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Archive for the ‘Press Release’ Category

Mission Spec Releases the LinkIt Kit

Friday, August 26th, 2022

Mission Spec (KS) is today releasing their latest offering for the gear market. The LinkIt™ Kit sports several capabilities.  Its main function serves to horizontally stabilize a user’s chest rig that is wider than the standard six (6) PALS column plate carrier. Eliminating the irritating “rig-flop”.

Secondary uses include replacing the entire cummerbund on certain plate carriers offering fully elastic and ultra-breathable sides.

The kit comes with just about everything you would need to connect and stabilize a chest rig horizontally. (2) LinkIt Retention Devices. (4) ITW QASM buckles. (4) Split-Bar GTSR female buckles. (4) ITW Latch male buckles (installed onto the devices). Early versions of the LinkIt have been built by Mission Spec on a custom request basis for years. It is now being released as a regular stocking item.

The LinkIt Kit is available now from MissionSpec.com or from Mission Spec Authorized Dealers.

missionspec.com/products/linkit-kit

Spiritus Systems Launches Expanded Product Lineup on Brownells.com and Resource Portal for International Customers

Friday, August 26th, 2022

In July Spiritus Systems introduced its international distribution partnership with Brownells and in response to the high volume of interest from prospective end users, spiritussystems.com now features a dealer network portal that navigates customers to domestic and international Brownells webstores for direct purchases.

This will be the first-time European and international customers in various regions will have direct access to Spiritus nylon equipment like the LV/119 plate carrier and Micro Fight systems through local distribution. The Brownells retail network is a trusted and user-friendly way to purchase equipment online, and customers can now quickly find their supported region on the interactive world map in the portal.

Click Here to visit the map.

Additionally, the Spiritus Systems product lineup can now be purchased by end-users on the Brownells.com USA webstore, complete with a full product resource page, and exclusive Spiritus Systems video content filmed in collaboration with Brownells.

Click Here to visit the Spiritus Brand Page on Brownells.

Brownells also continues to support government procurement for special operations, conventional military, and law enforcement organizations globally. If you are a European wholesale or government buyer, you can email: le-mil@brownells.eu for custom quotes and orders.

Production Model Infantry Squad Vehicles Airdrop Tested for Long-term Ruggedization

Friday, August 26th, 2022

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina — Airborne equipment testers here are working with aerospace engineers on modifying airdrop rigging techniques because of structural and mechanical changes made by the manufacture of the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV).

“Testing centered around determining if production representative mode (PRM) ISVs could tolerate the forces experienced during low velocity airdrop operations (LVAD),” said Lt. Col. Derek Johnson, Chief of Test Division at the Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate (ABNSOTD).

The ISV is a new concept to allow Army Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers to cover large areas of challenging terrain more quickly and less fatigued by reducing the area usually covered on foot.

Infantrymen would also be able to carry enough personal and squad provisions to self-sustain for several days, and the ISV is also transported easily by air assets during air assault and airborne assault missions.

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center in Natick, Massachusetts assisted ABNSOTD in modifying the ISV rigging procedures and paperboard honeycomb kit to accommodate changes to the production representative model of the ISV by General Motors Defense.

“This capability is required across the range of military operations facing Infantry Brigade Combat Teams conducting crisis response, initial entry, and selected decisive action missions,” said James Cochran (JC), a seasoned Military Test Plans Analyst within ABNSOTD.

Johnson said the changes were deemed necessary after a previous version of the ISV encountered material problems during developmental testing when it was discovered some vehicle components were insufficiently ruggedized for long term vehicle service.

Testing started with a rigging exercise of two PRM ISVs on one standard Type V low velocity airdrop operations (LVAD) platform and one Dual Row Airdrop System platform.

Once rigging solutions and paperboard honeycomb modifications were incorporated into the rigging procedures, both vehicles underwent Simulated Airdrop Impact Testing (SAIT).

The two PRM ISVs rigged on airdrop platforms were raised by crane and free dropped to simulate the impact velocity experienced during LVAD operations.

“During the execution of the SAITs, high-speed video, photography, and instrumentation (accelerometers and impact data recorders) were employed to assess the PRM ISV’s reaction to the forces experienced during LVAD operations,” said Michael Estremera, Electronics Engineer at ABNSOTD.

After SAIT, both vehicles were thoroughly inspected by ABNSOTD, General Motors Defense, and the ISV Program Office to see if either ISV had any damage from forces experienced during the simulated drop.

The testing culminated with a 50-kilometer road test, with ABNSOTD personnel operating the PRM ISVs on improved, semi-improved, and un-improved roads as well as off-road routes at various speeds.

