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New Driver’s Night Observation Devices: Rheinmetall to Modernize the Bundeswehr’s Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

The German Bundeswehr has awarded Rheinmetall a further order for modernizing the tried-and-tested Marder infantry fighting vehicle, or IFV. Under the contract, Rheinmetall Landsysteme will now be supplying the Bundeswehr with over 170 driver’s night observation devices for the Marder fleet. Worth around €24 million (including valued added tax), the order also encompasses logistical support, training and other services. Delivery begins at the end of 2021 and is to be complete by the end of 2022.

The new driver’s night observation device is the Spectus II. It fuses the image from a residual light amplifier camera with one produced by a thermal imaging device, improving the driver’s ability to see even in conditions of poor visibility.

In addition, the system features a rear-view camera. Cooperation partners taking part in the project include Rheinmetall Technical Publications and the Rheinmetall subsidiary benntec Systemtechnik GmbH. In response to an urgent operational requirement for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, Rheinmetall previously integrated the Spectus I – the Spectus II’s forerunner – into the Marder 1 A5A1 fleet.

Now official, this order constitutes a continuation of successful efforts to extend the Marder’s service life. In December 2019 the German armed forces contracted with Rheinmetall to carry out a comprehensive modernization of part of the Marder fleet. Moreover, the current contract could result in further orders from customers both at home and abroad, thanks, for instance, to the budget committee of the Bundestag giving a green light on 7 October 2020 to procurement of a thermal imaging aiming device for the gunner and commander in Bundeswehr Marders. Besides Germany, the Marder IFV is in service with the armed forces of Chile, Indonesia and Jordan.

As the system’s original developer, Rheinmetall possesses comprehensive experience and expertise in all aspects of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle. The weapons system first rolled off the assembly lines of Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH’s predecessor organization in Kassel. Battle-tested and exceptionally reliable, the Marder will continue to serve German mechanized infantry units as a trusty workhorse for some time to come, even now that the number of new Puma IFVs in service with the German military will soon reach 350.

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

Riton Optics Nominated as Optics Manufacturer of the Year Finalist

Tuesday, October 20th, 2020

Tucson, AZ (19 October 2020) Riton Optics has been nominated as a finalist for the 2020 Optics Manufacturer of the Year by the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW). As one of five companies nominated, Riton shares the category with Holosun, Leupold, Sig Sauer and Trijicon.

NASGW was incorporated in 1954 and currently acts as the organizer and sponsor of one of the industry’s most well-known shows, the NASGW Annual Meeting/Expo Event. This show provides educational, marketing and communications opportunities for hunting and shooting sports wholesalers, manufacturers and sales professionals.

Each year, NASGW awards the top optics, accessory, ammunition, and firearms manufacturers who best demonstrate a commitment to the two-step distribution process, and who provide outstanding value and service. Their comprehensive assessment strategy of manufacturer performance provides a more balanced appraisal that truly recognizes the best of the best. The nominations are made by wholesaler members that evaluate the performance of manufacturers on four key criteria: 1) distribution policy, 2) marketing, sales, and promotion, 3) logistics and operations, and 4) NASGW and industry support.

The comprehensive, performance-based process is precisely what landed Riton Optics on the finalist list as the Optics Manufacturer of the Year. Riton’s focus on service, quality and value goes above and beyond for not only the consumer but also the company’s dealer and distributor partnerships.

Riton Optics Founder and CEO, Brady Speth, stated the following: “To be nominated by our industry peers is incredible validation of our team’s hard work, and as a newer company nominated in this respected group, I am pleased that this further highlights our commitment to providing the best value and service in the optics industry.”

As the industry continues to see the quality, service and value that Riton provides in all of their products, there is no doubt that the company will continue to grow at a record pace.

Posted in Industry, Optics | No Comments »

MATBOCK Monday – Acquire Read Deploy ARD Sight

Monday, October 19th, 2020

Acquire Read Deploy (ARD) Sight

Good morning and Happy MATBOCK Monday!

