I ran across Down Range Snacking in SO Tech’s booth. It’s a small business which manufactures nutritionally dense, shelf stable, formed snack bars using ultrasonic energy.
They are offered in standard snack bar style packaging as well as in MRE compliant trilamintae packaging.
Flavors include Maple Mocha, Coconut Almond, and Cookies and Cream. I sampled the first two and they are extremely flavorful.
GoTenna demonstrated their new SkyWave system which offers Beyond Line of Sight, HF backhaul using 3G-ALE links to GoTenna mesh network users.
This means users of GoTenna’s mesh network can extend their range even farther, for up to thousands of miles by the integrating High Frequency radios into the network. This allows for multiple local data networks to interact, despite large distances as well as reach back to command and control centers, providing access to their capabilities remotely.
TAMPA, Fla. — Senior leadership from U.S. Special Operations Command today emphasized the significant role that partnership plays in accomplishing the mission of special operations forces during keynote remarks at the start of Special Operations Forces Week 2024 in Tampa.
While delivering a joint speech to roughly 3,000 convention attendees, Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Shane W. Shorter — Socom’s commander and senior enlisted leader, respectively — spoke about how global challenges require international SOF solutions.
“We often speak about the power of partnerships, and we want to double down on that today because this conference is the manifestation of the power of partnerships,” Fenton said.
Framing SOF Week as “a collision of differing perspectives crucial to solving intractable problems that our [partner and ally] nations depend on special operations to solve,” Fenton and Shorter spent the early part of their remarks recapping Socom’s three priorities: people, win, and transform.
“People are our number one enterprise priority, and they are our comparative and competitive advantage,” Fenton said.
“And that team includes our partners — whether in our many courses in Joint Special Operations University or the 28 nations right in our headquarters, as well as the numerous SOF relationships we have around the globe.”
This year’s convention has 20,000 registrants attending from 75 countries.
As to the priority to win, Fenton said the global SOF team wins “today and tomorrow, through our people providing options for decision-makers and dilemmas to our adversaries.”
He added that the SOF community’s three missions of strategic competition, crisis response and counterterrorism are accomplished through the power of partnership.
Regarding the priority of transformation, Shorter credited Socom’s partnerships with academia, industry and the entire international SOF team with keeping Socom “at the cutting edge.”
“And, of course, there is tech,” he added. “Seabed to space, cyber to fiber, your Socom team — fueled by the power of partnerships — is all about people.”
While providing an overview of the current geopolitical landscape as viewed through the eyes of Socom, Fenton credited the international SOF community with helping form such an assessment.
“We see and sense more because of our partners,” he said. “And what I outline is a shared-sight picture.”
In laying out that picture, the two leaders made mention of global adversaries working to degrade the very partnerships that Fenton and Shorter spent much of their keynote remarks lauding.
“Our adversaries seek to divide and weaken the power of these partnerships, and to challenge us even more with their hardware and tactics,” Fenton said.
Additionally, Shorter said, the U.S. and its allies are seeing the character of war rapidly changing — with uncrewed robotics, ubiquitous surveillance tools, and artificial intelligence all working in concert to create a set of “wicked problems” that “defy simple solutions, require ongoing management, and have far-reaching global consequences.”
Despite such challenges, Fenton said Socom is rising to the occasion by “delivering asymmetric and asynchronous advantage and opportunities for our nation, across the globe, alongside our allies and our partners [and] providing dilemmas and challenges for our adversaries.”
Prior to segueing into a question-and-answer session, the two senior leaders rounded out their prepared remarks by reemphasizing Socom’s commitment to robust partnerships.
“The foundation for Socom’s missions is our partnerships — forged by generational relationships and grounded in trust,” Fenton said.
Jointly sponsored by Socom and the Global SOF Foundation, SOF Week — which runs through May 10 — is “an annual conference for the international SOF community to learn, connect and honor its members,” according to the event’s official website.
The highlights of this year’s event include several keynote speakers, professional development seminars, industry engagements and a live capabilities demonstration.
By Matthew Olay, DOD News
Offered in ground and vehicle mount versions, the Pulsar is a family of modular, multi-mission-capable EW systems which rapidly identify and defeat current and future threats across the electromagnetic spectrum, including small and medium-sized drones using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Initially developed in 2020, Pulsar has been in operational use conducting electronic countermeasures (ECM), counter unmanned systems, electronic support, electronic attack, direction finding, and geolocation on air, ground and maritime platforms, but was not offered commercially until now.
Pulsar uses software defined radios and an open architecture to enable futire upgrades as well as integration with other systems.
This is Shaw Concepts‘ first outing at SOF Week and they came on strong with several upcoming items including a new radio pouch, the H.I.V.E.
Naturally, it’s PALS compatible and is adjustable to accommodate most radios. In addition to adjustable height, the pouch features ventilation to deal with heat created by the radio.
Look for it soon.
Using the same Spear platform developed for the US Army Next Generation Squad Weapon, SIG has come up with a new version of the Spear which is being internally referred to as the Assaulter.
This shorty version (above) features a 10” barrel and follows similar developments of the MCX family including the Rattler and USSOCOM’s PDW, the Reduced Signature Assault Rifle.
Performance-wise, with the 10” barrel you can expect in excess of 2800 fps, firing a 113 grain copper projectile from a high pressure case. In contrast, a 147 grain M80 ball projectile from a 24” M240 barrel is ~2800 fps.
The shorter barrel also leads to a lower weight, just shy of 7.7 lbs which is about a pound heavier than an M4AA1 equipped with a URGI.
This developments falls in line with SIG’s continued development of this platform in multiple calibers.
Look for more details soon.
The Nightscan Night Camera from Sionyx can be seen below, mounted to the top of a mast in an example of an operational configuration.
Based on a commercial product, this version has been hardened for military use with n aluminum chassis and can be powered by military batteries like the 5590. This CMOS camera provides color vision in daylight as well as during extremely lowlight conditions. When combined with ROC.ai it can categorize objects within its field of view. Additionally, it is easily integrated into existing communication networks.
Drifire’s FR Soft Shell Jacket is Berry Compliant and made 14 oz. FR DRIFIRE Tri-Laminate with DWR.
Features:
Zippered hand warmer pockets
Loop on chest and sleeves for easy attachment of SSI
Stand up fleece lined collar for added protection and warmth
Zipper closure bicep pockets built for large phones and tools
Adjustable wrist tabs to help keep sleeve in place and close off wind and weather
Adjustable drawstring waist for closer fit to keep the cold out
There is also a pant available.
