FirstSpear Friday Focus: 9/11 Remembrance
September 9th, 2022Marine Special Reaction Team Conducts Multiple Weapon Sustainment Training
September 9th, 2022OKINAWA, Japan —
High-risk emergencies can happen anytime and require the attention of a specific group known as the Special Reaction Team, or commonly referred to as SRT.
The members of SRT are attached to the Provost Marshal’s Office and are always on standby to respond to situations such as an active shooter, hostage situations, and barricaded subjects.
“Today, we shot from a tower structure to simulate engaging a hostile target from a sniper position. Afterward, we moved to a short range to practice static fire, multiple hostel engagements, and team movement drills,” said Gunnery Sgt. Russell Harned, team commander with SRT, Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations Pacific. “We conducted a familiarization course of fire with an M40A6 rifle, Colt M45A1 Close Quarter Battle Pistol, P320-M18 pistol, and M4A1 Carbines.”
To remain proficient, SRT practices marksmanship weekly by conducting range firing and team tactics. As they continue to train, the team members have adapted to work not only with a dynamic approach but also with a psychological one.
“The way we execute the mission at hand has drastically changed,” said Harned, “We still enter structures in a dynamic style, referring to kicking down doors, but we now take into account a psychological approach, to understand what the individual inside is thinking and what we can do to help them.”
SRT works on an emergency basis. When a threat is deemed too high risk for a patrolman, SRT receives a call to neutralize the subject. Their main goal is to contain, control, and dominate a threat psychologically or physically.
“My job is to protect and save lives,” said Cpl. Dylan Diamond, a team leader with SRT, H&S Battalion, MCIPAC. “Our job as a team is to protect all service members, Status of Forces Agreement Personnel, and local nationals on base. When we arrive at a site, we resolve the situation promptly, with minimal property damage.”
Diamond explained that he sees SRT continuing to move positively by adapting to the new situations and developing new tactics to protect bases across Okinawa further. Diamond explained that they will continue to grow and work as a team, furthering their goal to contain, control, and dominate a threat psychologically or physically.
By LCpl Jonathan Beauchamp, Marine Corps Installations Pacific
Irish Defence Forces Award New Military Bridging Contract to WFEL
September 8th, 2022
7th September 2022
WFEL, world leading supplier of rapidly deployable military bridges, has signed a contract with the Irish Defence Forces for the supply of the MGB Medium Girder Bridging System. The Irish Defence Forces have chosen the 31m double storey MGB variant, which can be erected in various configurations to cover the full range of military and emergency bridging requirements and will be supplied complete with handrails, making the system adaptable for use not only during military operations but also in Disaster Relief and Emergency scenarios, such as the severe flooding situations seen in Europe recently.
The Irish Military have been users of WFEL’s MGB Medium Girder Bridging System since the late 1970s and are therefore already familiar with the many benefits of this versatile, modular bridging system. The Corps of Engineers – military engineering branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland – will take delivery of the new MGB bridging. The Corps is responsible for combat engineering and construction engineering services, providing engineering on the battlefield and has successfully leveraged its skill and expertise in several of the Irish Army’s deployments on United Nations operations.
Colonel Damian McEvoy, Director of Engineering for the Irish Defence Forces, said, “As long-time users of the Medium Girder Bridge system, we are already familiar with its many benefits and, by updating our bridging assets with the latest version of the MGB, we will continue to be equipped with the most versatile, modular bridging system available, allowing our Engineering Division to rapidly react to situations both on and off the battlefield.
“Of particular importance to us is the lightweight nature of the MGB system, not only for reducing transportation weight, but to enable the bridge components to be handled by our troops without the need for mechanical aids”.
With over 500 systems already supplied to militaries around the world, the MGB modular military bridging system provides interoperability with any other MGB of any age and is already adopted by many NATO members.
A full support and training package is included in the contract and the Irish Defence Forces can expect delivery of their new bridging assets by the end of 2023.
WFEL is currently supplying 17 Sets of its MGB Medium Girder Bridges to the UK MoD, following a review of the MoD’s modular gap crossing capabilities, which aimed to draw together existing in-service capabilities into a single coherent capability. One of the key criteria for this contract was the fact that the MGB system can be configured in several different ways to provide flexibility to the Commander on the ground.
