The 100% American Made Flyweight “Shorty” C315ST is designed specifically for Air Force maintainers working in hot weather conditions.
Specs:
6” height
ASTM Certified Steel Toe – EH Rated
Exclusive VIBRAM “Tarsus” outsole
Flat ribbon laces
Only 20oz per boot!
Troops…
Due to Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA)-directed reductions of DA Civilian authorizations, PS Magazine will cease operations effective Sep 30, 2024. These reductions, among others across the Army, are necessary to right-size the total force, as well as support modernization.
PS Magazine’s transition to end of mission has already begun, and mission execution is reducing as its writing staff is reassigned or retires. Any residual support will cease operations no later than Sep 30. In the near term, this will affect the magazine’s ability to respond to Reader Inquiries, depending on the commodity or end item being inquired about. It will also mean a reduction in new content being posted to the website, with new articles all but ending this spring.
Efforts are being made to ensure the website remains available for reference for up to three years past end-of-mission. Once this website is fully retired, readers can continue to access the PS Magazine archive on the publicly available Radio Nerds website HERE.
On behalf of Connie, Bonnie, SFC Blade, Cloe and the other staff now retired, it’s been our distinct honor to serve Warfighters across all services for going on 73 years. You never know; perhaps someday we’ll be recalled to service. We’ll stand ready just in case.
For now, be safe, follow your TMs and always treat your vehicles and equipment as if your life depends on them. For surely, it will.
Connie & Bonnie (upper left and right); SFC Blade & Cloe (lower left and right)
I learned about the CACI Remote Support Kit while visiting the Mastodon Design booth during Warrior East. Based on the capability it presents, this is far and away the most significant capability I saw at the show.
The kit consists of a Microsoft HoloLens and reachback software which allows the maintainer, or even user to contact tech support and troubleshoot and repair malfunctioning equipment even while in the field. All they need is a data comms pipe.
Due to the HoloLens, the tech support rep sees what the deployed user is looking at and can highlight areas to investigate using Augmented Reality. In one incident I was told about, the user was shown which screws to open to access inside a panel to investigate the problem. In this fashion, the tech rep not only indicates the correct action but ensures they are being followed. Additionally, tech support can remoteky take control of the desktop and push software and firmware to any broken systems.
This system saves not only money by avoiding the evacuation of gear with simple maintenance issues, but also keeps the unit on mission by minimizing downtime.
Units and agencies can procure products seen at Warrior East by contacting ADS, Inc.
At an event organised by the European Defence Agency (EDA), Rheinmetall presented a new solution for the mobile production of spare parts for military vehicles.
Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, an OEM for tactical and logistic tracked and wheeled vehicles, presented the new mission support concept. The Mobile Smart Factory (MSF) delivers metal 3D printing and postprocessing capabilities and is fully integrated into Rheinmetall’s
IRIS (Integrated Rheinmetall Information System) digital ecosystem.
The MSF consists of two 20-foot mobile shipping containers, one serving as an office container and the other as a production container. The office container houses an air-conditioned workstation and storage space. A polymer printer and a handheld scanner for quality control is also part of the office container. The production container is equipped with a Metrom P7000, a 6-axis hybrid machine. This machine is not limited to wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology. With an integrated CNC milling facility, it also enables on-site finishing and postprocessing. The combined welding and CNC capability gives Battle Damage Repair personnel additional options for repairing and overhaul. This is why the MSF also lives up to its name of “Mobile Smart Factory”.
The machine can produce components with a maximum size of 700 mm in diameter and 450 mm in height. All weldable wires and polymers can be used. The metal deposition rate is up to 600 cm3/h (cubic centimetres per hour).
What makes the Mobile Smart Factory unique is its integration into the IRIS© platform. As an OEM of military vehicles, Rheinmetall understands the importance of secure data exchange and lifelong product monitoring of printed parts, including quality assurance. The cloud-enabled IRISplatform enables the fully integrated operation of the IRISwork and IRISfleet software applications with the MSF, meeting IT security standards up to NATO Restricted. IRISwork provides operators and maintenance personnel with access to technical documentation andspare parts catalogues, while IRISfleet is a fleet management tool that documents the installation of a specific printed part on a specific vehicle. IRISfleet stores all relevant information about the printed part and keeps a digital product passport to ensure system security. IRIS technology also includes access to remote support from industry, engineers, quality assurance, etc.
The collaborative multitenant IRIS platform enables the armed forces and defence industry to integrate partners into a secure network, providing rapidly deployable additive capabilities for the modern battlefield.
On Friday, the day after Warrior East, ADS hosted a maritime Demo Day which showcased several technologies including this SEA DOO 170 Explorer Pro personal watercraft.
The SEA DOO 170 Explorer Pro is new this year from Bombardier Recreational Products and offers space for up to three and comes equipped with a rear deck which is great for rescues. ADS works with Alpha Logistics Group to add customization like this RP Advanced Mobile Systems inflatable bumper to allow the operator to get right next to decks and other watercraft.