The MATBOCK ARD (Aquire Read Deploy) is a new 40mm weapon sight designed and manufactured in the USA. Made from anodized aluminum and mountable on either side or top rails, the sight has a digital LCD screen that outputs the range of 40mm projectiles given the angle of the weapon, the weapon system and the round used. Currently, the sight is configured for m203, 320, PGL6 weapon platforms as well as multiple rounds to include HE and non-lethal rounds. More weapons and rounds are to be brought online and each weapon sight can be updated with the new software. The simplicity of the sight is what makes it so adaptable in a firefight. Simply estimate the range of the enemy and raise the weapon to achieve that desired distance. After the first round impact is visualized, the operator can adjust fire to bring him/her on target very quickly.

www.matbock.com/products/ard-sight

Don’t forget to join us Monday at 1:00 PM EST as we go live to show you the ARD Sight!

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Optics | No Comments »

SMASH 2000 Being Evaluated by the US Army Under Foreign Comparative Testing

Thursday, October 15th, 2020

SMASH 2000 underwent intensive live fire testing by U.S. Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG) to evaluate its Fire Control capabilities compared to standard rifle sights

[October 15, 2020]: Between the 14th and 24th of Sept, 2020, Product Manager Individual Weapons, under PM Soldier Lethality, supervised the live fire testing and evaluation of the SMASH 2000 fire control enabled rifle Sight. The testing at APG was funded by OSD (Office of the Secretary of Defense) under a Foreign Comparative Test program designed to determine if international mature technologies can fill U.S. military operation gaps.

Thousands of rounds were fired by soldiers at APG outdoor range for the purpose of recording data that compared the target hitting capability of the SMASH 2000 against standard U.S. Army issued optics. Targets ranged from 25 meters to 400 meters in a variety of fixed, pop-up, and moving target scenarios.

“Testing the SMASH 2000 is another example of how OSD continues to evaluate foreign technologies that could fulfil specific DoD operational needs,” said William Everett, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, who is responsible for sponsoring many such comparative tests. “We also sponsored a VIP day to give U.S. uniformed officers and Foreign dignitaries the opportunity to fire the SMASH 2000. That opportunity was well received and the event went well,” he added.

Bob Phung, Project Officer, Product Manager Individual Weapons: “Our job in the PM office is to look for and evaluate promising technologies to support our warfighters. The SMASH 2000 is one of those promising systems that could significantly improve the soldier’s lethality, especially under duress. We will have to collect the data and determine next steps.”

SMASH is a combat-proven family of Fire Control Systems which are designed, developed, and manufactured by SMART SHOOTER to ensure each round finds its target, in both day and night conditions, as well as keeping friendly forces safe. SMART SHOOTER’s proprietary target acquisition and tracking algorithms are integrated with sophisticated image-processing software into a rugged hardware solution, providing an easy to use and cost-effective solution that creates the required overmatch. SMART SHOOTER’s fire control solutions are designed to give soldiers and law enforcement officers a decisive tactical edge in almost every operational scenario, maximizing force lethality and operational effectiveness throughout every engagement.

Michal Mor, Smart Shooter CEO, added: “It’s very exciting to know that the U.S. Army is interested in our SMASH products to meet their individual weapons needs. SMART SHOOTER’s solutions are already in operational use by the U.S. Army in various missions, and we look forward to continued cooperation”.

www.smart-shooter.com

Posted in Army, International, Optics, Press Release | No Comments »

TNVC & Night Goggles Inc Present vSHOTT 2021

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020

October 13, 2020, The Worldwide Web

[solemn voice] In these unprecedented times…

No one’s sick of hearing that, right?

TNVC and Night Goggles Inc. are proud to announce that in addition to attending the 2021 NSSF Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoors Trade (SHOT) Show at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada at our normal location in Booth 6502, for the first time ever, we will be hosting a virtual Shooting, Hunting, Outdoors, & Tactical Tele-Event: vSHOTT 2021.

