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USSOCOM Releases Sources Sought Notice for Advanced Sniper Rifle

Monday, April 10th, 2017

USSOCOM is seeking sources within the national technology and industrial base for a Commecial Off The Shelf convertible caliber rifle which will serve as the replacement for the Precision Sniper Rifle system.

They are interested in:
-complete system to include all 3 caliber conversion kits
-any tools needed to complete the conversion
-a light/sound suppressor that can be attached to the system when needed

ASR System specifics: The system must be adaptable to fire the 7.62mm NATO, .300NM, and .338NM cartridges. The system must have total system weight, less suppressor and with unloaded magazine, not to exceed 17lbs (T), 13lbs (O). Length with stock extended, less suppressor, not to exceed 50″(T), 40″(O), length for transport, by means of folding or collapsing shall be 40″ (T), 36″ (O). Accuracy shall be:

Configuration Precision
7.62 mm 1.0 MOA (ES) at 328 yards (300 meters) (T) 0.5 MOA at 328 yards (300 meters) (O)
.300 NM 1.0 MOA (ES) at 328 yards (300 meters) (T) 0.5 MOA at 328 yards (300 meters) (O)
.338 NM 2.5 MOA (ES) at 328 yards (300 meters) (T) 1.5 MOA at 328 yards (300 meters) (O)

For thise of you unfamiliar, T means Threshold or the miminum acceptable performance, while O means Objective which is where they’d really like to be. As they haven’t specified a specific cartridge, the accuracy specifications at this point are much more subjective. They desire full systems, including suppressor, but SOCOM is simply looking for potential solutions for this emerging requirement at this stage in the game. Eventually, they’ll either specify cartridges they plan to use or open it up the various offers as part of the solicitation. However, the caliber choices are very interesting. Not only are the Norma Magnum cartridges not standard military fare, consider a single chassis that will accept 7.62 NATO along with .300 NM and .338NM.

Offerers have until 24 April, 2017 to provide information to USSOCOM, which isn’t much time at all.

Visit www.fbo.gov for more information.

Posted in Contracts, SOF, weapons | 22 Comments »

Revision SOF Helmet In Action

Sunday, April 9th, 2017

Interesting to see one of the Revision Military Family of Tactical Headborne Systems submissions for USSOCOM’s Next Generation Helmet program, out in the wild.

KUWAIT – Elite military special operations forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the U.S. conducted a simulated rapid response to the hijacking of the motor tanker, or oil tanker, the Hadiyah, April 3, in Kuwait territorial waters.

Special forces teams from the GCC, and U.S. Naval Special Warfare and rigid-hull inflatable boat teams simulated an air and sea-borne rapid insertion, search and seizure of the occupied tanker and its hijackers, and the safe release of the tanker crewmen.

The raid was a cumulative joint exercise that tested the participants’ tactical skills and abilities to operate cohesively in an operational mission with our GCC partner nations.

Exercise Eagle Resolve is the premier U.S. multilateral exercise within the Arabian Peninsula. Since 1999, Eagle Resolve has become the leading engagement between the U.S. and GCC nations to collectively address the regional challenges associated with asymmetric warfare in a low-risk setting.

This work, Elite Special Forces from GCC and U.S. simulate a raid on hijacked tanker [Image 1 of 74], by MSG Timothy Lawn, identified by DVIDS, is free of known copyright restrictions under U.S. copyright law.

Thanks DM!

Tags: Revision
Posted in Helmets, SOF | 17 Comments »

And A-TACS Was There

Friday, April 7th, 2017

Tags: A-TACS
Posted in Advertiser, Camo, SOF | 17 Comments »

Lead The Way Fund Gala

Thursday, April 6th, 2017

The Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund will be hosting its 3rd Gala Benefit this evening at Pier Sixty in NYC in support of our wounded and active duty U.S. Army Rangers and their families. Tom Brokaw will be back again as the Master of Ceremonies and the United States Special Operations Command Warrior Care Program (Care Coalition) will be honored with the Sgt. James J. Regan Lifetime Achievement Award. The USSOCOM Warrior Care Program supports Special Operations Forces (SOF) Wounded, Ill, or Injured service members and their families by providing a model advocacy program to enhance and strengthen their quality of life.

Protonex Technology Corporation is proud to support the great work of the Lead The Way Fund and has donated a custom Glock pistol for the auction portion of this evening’s event. Protonex Director of Military Sales, Ray Summers (himself a former 75th Ranger Regiment NCO) will also be in attendance at this evening’s Gala.

Tags: Lead The Way Fund, Protonex
Posted in Advertiser, Fundraising, SOF | 5 Comments »

USSOCOM Selects M-Lok For Weapon Programs

Friday, March 31st, 2017

While we’ve heard rumors of a USSOCOM directed study by NSWC-Crane of weapon accessory attachment systems, we only recently came into possession of evidence of that study, conducted in 2016. We present to you the summary of the report, as it offers the most pertinent facts. However, we are not offering up the rest of the report, as it contains proprietary information regarding the Magpul M-Lok attachment as well as other, competing systems.

