation and adjustment before being integrated with Leonardo’s beam director. The project will culminate in operation at full-power under test conditions inside the facility in summer 2018, before it is transported to MOD Shoeburyness for long-range outdoor trials later in the year. Data collected using the RHAT will inform the safety case for these and future trials, ensuring the reflectivity of targets is fully understood and any risk mitigated accordingly.

Peter Cooper, the Project Technical Authority in Dstl, which manages the Dragonfire contract on behalf of the UK MOD, said: “This facility is a key step in delivering the Dragonfire project and reflects the continuing UK MOD investment, supported and enabled by industry funding, amounting to tens of millions of pounds in UK industrial skills and capabilities and underpinning UK prosperity.”

Dragonworks and associated projects currently support 27 full-time jobs at QinetiQ, with additional expertise provided by over 50 of the company’s scientists and engineers. The Dragonfire programme contributes millions of pounds to the UK supply chain, which includes a number of innovative small and medium enterprises.

www.qinetiq.com

Rampart Range Day 2017 Highlights

Friday, November 17th, 2017

Highlights from the Annual Rampart Range Day & Expo this past May, Canada’s largest and most exclusive private range day and expo with over 40 exhibiting vendors.

This event gave end users the opportunity for hands on firearm and tactical equipment evaluation and an excellent venue to discuss relevant issues with key members of industry.

Next years event takes place on May 29, 2018, and those interested in attending or exhibiting at this event are invited to contact us at:

rangeday@rampartcorp.com

SOCOMD Australia Recruiting Video

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017

It’s not often that we get to share things like this. Australia is one of America’s closest partners and their military is world class, but few hold a candle to the capabilities of SOCOMD Australia.

If this doesn’t get your blood pumping…you’re dead.

HENSOLDT Avionics provides Proof of Interoperability with Partners during NATO “Bold Quest” Exercise

Tuesday, November 14th, 2017

Taufkirchen/Germany, 9 November 2017 – HENSOLDT, the leading independent sensor house, provided proof of the performance and interoperability of its avionics computer with data-link functionality during the NATO “Bold Quest” exercise in Ft. Stewart close to Savannah/Georgia. The exercise was aimed at testing and improving the communications equipment of the allied troops as the most important requirement for the interaction of multinational forces.

7F6798CD-951B-4340-A313-B34A7FD44D16

“In multinational missions, the success of a mission and the survival of soldiers from NATO and allied countries depend to a decisive extent on everybody having the same situation picture at the same time,” explained HENSOLDT’s CEO Thomas Müller. “Bold Quest proved that our avionics computer is the right equipment for giving helicopters and combat aircraft the advantages of digital data exchange.”

During Bold Quest, HENSOLDT supported German units taking part in the exercise by providing equipment not dependent on any platform to enable the exchange of data between planes and helicopters in the air as well as between flying platforms and ground stations. This involved the HENSOLDT avionics computer being installed in a Learjet belonging to the aerial target company GFD (Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung) on a test basis and being successfully synchronised with the reference system of the US Army – the DVMT (DACAS VMF Messaging Tool).

GFD takes part in Bold Quest, in which their planes with the necessary equipment simulate Tornado combat aircraft, on behalf of the German Armed Forces. Currently, many types of planes and helicopters are not yet equipped with interoperable data links. This means that tactical maps have to be updated by hand and tactical information has to be exchanged via radio telephony, which takes a lot of time and mistakes can sometimes occur.

The US troops have been holding the Bold Quest exercise twice a year for 15 years. The purpose of this exercise is to test and improve the interaction between the US Armed Forces and their allies in realistic scenarios.

www.hensoldt.net

Diggerworks Soldier Evolution Exhibit

Tuesday, November 14th, 2017

SSD friend Kent O is in Australia on business and snapped this photo of the Soldier Evolution Exhibit at Diggerworks.