The First Ever TNVC/NGI vSHOTT will consist of five days of online events starting on January 18th, 2020 beginning at 5:00PM PT/8:00PM ET until January 22nd, 2020 and will feature new product announcements and features, range and training tips, educational videos, and a daily, interactive live “Virtual Circle Bar” panel discussion event every night from Tuesday to Friday where participants can ask questions directly to the TNVC’s Staff and Special Guests! There will also be exclusive vSHOTT discounts, specials, and giveaways to include a Gen. 3 PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Device, complete with TNVC and Night Goggles’ transferrable Lifetime Limited Warranty!*

With so many changes in the industry and indeed the world and the way business is done over the past several years, vSHOTT has been a concept that we’ve kicked around for many years—we have long recognized that not everyone is an “industry insider,” nor does everyone want to spend so much on travel, lodging, and other expenses, especially year after year, yet it does not mean that they are any less deserving of taking part in industry events and new product showcases.

The combination of circumstances that has so far typified 2020 and look like they will extend into January of 2021 provided the impetus to hit the gas and kick vSHOTT into gear for 2021, and we’re extremely excited to be able to open up vSHOTT 2021 to all audiences to participate and take part in this new media Tele-Event!

TNVC and Night Goggles Inc. will still be attending the NSSF SHOT Show in Las Vegas with staff available for in-person meetings at Booth 6502.

Stay tuned for more details!

For media inquiries and partnership opportunities for the TNVC/NGI vSHOTT 2021 please contact [email protected]

*ITAR restricted item, open to U.S. citizens residing in the United States only

Posted in Advertiser, Optics, Press Release | No Comments »

Eusebio Racks Up Titles, Sets Records with Bushnell Red Dots at World Speed Shooting Championship

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020

Pro Shooter Claims First Win for New Bushnell RXS-250 Reflex Sight

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – October 8, 2020 – Bushnell®, an industry leader in performance optics, congratulates KC Eusebio on his record-setting performance at the World Speed Shooting Championship held September 23-27 in Talladega, Alabama. Eusebio also became the first competitive shooter to win a championship with Bushnell’s new RXS-250 red dot.

During the competition, Eusebio set multiple world records and became the first competitor to shoot under 60 seconds with a rimfire pistol. Eusebio used the Bushnell First Strike 2.0 red dot to win first place Overall and to take the Open Title as well as first place in the .22 Rimfire Pistol division. He then used the new RXS-250 to earn the Carry Optics title.

“The World Speed Shooting Championship has always been important to me,” Eusebio said. “I started competing in the match at the age of nine and fell in love. I was able to take home my seventh World Speed Shooting title in Open and it’s one of the best feelings to achieve such a coveted title. In addition to the Overall win, I had the honor to take first place in Carry Optics and .22 Rimfire Pistol. The RXS-250 worked perfectly as a slide ride on my Carry Optics pistol. As we know, the slide-mounted optic takes the harshest force of all optic platforms but the RXS-250 held up to its name. Over the thousands of rounds I trained for this competition, I didn’t have one issue. In fact, the RXS-250 is now one of my favorite optics made by Bushnell. Big thank you to Bushnell for stepping their red dot game up!”

The RXS-250 is designed to deliver top-shelf performance and exceptional durability. It represents a new class of high-performing reflex sights with its impact-resistant design, clear 4-MOA dot, user-adjustable brightness settings and True Tone coatings that deliver a vivid, clear view free of distortion. The new red dot is standard with a top-loading CR2032 battery compartment and is compatible with the DeltaPoint® Pro footprint for direct mounting to optics-ready pistols.

Eusebio, who is no stranger to standing atop the leader board with his Bushnell First Strike 2.0, noted that the reflex sight also gave him a competitive advantage. “Shooting a red dot optic changes the playing field in your favor,” he explained. “You’re faster, more accurate and more confident in your marksmanship. The First Strike 2.0 has been my choice of optic for the past two years and I absolutely love it.”

Featuring a massive objective lens, the First Strike 2.0 is extremely versatile and lets users quickly find their target. It includes a weaver-style mount and is at home on both shotguns and flat-top MSRs. It can also be fitted to customized Open Class pistols. It features an industry-leading battery life that lasts up to 50,000 hours and a bright 3-MOA dot.