The summary states:

SUMMARY
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) conducted testing for the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to evaluate modular rail systems and provide a recommendation based on the performance characteristics of each system. Modular rail systems were evaluated for repeatability, endurance, rough handling, drop testing, and static failure load. Where possible, handguards manufactured in different modular rail systems, but otherwise identical, were used as a basis for a comparative analysis. All tested modular rail systems showed to be adequate for securing accessories during cyclic loading through endurance and rough handling testing. However, distinct performance differences were observed from repeatability, drop test, and failure load analysis. Overall, test and evaluation demonstrated that the M-LOKTM modular rail system surpassed the performance results achieved by other modular rail systems. In repeatability testing, M-LOKTM allowed for the repeated installation of the same accessory rail in the same location on a handguard with an average point of aim (POA) shift of 1.3 MOA, as low as one quarter the average POA shift observed by other modular rail systems. Drop test results demonstrated that M-LOKTM systems maintain securement of accessories to the handguard and sustain less damage from impact forces than some other modular rail systems. Failure load testing demonstrated that M-LOKTM systems support the highest load of all modular rail systems tested. In fact, the test equipment used to interface with 1913 accessory rails secured with the respective modular rail system across testing repeatedly failed prior to failure of the M-LOKTM attachment system. Even so, testing of the M-LOKTM systems failed at loads as high as over three times the maximum failure load of some other modular rail systems. NSWC Crane recommended to USSOCOM that the M-LOKTM modular rail system be utilized over the alternative systems tested. USSOCOM has chosen to incorporate the M-LOKTM modular rail system in acquisition efforts including the Suppressed Upper Receiver Group (SURG) and Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR).

Of additional note, the US Army directed H&K to integrate an M-LOK rail (designed by Geissele) on the new Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System rifle which is an indication of wider Dod adoption of M-Lok.

Tags: Magpul
Posted in Advertiser, SOF, Weapon Accessories | 33 Comments »

Quantico Tactical Offering SEAL 50th Anniversary SIG MK25 Pistols

Tuesday, March 28th, 2017

These highly customized Sig Sauer MK25 pistols commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the US Navy SEALs.

Features:
• Custom, High Luster Finished Sig MK25 Pistol
• Meticulously Cut Scroll Work
• Engraved with Gold Inlay:
o “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday” on Right Side of Slide
o “1962 – 50th Anniversary – 2012” on Left Side of Slide
• SEAL Emblem in Custom Hogue Grips
• Available Exclusively from Quantico Tactical while supplies last

Price: $975

These commemorative pistols are only available to active, reserve and retired SEALs and UDT Members who preceded the SEALs. Please note there is a eligibility verification process. Available via their website or in their stores.

Quantico Tactical manages the Commemorative Weapon Program for Sig Sauer and Smith and Wesson. Quantico is also the leading Military/LE Program weapon reseller for SIG, Smith & Wesson, FN, Beretta and IWI. To design a commemorative weapon or to organize a group buy for your unit, contact Quantico Tactical at www.quanticotactical.com/CommemorativeWeapons.

Tags: Quantico Tactical, Sig Sauer
Posted in Advertiser, History, SOF, weapons | Comments Off on Quantico Tactical Offering SEAL 50th Anniversary SIG MK25 Pistols

Special Forces Basic Combat Course – Support

Sunday, March 12th, 2017

The Utah Army National Guard runs a two-week course for 19th Special Forces Group’s support troops called the Special Forces Basic Combat Course – Support (SFBCC-S). Other, similar courses have sprung up for other SOF Enablers since the war began. However, I don’t of any others that are firing mortars.

Posted in SOF, Training | 8 Comments »

USSOCOM Seeks Personal Defense Weapon

Friday, March 10th, 2017

In a request for information released yesterday to industry, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) seeks to identify potential sources within the national technology and industrial base with the ability to provide a conversion kit for the M4A1 to create a Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) system:

-Complete Kit to include upper receiver and butt stock kit
-Any tools required to complete an operational conversion
-A light and sound reducing suppressor that can be attached to the system when needed

PDW Kit specifics: The kit must be adaptable to the standard M4A1 lower receiver, any modification to the lower receiver must be reversible and nonpermanent. The kit must be in .300 Blackout (BLK) cartridge, total system weight, including the M4A1 lower in not to exceed 5.5lbs. Length with stock extended not to extend 26″ length with stock collapsed or folded shall be 17″ (T), 15″ (O) and a height not to exceed 7.5″. Weapon shall be fully functional when collapsed or folded. Kit should include a 5.56mm barrel that can be changed from .300 BLK to 5.56mm in less than 3 minutes. Accuracy shall be 3.0 MOA (T), 2.0 MOA (O) @100 yds. and 5.0 MOA (T), 3.0 MOA (O) @ 300 yds. both in .300 BLK supersonic.

While there are numerous solutions on the market, based on the mention of a folding stock, it sounds like someone is interested in the SIG SAUER MCX kit.

Interested parties have until 10 April to submit their information. Visit WWW.FBO.GOV for more information.

Posted in Black Rifle, Contracts, SOF | 20 Comments »