8CB8AD11-B401-4C4E-89AC-1B3B1924A27D

Established in 2011, Diggerworks resides within Integrated Soldier Systems Branch. Its mission is to identify, develop and integrate Soldier Combat System (SCS) solutions to enhance the capability of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Land Combat.

IWI, An SK Group Member, Launches MASADA – A Striker-Based Line Of Pistols For Military, Law Enforcement, And Civilian Markets

Sunday, November 5th, 2017

The first model – the Full Size 9X19mm MASADA – will be exhibited at Defense & Security Thailand, Milipol (Paris) France, and Expodefensa Colombia with availability from Q1/18

IWI MASADA Pistol_2

Ramat HaSharon, Israel, November 2nd. Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), an SK Group member – a leader in the production of combat-proven small arms for law enforcement agencies, governments, and armies around the world – is launching the MASADA line of Striker-based pistols for military, law enforcement, and civilian markets. The first model, the full size 9X19mm MASADA, will be exhibited at Defense and Security Thailand, Milipol (Paris) France, and Expodefensa Colombia.

According to Shlomi Sabag, IWI’s CEO, “We are proud to launch this new line of pistols – the MASADA – following a development process that took several years, based on requests from our customers. The new Striker-based line places special emphasis on operational safety and simplicity of maintenance, as well as a high level of ergonomics and ease of use. The pistol will be available to our customers from Q1/18.”

IWI_MASADA_striker_IWI_1552

The MASADA has several advanced safety mechanisms including a firing pin block safety, a clean and crisp trigger reset with a built-in trigger safety, and a fast, easy and safe takedown – with no need to pull the trigger. The pistol can be provided with or without manual safety. It has an easy racked slide with improved front and rear cocking serrations, enhanced ergonomics with the IWI grip angle, and a low barrel axis for reduced recoil. The body has a glass-reinforced polymer frame as well as a polygonal cold hammer forged barrel with a 1:10RH twist rate.

Additional features include fully ambidextrous operating controls and fixed 3-dot tritium illuminated Meprolight night sights. It offers 100% interchangeability with a compatible trigger mechanism housing, reducing maintenance and life cycle costs. The pistol has an overall length of 6.6″ (186.4mm) with a barrel length of 4.1″ (104mm), and with a trigger pull weighing 5.5-7.0 lbs. (2.5-3.175 kg), and a weight without the magazine of 22.9 ounces (650 g). The MASADA will be available in four colors: Sniper Gray, OD Green, Black, and Flat Dark Earth.

ABOUT IWI
Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), located in the center of Israel, is a world leader in small arms for over 80 years. IWI is a member of the SK Group, which comprises companies that develop and manufacture a wide array of defense products for governmental entities, armies, and law enforcement agencies around the world. IWI’s best-known products include the TAVOR, X95 (MICRO TAVOR), and GALIL ACE Assault Rifles, the GALIL Sniper Rifle, the DAN.338 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle, the NEGEV Light Machine Gun 5.56 & 7.62 mm, the legendary UZI SMG in its latest evolution – UZI PRO, and the JERICHO pistols – which have all been considered weapons of choice by military units and top law enforcement agencies around the world, and the new MASADA Stryker-based pistols. The company’s firearms are developed in close collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF): IWI and the IDF join forces in developing these weapons, whose final configurations are the product of ongoing interaction, field tests, and modifications, resulting from combat requirements and experience. All IWI weapon systems comply with the most stringent military standards (MIL-STD) and ISO 9000 standards. 

ABOUT SK GROUP
SK Group is a privately held technology and innovation holding company specializing in global frontline defense, and paramilitary solutions, marine infrastructures and property development. SK Group provides small arm systems, electro-optic and laser solutions, imaging systems, naval solutions and more. Drawing on Israel’s innovation and field-proven solutions, SK’s companies offer a powerful track record of technology, experience and excellence.

For more information on IWI, please visit: www.iwi.net. Further information about SK Group is available at www.sk-g.net.