Recce | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for the ‘Recce’ Category

SOFIC 2009

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

We were recently presented with an opportunity to share some great coverage of the 2009 Special Operations Forces industry Conference with our readers. Thanks to Sal Palma.

Admittedly, great fascination and glamour surrounds the special operations community. Players are known as operators, and SOF has become media celebrities. In many circles, the SOF community draws more support, admiration and envy than sports figures, politicians and movie stars â€“ deservedly so. However, this has not always been the case, and few know that SOF, as it is today, exists because of the work and vision of former Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, then a Republican Senator from Main, and Senator Sam Nunn a Democrat from Georgia.

The entire article can be found at the jump.

Tags: SOFIC
Posted in Optics, Recce, weapons | Comments Off on SOFIC 2009

Digital Ears Invisio X50

Monday, July 20th, 2009

The Digital Ears X50 is a digital in-ear bone conduction headset system with built-in active hearing protection. It uses bone conduction which captures vibrations caused by speech which travel up the jaw bone to the ear. This helps eliminate ambient noise and produce clearer voice signals. Additionally, the system features electronic hear-thru and impulse noise protection (Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 23db) with volume control for enhanced hearing. Finally, the X50 is designed for dual communication with radio autosensing and full-duplex/VOX capability. Consequently, unlike other Invisio products, the X50 is designed to worn in both ears.

The ear piece features the Soft SpringTM which adapts to the contours of the ear to provide a secure fit and enhance comfort as well as compatibility with helmets, eyewear, and protective masks.

The interface box seen above features switches for On-Off Open Mic Selector, PTT Button, Volume Up & Down, and Hear-Thru & Mic Volume Selector.

The X50’s fit is secure enough that it has been used regularly for Military Free Fall operations.

The X50 is available from Television Equipment Associates. For more information visit swatheadsets.com.

Tags: TEA
Posted in Comms, Recce | Comments Off on Digital Ears Invisio X50

Enhanced Night Vision Goggle

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Developed by ITT under the direction of PM-Soldier Sensors and Lasers, the AN/PSQ-20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle is a helmet-mounted passive Image Intensification (I2) and thermal device that incorporates both I2 and long-wave infrared sensors into a single integrated system. It weighs just two pounds, including the battery pack and its four AA batteries, the helmet mount, and wiring harness.

ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) – PM Soldier Sensors and Lasers from PEO Soldier on Vimeo.

The ENVG will detect a Man-sized target (standing and moving) with an 80 percent probability at 150 meters, and a 50 percent probability at 300 meters. It is designed to provide 7.5 hours of fused vision enhancement and an additional 7.5 hours of image intensification.

Posted in Optics, PEO-Soldier, Recce | Comments Off on Enhanced Night Vision Goggle

“Spycraft” Now in Paperback

Monday, June 8th, 2009

Last year we suggested a book entitled, “Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda”. For those who missed it, it is now out in paperback. It was authored by H. Keith Melton, Henry R. Schlesinger, and Robert Wallace and they go into great detail on the long process to get the book approved for publication. For anyone interested in intelligence collection or the gadgetry of espionage this book is a treasure trove. The stories are captivating and reveal American experiences on both sides of the coin; as collector and collectee. I highly recommend it.

“Spycraft” is available from Amazon or many other book sellers.

Posted in Admin, Gadgets, Recce | Comments Off on “Spycraft” Now in Paperback

Introducing Juggernaut Defense, LLC

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Specializing in soldier-borne equipment design & engineering, Juggernaut Defense, LLC is a full-spectrum design consultancy dedicated to the military, law-enforcement, and public safety communities. Since 2000, Juggernaut Defense has been involved in many successful programs which have provided superior survivability, communication, and lethality systems to Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Special Operators fighting in both OIF and OEF. Juggernaut Defense (located in Scottsdale, Arizona) was spun off by Chris Stalzer in November 2008 from Juggernaut Design to focus its business toward government and military design problems.

Check out their website to learn about some of the projects they have already completed. www.juggdef.com

Tags: Juggernaut Defense LLC
Posted in Comms, Gadgets, Helmets, Optics, Recce, Robotics | Comments Off on Introducing Juggernaut Defense, LLC

Vuzix Debuts CamAR Augmented Reality Headset

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Augmented Reality; the combination of real-world and computer generated data. At the recent 2009 Game Developers Conference, Vuzix debuted a camera add-on for their iWear VR920 video headset which surveys the space in front of the cam, and superimposes interactive, 3D graphics on top.

Gizmodo provides some excellent coverage.

Now, imagine combining this capability with the “Sixth Sense” technology from MIT that we wrote about last week. No more need for a mouse. Perhaps it could be further combined with an image augmentation systems such as image intensification or thermal. Now was are talking Predator vision. You see a target in any condition. You gesture with your fingers to conjure key data such as vulnerable points or to collect additional photos. Wow! And the best part? All of this is actually doable…today.

Back from Retirement – the Biafra Mile Run Pack

Monday, March 30th, 2009

The original Urban E&E bag is back! Ok, so now it’s a pack and before it was a pouch but that is just semantics. The important thing is that Eagle has brought it back.

Eagle started with the classic design and updated materials and a few design features. The BMRP carries everything you need to stay alive in a hostile city, or a friendly one for that matter. It has provisions for a pistol, spare magazine, map, survival equipment, passport, and other essentials.

The universal holster accepts most common semi-auto pistols and the single magazine pouch is also sized for most common semi-auto pistol magazines. Behind the holster platform is a full length pocket with a Velcro closure for added security. The wings open in a manner similar to some IFAKs. The right wing folds out to expose a clear see through map case, and the left wing features a mesh zipper pocket. The bottom flap features a mesh zipper pocket with a hidden pocket behind the seam for further storage. The rear of the BMRP has a low visibility pocket allowing access to a passport and other travel documents without having to open the rig for access.

The removable waist belt and adjustable shoulder straps are low profile and a simple baggy shirt makes this item disappear beneath your clothing.

We really want to applaud Eagle for manufacturing more and more products from 500D Cordura. It offers an excellent balance between weight and durability. Available in Grey or Khaki from Eagle Industries.

Posted in Packs, Recce | Comments Off on Back from Retirement – the Biafra Mile Run Pack

Third Eye Video Camera

Saturday, February 21st, 2009

Hammacher Schlemmer offers the Third Eye Video Camera. It captures 320 x 240 resolution images at 30 fps and up to 1,200 still images and six hours of video can be saved onto a 8GB micro SD memory card (included). There is also a built-in microphone. The rechargeable battery provides up to 2 1/2 hours of continuous operation from an eight-hour charge using the included USB cable.

The 1-1/2″ sphere comes with a headband that can be adapted to a helmet or the camera can also be used in a static situation and set to record images and video when it detects movement, preserving battery life.

Order from Hammacher Schlemmer.

Posted in Gadgets, Recce | Comments Off on Third Eye Video Camera