Following road testing, ABNSOTD, General Motors Defense and ISV Program Office personnel thoroughly inspected both vehicles to assess any damage the vehicles may have sustained.

This follow-on testing generated data on the ability of a PRM ISV to withstand the forces experienced during LVAD operations and remain fully mission capable.

“Operating the ISV is a great experience from the driver’s point of view,” said Staff Sergeant Clinton Martinez, an ABNSOTD Parachute Rigger. “It rides smoothly over all types of terrain and visibility is outstanding.”

“The speed and maneuverability of the ISV, along with its capability to easily negotiate all types of terrain should impart confidence in the Infantrymen that will be utilizing this vehicle in real world and training operations,” said Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Love, an Infantryman assigned to ABNSOTD.”

The ISV is deployable worldwide by sea, air, and land to support strategic deployment and operational maneuver in accordance with Army and Joint doctrine.

Story by Mr. Blake Bagby, Military Test Plans Analyst, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command

Photos by Mr. Michael Zigmond, Photographer, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate

Blackhawk Adds New Handgun Fits for Stache and T-Series Holsters

Thursday, August 25th, 2022

New Fits Include SIG 320®, FN 509®, GLOCK 17/19/22/23 with TLR-7® / TLR-8®

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – August 25, 2022 – Blackhawk®, a leader in law enforcement and military equipment for over 20 years, has announced new handgun fits for Stache™ IWB and T-Series® L3D holsters. With additional holsters accommodating an even wider selection of handguns, more gun owners and law enforcement can count on Blackhawk for their everyday carry and/or duty carry solution.

The Stache IWB was meticulously engineered to be the ultimate solution for everyday carry, with the perfect balance of comfort, rigidity, and modularity. Completely ambidextrous, the Stache is constructed with impact-reinforced, injection-molded polymer and is perfect for right- and left-handed shooters alike. New Stache IWB holster fits include:

• SIG P320®/M17
• FN 509® base kit (compact/midsize)
• FN 509 premium kit (compact/midsize)

The T-Series is Blackhawk’s premier duty-rated holster, designed to answer the needs of law enforcement and military professionals. Both in the U.S. and abroad, the T-Series has been chosen by more than 300 law enforcement agencies as their duty holster of choice. New T-Series duty holsters designed to work with both red dots and pistol-mounted lights include:

• Left-hand L3D for RDS-ready GLOCK 17/19/22/23 with TLR-7® / TLR-8®
• Left-hand L3D for non-RDS GLOCK 17/19/22/23 with TLR-7 / TLR-8
• Left-hand L2D for RDS-ready GLOCK 17/19/22/23 with TLR-7 / TLR-8

For more information on the latest holster options or to view a complete list of compatible handguns, visit Blackhawk.com.

Bifrost Gear Announces the New “Valhalla” and “Ragnarok” Series of Push-to-talk Switches

Thursday, August 25th, 2022

The Bifrost Gear Ragnarok push-to-talk was engineered to be the most rugged Push-To-Talk switch available. Shock, blast and fire resistant, our PTT is designed to survive Ragnarok itself.

Features:
• IP67 Waterproof
• Shock, Blast, and Fire Resistant
• Kevlar reinforced, RF shielded cable
• Downward oriented Nexus TP-120 port prevents rain or accumulated water from accidental intrusion
• Rubber port plug for when headset is detached
• Easy to manipulate, oversized, silicone rubber push-to-talk button
• Engineered to withstand over 80,000 activations
• 73x73x28mm reinforced case housing
• Stainless steel 360 degree rotating belt clip
• NATO-US wired

The Bifrost Gear Valhalla push-to-talk was designed as a budget friendly, military grade PTT for heavy duty use in all weather conditions, all in a compact form factor.

Features:
• Military Grade
• IP67 Waterproof
• Kevlar reinforced, RF shielded cable
• Easy to manipulate, oversized, silicone rubber push-to-talk button
• Engineered to withstand over 80,000 activations
• 64x56x25mm reinforced case housing
• Stainless steel 360 degree rotating belt clip
• NATO-US wired

Both the Ragnarok and Valhalla PTT are available with the following radio connectors:
·     Ailunce HD1
·     Kenwood / Baofeng 2-pin
·     3.5mm mobile phone
·     Motorola APX
·     Motorola XTS
·     Yaesu 3.5mm right angle
·     Yaesu 3.5mm waterproof
·     Hirose universal quick disconnect
·     6-pin U329/U for PRC-148 & PRC-152 MBITR radios

(And for users who need amplified PTT’s, both the Ragnarok and Valhalla PTT’s are compatible with “The Amp” impedance matching amplifier cable from Bifrost Gear, along with our full suite of other adapter cables)

Dealer inquiries and Government orders welcome.

bifrostgear.com/collections/push-to-talks

Tokarev USA Announces Their Lifetime Service Plan

Thursday, August 25th, 2022

Knoxville TN – Tokarev USA, importers of popular Pump and Semi-Auto shotguns, is pleased to announce their “Tokarev USA Lifetime Service Plan”.

