Blackheart International was set up just around the corner from US Night Vision at SHOT Show. Looks like they saw the PVS14 iPhone Adapter we wrote about.
I still think this was one of the best things that came out of SHOT Show this year. The concept is pretty simple and combines the strengths of night vision and digital imagery. The adapter connects the AN/PVS14 to an iPhone. You can use your preferred digital photography app to capture and manipulate stills and full motion video. Then, it’s as simple as transmitting the data via SMS or email.
We gave you a tease of the Spartan during the 2012 SHOT Show and it’s easy to tell where it got its name by just looking at it. The Spartan design is actually a couple of years old and offers Maxillofacial Ballistic Protection without any modification to an issue Advanced Combat Helmet. Crye brought it back to the forefront as a possible solution for a US Army requirement for a “commercially available product that can provide ballistic, blast and blunt impact protection in the maxillofacial region to increase soldier survivability.”
What really sets this product apart from others is that it is somewhat flexible and can be easily mounted and dismounted from the helmet. As you can see in the video it integrates with the NVG mount and can be pulled up out of the way when needed. Additionally, it won’t give you that claustrophobic feeling and you can still shoulder a weapon with it in place.
Spartan Blades showed us a couple of new designs at SHOT Show. From top to bottom:
-Spartan Harsey Hunter – This one has been around awhile. Built in cooperation with renowned knife designer “Bill” Harsey, it’s intended to pull double duty as a fighting or hunting knife.
-Spartan Harsey Model 2 – Another knife built in cooperation with “Bill” Harsey.
-Phrike – A smaller knife, it should hit the market this Spring.
Tactical Fanboy wrote an article on Jones Tactical‘s belts. Their two-tone belts feature AustriAlpin buckles and have set the standard for customized gun belts.
Patrol rifle courses, tactical shooting classes, SWAT and room entries, offensive/defensive driving, ballistic shield work, grappling and defensive tactics…just a few of the things the Women’s Tactical Association has been doing over the last couple of years. Though there are the usual haters and nay-sayers (as always), given the quality and caliber of some of their instructors it’s pretty clear how serious they are. Any doubters are welcome to show up to a training event and see for themselves. One of the WTA staffers, Kim Heath, is an NPRC competitor and a contributor over with our friends at BOLO Reportand the WTA President Karen Bartuch is apparently going to start writing there as well.
WTA member at the LMT Booth at SHOT: they're supposed to be visiting the LMT factory soon.
We bring up the WTA here because they are trying to get the word out to military females. Whether you’re a female K9 Security Forces airman who just PCSed to Andrews from Altus or a seasoned gunnery sergeant out at Pendleton (shout out to Bunch and Byer there), they’d like to get you involved. Initially they were thinking mostly of Security Forces and Military Police females, but as the organization has grown they’ve made a place for women of a number of backgrounds (OSI, CID, engineers, you name it). You may recall Tactical Fanboy ran an article on them previously; three of these tough ladies were at SHOT – Kim and Karen and another veteran officer named Jessica. We had time to catch up with them briefly despite the demands many of the larger companies were making on their time.
WTA member at SWAT Roundup recently.
Karen conducted an impromptu interview with the NRA, which you’ll find below. If you’re interested in joining the WTA (they also have male members, FYI, many of whom you right recognize), check them out on line, on their Facebook page or just e-mail them at womenstactical(at)sbcglobal.net. Oh, and they’ve got a new YouTube Channel as well.
