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Archive for the ‘Parachuting’ Category

Tactical Floatation Support System

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

PECI Flotation LLC has introduced new armor compatible form factors of their highly popular Tactical Floatation Support System. Available with Overt (yellow) or Covert (black) bladders, TFSS provides 45 pounds of positive floatation in seawater at 33 feet, 57 pounds at 15 feet and 80 pounds on the surface. Additionally, TFSS has a safety confirmation for both staticline and MFF parachute operations from the US Army Developmental Test Command.

TFSS has been integrated into several armor designs including those by FirstSpear. In fact, FirstSpear is an early adopter. They immediately saw the lifesaving potential and went right to work on adapting their systems to accommodate TFSS. TFSS is not only a great way to provide emergency buoyancy it’s also low weight and volume compared to alternatives. FirstSpear’s integration is seamless and you won’t even know it’s there.

As you can see, Renegade Armor is offering TFSS as a stand alone system or integrated into any one of a variety of armor carriers.

Ever Wonder What a Static Line Jump is Like?

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

In this US Army video, SSG Travis Surber, a paratrooper with the 173rd Brigade Combat Team’s Battle Company of the 2nd Battalion 503rd Infantry Regiment parachutes out of a C-130 Hercules Transport Aircraft and into the Ukraine sky. In case you’re interested, they’re hiring.

Core Survival HEL-STAR 6

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012


Previously we wrote about the Core Survival HEL-STAR 5 which you can see in the photo above. It was designed specifically to work with the Gentex PM HALO helmet. It’s been used by a wide variety of military units. One of those DoD customers asked Core Survival to develop a new model that would increase lateral visibility. The result is the HEL-STAR 6.

For Core Survival HEL-STAR 6 is a natural progression of the HEL-STAR family, starting with HEL-STAR 4 and later evolving to the HEL-STAR 5. All three product lines were designed and built around user input, addressing user requirements.

It offers any combination of white, green, blue, red, and IR lights (either flashing or steady). Additionally, they offer variable flash rates and coded signals for IFF.

It can be turned on, while mounted and while wearing gloves. According to Core Survival the light also features, “Positive visual and tactile confirmation of ON/OFF and operating status with no guesswork.” Additionally, it is powered by a CR123 battery and Made in USA!

There are four models with different functions based on various user profiles.
HEL-STAR 6 Models
610 – Two Function
620 – Four Functions (Two Secure Firewalled, Two Overt Firewalled)
630 – Three Functions with secure lock out mode
640 – Four Functions (All for available with switches)

The button at the top of the light is either a nose plug or switch, depending on the model. It is used to change operating modes (e.g., overt/covert). The units are preprogrammed at the plant.

www.coresurvival.com/hel-star-6

Bawidamann Adds New Products

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

The High Speed Low Drag Tshirt which celebrates Military Free Fall is part of the Bombshell Series of apparel which licensed to 7.62 Design.

Dive Girl is a pinup for the combat diver. These woven patches are offered in conjunction with Mil-Spec Monkey.

www.bawidamann.com

Now THAT’S a Parachute Jump

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

POV of a Leapfrog jump into the world premier of ‘Act of Valor’ hitting theaters, Friday 24 February.

Anyone notice the V-lite?

Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle Pre-Solicitation Released (Again)

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

About once a year, for the past few years the Air Force’s Battlefield Airman Branch of the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB releases a new requirement for a battlefield truck for their Guardian Angel Weapon System. GAWS is made up of the Combat Rescue Officer (CRO), Pararescue (PJ), and SERE careerfields. Obviously, the vehicle would mainly be used by the PJs. Unfortunately, they’ve never actually purchased any vehicles. In fact, we’ve even written about one of the candidate vehicles from past attempts; the SRTV.

This year is no different and a pre-solicitation for the Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle (GAARV) was released last week. They’ve included a System Requirements Document (SRD) that spells out the vehicle characteristics they are looking for. According to this document, PJs currently rely on ATVs to aid in the recovery of Isolated Personnel who may be injured. Unfortunately, these have limited speed, agility, range and payload.

The proposed GAARV will be airdroppable from fixed wing aircraft and be able to carry medical, rescue, and survival equipment to an incident site and be able to exfiltrate the rescue team and isolated personnel over adverse terrain. It is envisioned that these same capabilities will make it a shoe in for use in disaster recovery and other humanitarian relief operations.

Specifically they want a vehicle that can be airdropped, features a comms and datalink package, integrates M240 and M249 for defense, capable of on and off-road operation and a minimum payload of 4000 lbs. It must also have mounts compatible with Stokes, Talon, Israeli, and NATO Pole litters. Obviously, as a rescue vehicle, it’s going to need external power outlets, an air compressor and a winch. Additionally, it must be able to travel 350 miles at 45 mph and then loiter for 2 hours once on the objective. Interestingly, there’s no mention of exfil meaning it’s got a 175 mile range.

There are also a couple of other “interesting” requirements such as:
“The GAARV shall be steerable and stoppable by at least one RT member other than the driver”
“The GAARV engine shall run using standard gasoline, 87 Octane or higher, diesel, or JP-8″
“The GAARV fuel tank shall not require a purge prior to adding a different type of fuel than is already in use”

Something you may feel is missing is an armor requirement. They haven’t quite worked out those requirements yet and understandably so. I used to be in the armored vehicle business and armor is anathema to the offroad agility capabilities required by GAWS.

Interested parties have until March 6 to tell the Air Force about their capabilities. Unfortunately, that leaves little time for the Air Force to integrate any ground breaking capabilities discovered in this pre-solicitation into their actual solicitation planned for release on 16 March.

The Air Force has done a lot to upgrade other rescue capabilities, hopefully this year, we’ll see them buy a new truck.

Liberty Jump Team

Monday, February 13th, 2012

The Liberty Jump Team is a commemorative parachute team honoring WWII heroes and Veterans of all Wars and Foreign Conflicts. Their jumps commemorate the D-Day invasion and the liberation of Europe as well as perpetuating the service of those who have served after, including today’s brave men and women.

The Liberty Jump team recruits from active and inactive military parachutists with an in-house jump training operations and school located in Bristow, Oklahoma. They use a C-47 as a jump platform and have conducted airborne operations all over the US as well as in Amfreville, Carentan, Liesville Sur Douve, Angoville au Plain France as well jumps commemorating Bastogne and Holland.


This video is a compilation of clips shot in France, Holland, Fort Benning Georgia, and Geneseo New York featuring the Liberty Jump Team and the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group.

To learn more visit www.libertyjumpteam.org. Although the website is a little dated. LJT is very much an active organization. I’m told that Jil Launay is the real backbone behind this organization. So hat’s off to her.

Thanks Rich for sharing this story with us.

CamoRigs Has Lots In Stock

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Since CamoRigs’ grand opening last summer, they have added a lot of inventory.

They offer United Parachute Technologies Vector containers in Genuine Crye MultiCam, Desert and Woodland MARPAT (Commercial), as well as other patterns. Additionally, CamoRigs offers their proprietary Magnetic Slider Trap.

www.camorigs.com