The World Speed Shooting Championship is hosted by the United States Practical Shooting Association and Steel Challenge Shooting Association.

Eusebio is a professional pistol shooter with multiple world and national championships. For more information on his competitive record and other accomplishments, visit www.kceusebio.net.

For additional information on Bushnell red dot sights, visit www.bushnell.com/red-dots/pistol.

Posted in Optics, Press Release, Shooting Sports | No Comments »

SightMark – Mini Shot A – Spec Reflex Sight

Friday, October 9th, 2020

– NOW SHIPPING –

The Mini Shot A-Spec (SM26045 and SM26046) is a versatile and compact reflex sight with a 2 MOA red or green dot, designed for use on a variety of firearms including shotguns, pistols, and AR’s. The Mini A-Spec includes a riser mount and low-profile mount, allowing shooters to choose the right one for the firearm it will be mounted on.

• Included AR riser mount AND low-profile mount
• 2 MOA red (SM26045) or green (SM26046) reticle
• 10 reticle brightness levels
• User-friendly ambidextrous digital switch brightness controls

• Steel protective shield
• Low power consumption
• True 1x magnification
• Waterproof, dustproof and shockproof

sightmark.com

Posted in Optics, Press Release | 5 Comments »

Sensor with 100,000 Times Higher Sensitivity Could Bolster Thermal Imaging

Friday, October 9th, 2020

Better detecting microwave radiation could improve thermal imaging, electronic warfare, radar

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Army-funded research developed a new microwave radiation sensor with 100,000 times higher sensitivity than currently available commercial sensors. Researchers said better detection of microwave radiation will enable improved thermal imaging, electronic warfare, radio communications and radar.

Researchers published their study in the peer-reviewed journal Nature. The team includes scientists from Harvard University, The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, and Raytheon BBN Technologies. The Army, in part, funded the work to fabricate this bolometer by exploiting the giant thermal response of graphene to microwave radiation.

“The microwave bolometer developed under this project is so sensitive that it is capable of detecting a single microwave photon, which is the smallest amount of energy in nature,” said Dr. Joe Qiu, program manager for solid-state electronics and electromagnetics, Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory. “This technology will potentially enable new capabilities for applications such as quantum sensing and radar, and ensure the U.S. Army maintains spectral dominance in the foreseeable future.”

The graphene bolometer sensor detects electromagnetic radiation by measuring the temperature rise as the photons are absorbed into the sensor. Graphene is a two dimensional, one-atom layer thick material. The researchers achieved a high bolometer sensitivity by incorporating graphene in the microwave antenna.

A key innovation in this advancement is to measure the temperature rise by superconducting Josephson junction while maintaining a high microwave radiation coupling into the graphene through an antenna, researchers said. The coupling efficiency is essential in a high sensitivity detection because “every precious photon counts.”

A Josephson junction is a quantum mechanical device which is made of two superconducting electrodes separated by a barrier (thin insulating tunnel barrier, normal metal, semiconductor, ferromagnet, etc.)

In addition to being thin, the electrons in graphene are also in a very special band structure in which the valence and conduction bands meet at only one point, known as Dirac point.

“The density of states vanishes there so that when the electrons receive the photon energy, the temperature rise is high while the heat leakage is small,” said Dr. Kin Chung Fong, Raytheon BBN Technologies.

With increased sensitivity of bolometer detectors, this research has found a new pathway to improve the performance of systems detecting electromagnetic signal such as radar, night vision, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and communication. It could also enable new applications such as quantum information science, thermal imaging as well as the search of dark matter.

The part of the research conducted at MIT included work from the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies. The U.S. Army established the institute in 2002 as an interdisciplinary research center to dramatically improve protection, survivability and mission capabilities of the Soldier and of Soldier-supporting platforms and systems.

By US Army CCDC Army Research Laboratory Public Affairs

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Optics | 6 Comments »