“Tokarev USA is committed to supporting our customers with services that are above and beyond what is expected.  Beyond our 1-year warranty, our Lifetime Service Plan will repair any defect in material or workmanship for the lifetime of the firearm.  The Tokarev Lifetime Service Plan will begin after the 1-year warranty has expired” said Ryan Keller, Customer Service Manager at Tokarev USA.

In the crowded field of imported shotguns, Tokarev really is showing themselves to be a brand apart.

Combining state of the art CNC equipment with old-world manufacturing knowledge, Tokarev delivers firearms for the sporting and security markets worldwide. Tokarev firearms and accessories are available in North America exclusively through Tokarev USA.

For more information on these or any of their other top-quality products, contact your dealer/distributor, or visit www.tokarevusa.com.

DroneShield Releases DroneSentry-C2 Command-and-Control System Update

Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

DroneShield is pleased to announce it has released the latest v8.0.0 version of its DroneSentry-C2 Command-and-Control System. Both secure cloud-hosted and on-premises editions of the DroneSentry-C2 software receive quarterly software updates, which include upgrades to DroneShield’s edge computing server (SmartHub), computer vision AI engine (DroneOptID) and sensor fusion (ComputeNode) components of the system.  

This major update of DroneSentry-C2 includes security improvements including patches for zero-day vulnerabilities, bug fixes and performance improvements.  

Major upgrades include:  

Integration of additional FLIR Thermal Cameras: Adding to the suite of cameras integrated into the DroneSentry-C2, the FLIR Ranger HDC MS 1200 and Ranger HDC MR Electro-Optical (EO) and Infra-red (IR) capable cameras have been integrated as plug and play options. Optical DroneOptID computer vision models have been refined for thermal cameras.  

Integration of the RfPatrol: When paired with compatible MANET-radios the wearable RfPatrol drone detector can now  provide near real-time drone detection alerts and sensor location data fully integrated into the common operating picture of the DroneSentry-C2 user interface. This provides situational awareness across multiple RfPatrol devices in the field from a single map view. 

 Image: RfPatrol wearable drone detection sensors tracked on DroneSentry-C2

Usability improvements: User feedback has been incorporated to improve the usability of settings such as radar masking, RF filtering, flexible sensor setup and drone detection display. These improvements greatly reduces average setup time, cognitive burden, and time needed for training.  

Video Labelling: Video recordings can now be labelled for the purposes of feedback to DroneShield for DroneOptID AI Model training. 

Streamlined Analytics: Historical data is now intelligently filtered and low-value data is deleted. This reduces the amount of storage required for on-premises users and reduces cognitive burden on operators viewing analytics.  

Video tracking and optical model improvements: DroneOptID enhancements  include improved optical drone tracking and identification. 

Angus Bean, DroneShield’s Chief Technology Officer, commented, “This major software update, incorporates a substantial amount of end-user feedback, which enhances all facets of the DroneSentry-C2 system including user experience, performance, security, and the number of integrated sensors and effectors. DroneShield is uniquely positioned as a bleeding edge technology manufacturer of individual sensors, as well as a systems integrator, enabling our team to optimise the ecosystem experience for our end users.”

Core Vision Training: Teaching You To Be Ready For The Unknown

Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

An area of increasing concern for all of us is the occupied home invasion, which can be defined as an incident where the family occupies the house, and they are confronted with an imminent lethal threat by one or more intruders.

Recently, the number of reported violent encounters inside the home has increased. These violent encounters aren’t even limited to your home anymore. You could be thrust into a violent encounter when shopping at a mall or even walking to your car afterward.

This growing concern has prompted a surge of new gun owners who intend to keep that newly purchased firearm for the primary purpose of home defense. Additionally, many states have adopted constitutional carry where gun owners now don’t need to attend any training to carry concealed.

There is a void in the training industry regarding preparing for violent encounters, at least in the context of home defense. Core Vision Training has stepped into that void in a big way.

Why Spend The Money and Time on Training

Self-defense, home defense, and other preparedness training are necessary to effectively defend yourself, your family, and your home when targeted by crime or violence. There will always be criminals who want to take what isn’t theirs and predators who want to hurt the innocent. When you train to become more proficient in these skills, you gain the tools to stand your ground and live to see another day.