I didn’t even realize ADS offered watercraft aside from Combat Rubber Raiding Craft and outboard engines. Apparently, they’re offered through the MRO (Maintenace, Repair, and Operations) team and generally executed through the FES (Fire and Emergency Serrvices) TLS (Tailored Logistic Support) contract.
Units and agencies can procure products seen at Warrior East by contacting ADS, Inc.
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) —
In preparation for the Air Force’s newest rescue platform’s first deployment, Airmen from the 41st Rescue and Rescue Generation Squadrons conducted extensive training to learn the intricacies of the new HH-60W Jolly Green II.
As a result of the increase in training, the 41st RQS expended more of the aircraft’s hoist cables than anticipated, lending to a potential shortfall. A team of 41st RGS maintenance Airmen, however, quickly recognized the need to replace these cables and jumped at the chance to accelerate change and make an Air Force-wide impact.
“Our maintenance Airmen have a won’t-fail mentality and are constantly working to make things better not only for the 23rd Maintenance Group but for the entire Air Force,” said Col. Jason Purdy, 23rd MXG commander.
These hoists are critical to the success of combat search and rescue operations. They are used in high-stakes scenarios to rescue individuals in dangerous or remote areas that aren’t accessible by ground transportation, or if the victim is trapped by fire or water.
Recognizing the need to adapt, the Airmen came together and discovered they could circumvent the supply shortage by using the HH-60G Pave Hawk cables in the HH-60W with only slight modifications.
“We used our subject matter expertise to troubleshoot the issue,” said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Cellini, 41st RGS flying crew chief. “We improvised and adapted to overcome the supply shortage, by using a cable that we know is reliable and the Air Force has plenty of.”
Cellini and his counterparts went to the field training detachment hoist trainer to test and write the operating procedures for converting the HH-60G cables for use in the HH-60W. The process ensured the safe use of the hoist cables by synchronizing the speed in which they extend at the appropriate points of the cable.
The 41st RGS submitted an engineer request and engineers from Warner Robins Air Force Base came to Moody AFB to provide safety checks and approve the process.
With the process approved and implemented, the rescue Airmen ensured the HH-60W was fully mission-capable and ready to deploy by Air Combat Command’s initial operational capability deadline.
“Finding and testing this information and realizing it can work for us is going to make a huge difference knowing there will never be a shortage of cables,” said Master Sgt. Jonathan Holford, 41st RGS production superintendent.
Discovering innovative solutions for unpredictable circumstances is a testament to the Airmen who feel empowered to do so. The Airmen with the 41st RGS said they feel confident in providing creative solutions to these shortfalls thanks to their leadership.
“People say aircraft maintenance is pretty black and white, but some of it’s not,” Cellini said. “Our leadership is open to ideas; as long as it’s safe and we can effectively and efficiently accomplish it, our whole chain of command will back us.”
Holford attributed the success of the organization to this leadership philosophy and the teamwork mentality fostered within the unit.
“We encourage Airmen to solve problems,” Holford said. “We always want to afford them the opportunity to fail, but we fail together; we learn from it and continue to grow on what we learned.”
The mission relies on Airmen’s ingenuity and initiative to succeed, and Moody AFB Airmen have exemplified these traits throughout the transition to the HH-60W.
“I’m very proud of our maintainers for leading the way on the HH-60W fleet,” Purdy said. “Whether it’s been a hoist, a gun system, or a lapse in technical data, our Airmen developed ways to make the entire program better.”
Story Airman 1st Class Deanna Muir, 23rd Wing Public Affairs
Photos by Staff Sergeant Devin Boyer
SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), the United States Navy, and the Accelerator for Innovative Minds (AIM), will host a Virtual Assessment Event (AE) 03-05 January 2023, leveraging their hybrid accelerator model to develop a proof of concept for an advanced manufacturing mobile workstation. This event will provide opportunities for direct dialogue with Warfighters, and Government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to lower the barrier to working with the DoD and accelerate disruptive technologies and processing to the field.
The objective is to design, manufacture, and test three mobile workstations that facilitate the transportation of at least four personnel and six server storage racks (42 Rack Units 19”x32”), workbenches, alternate access into the workstation, and provide a climate-controlled workspace with the ability to store and consume meals within the mobile workstation.
The mobile workstation allows teams of four personnel to drive to mission areas with multiple racks of equipment and hardware. The 20’ mobile workstation provides the ability to fabricate and modify aluminum mounting foundations. Additionally, the mobile workstation must supply multiple internal and external 20A 120 VAC power receptacles to power tools and test equipment.
More info here.
To participate, submit NLT 28 November 2022 11:59 PM ET.
Noctis Technologies supplies the United States government and its allies with state-of-the-art night vision systems and components.
With over 70 years of experience in the design, manufacture, maintenance, and operational use of various night vision devices, Noctis Technologies has been a leading/pioneering company and manufacturer of these components on a global scale.
In 2022, Noctis Technologies was awarded a multi-million, multi-year contract to fulfill a military foreign sales requirement on behalf of the security assistance management directorate for the country of Iraq. The requirement is for the life-cycle repair and return of night vision devices. Noctis Technologies has extensive experience in NVD repair and return programs around the world.