As with any training courses you attend, you want to ensure it fits your context of use and goals. However, many “tactical” training courses claim to train students in the art of fighting with a pistol and rifle, room clearing within your home, and a host of other “tacticool” courses. 

Many courses people attend for the experience rather than for learning life-saving skills. Nevertheless, teaching these concepts takes days to execute correctly with the proper instructor cadre.

Core Vision Training employs instructors with proven operational experience, some of which are still operational, which gives you the most up-to-date relevant training available.

Why Choose Core Vision Training

Core Vision Training is the top self-defense training company and facility in the Pacific Northwest. Their instructors bring decades of relevant operational experience to provide their clients with the highest quality training possible.

In addition to their premier courses, they also offer a monthly membership program. By signing up for the recurring monthly membership, individuals who have taken any form of our Structure Assessment courses now have the opportunity for additional reps and recurring training to maintain and master the skills they acquired in our classes.

Recurring training covers medical, structure assessment, teamwork, land navigation, live fire, vehicle work, and several more.

Let’s take a quick look at a few of their premier courses.

Structure Assessment Active Defense Course

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in a fight with an armed assailant, learning to load and clear a malfunction is far easier if you are familiar with that weapon or type of weapon ahead of time. This is something you won’t want to figure out on the fly.

Imagine fighting your attacker in a dark parking lot or inside your home, and gaining control of his loaded weapon, only to die because you didn’t know how to operate the safety.

When you become skilled with your primary defensive tool, learn to use other weapons. Clint Smith said it best “There’s nothing that says you are going to fight with just your gun.”

The Core Vision Training Structure Assessment courses prepare you for just that. The Active Defense course, which is a combination of the home defense course and trauma training, is tailored to the everyday citizen looking to sharpen their skills and better protect their family.

What’s Covered

• 1 & 2 person structure assessment
• CCW Pistol mechanics & manipulations
• Link up procedures
• Casualty assessment and treatment
• Call up procedures for 911
• Center fed, corner fed rooms & hallways
• Positive Threat Identification

Vehicle Escape Concepts

Let’s look at a different type of EDC; your Every Day Car. This is your daily driver, whether a Honda Civic or a Rolls Royce.

When you leave the safety of your home and get into your vehicle to take kids to school, pick up passengers, or go to the store, it becomes your mobile command center.

When you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, think of yourself as the Transporter. It’s not only an excellent movie but highlights some key points. Such as how he maintains driving the car and moves within and around the confines of his vehicle. Everything is done professionally and with a purpose.

The Core Vision Training Vehicle Escape Concepts course teaches you to be ready for a fight in and around your vehicle. Everything they teach you is done professionally and with a practical purpose.

What’s Covered

• Avoidance
• Preparation
• Movement within and out of a vehicle
• What is and is not cover on a vehicle
• Gear & Equipment Preparations
• Vehicle Considerations

Land Navigation

When many of us first enlisted, there was no handheld GPS to tell us where we were and how to reach our destination. Instead, we had to learn how to use a compass and protractor with our maps. Land Navigation courses were taught with the old school military issue Lensatic compasses and a map whether it was daytime or night-time.

The use of a compass is a perishable skill, much like shooting. It requires practice. Nowadays, we have wrist-mounted GPS units, handheld units, and smartphones that provide us with navigational aids. But what if the batteries run out or your GPS gets submerged and shorts out? Now what? How do you get back home? Do you have a backup method of navigation?

The Core Vision Training land navigation course teaches you how to read and orient a map and navigate using a compass so that you make it back home safely. The two available courses are Intro To Land Navigation and Basic Map Reading.

What’s Covered

• How to read and orient a map
• How to familiarize yourself with a map using a compass
• Individual Pace Count
• Dead Reckoning & Terrain Association
• How to identify significant terrain features
• How to identify minor terrain features
• How to read contour lines
• How to plot locations on a map

In the end, the time you invest in training for an event that may never occur is your responsibility. The flip side of that is if that event ever does happen, do you want to be the one who lets your spouse and children down?

We encourage you to reflect on the cost of your personal decisions and how you choose to spend your time and money. Remember, when seconds count, law enforcement is minutes away, and a lot can happen in that time. You can lose your whole world in those few minutes.

If you are ready to accept that risk, that’s on you. But, if you believe your life and the lives of your loved ones are worth every ounce of your effort, train like it. Train like they matter. Train with Core Vision Training.

For more information, you can find them on InstagramFacebook, and YouTube.