Tom Winney, Business Development Director at WFEL, said, “We are delighted to be working closely with the Irish Defence Force once again and refreshing their military bridging stocks with the latest MGB systems, to provide vital engineer capabilities. We are seeing increased interest in our MGB bridging systems worldwide, due to their modular and versatile nature, as forces worldwide recognise the need for rapid gap-crossing capability to ensure unrestricted manoeuvre for vehicles of up to 70 tonnes.”
Bushnell Expands Concealment Options with New Micro Reflex Sights
September 8th, 2022
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – September 7, 2022 – Bushnell®, an industry leader in performance optics, announces the availability of two new micro red dot sights for personal protection and concealed carry, the RXC-200 and RXU-200. The two new micro red dots expand Bushnell’s proven RX Series and are compatible with popular optics-ready pistols such as the Glock® 43, S&W Shield™, Springfield Armory Hellcat® and SIG P365™.
Designed for compact semi-auto handguns, the RXC-200 and RXU-200 work across popular optics-ready pistols with the SHIELD Reflex Mini Sight Compact (RMSC) mounting footprint and pattern. Shooters with other handguns can utilize third-party adapter plates or rail mounts to use the RXC-200 and RXU-200 across even more platforms.
At the core of the RXC-200 and RXU-200 is an efficient and clear 6 MOA dot that automatically adjusts intensity for the environment and consumes less energy when holstered or stored. True Tone coatings mitigate blue tint and maximize light transmission. The sights also boast over 50,000 hours of battery life when exposed to typical indoor ambient conditions. Both sights also feature a built-in, backup rear dovetail sight for fast alignment and peace of mind.
Both of the now-available red dots share most of the same features and specs, with the RXC-200 “Compact” featuring a 23.5mm overall height and the RXU-200 “Ultra-Compact” featuring a shorter 19.5mm overall height. Each are slim and streamlined without buttons or protrusions which could snag, but windage and elevation adjustments are easily accessible.
Built to withstand harsh conditions and unrelenting recoil, the aircraft-grade aluminum RXC-200 and RXU-200 exceed MIL-STD-810 impact and vibration requirements. Both red dots are also IPX7-rated and moisture sealed to withstand being submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes.
The Bushnell RXC-200 and the RXU-200 reflex sights have an MSRP of $199.99. To learn more, or to see Bushnell’s full lineup of red dots, head over to Bushnell.com.
Finn-Savotta to Supply New M23 Equipment Sets to the Finnish Defence Forces
September 8th, 2022
We have received a purchase order from the Finnish Defence Forces worth approx. 13 million eur for new M23 belt and pouch sets. We will also be manufacturing the textile parts for a 7 million eur procurement of M17 body armour. The body armour systems will be supplied to the FDF by Finnish body armour specialists C.P.E. Production Oy, for whom we have worked as subcontractors in the earlier procurements of the M17 system.
These projects will keep a considerable portion of our resources busy for a few years and may temporarily affect the availability of our commercial products. We are already working on expanding our production capacity to keep up with the growing demand.
The M23 belt and pouch set is designed for soldiers using M17 body armour and other PALS compatible load carrying equipment. The set includes a PALS compatible belt, two double magazine pouches, one single magazine pouch, four utility pouches, an empty magazine dump pouch and two hand grenade pouches. All pouches are made in Finnish M05 woodland camouflage and feature both PALS and belt attachment systems.
This project will have a domestic employment impact of ca. 50 person-years, with manufacturing being done at our facilities in Finland and Estonia. The main materials used, 500D and 1000D Cordura fabrics, webbing and buckles are made in the EU, with the majority of the webbing and a few other materials used being Finnish made. These are the same high-quality materials we use in the production of our commercial products.
This project is another natural step in our decades long commitment to the Finnish Defence Forces, for whom we have since the 1960’s designed and made, tents, backpacks, the M85 and M05 series of load carrying equipment and various other equipment. It should be noted that for us the Finnish Defence Forces have always been more than just a customer. In the end we design and manufacture gear for use by our friends, family and ourselves.
SOPLETE – A Collab Between Sneakreaper Industries And Black Triangle Group
September 8th, 2022The Soplete is one of the wildest things I’ve run across. As Black Triangle Group tells it,
Here you can see how this “torch to light the way” works. It is a two-fingered operation, at least initially.
Here’s a top view of a fully configured Soplete with WD-40 spray can and disposable lighter.
Soplete will be available Friday September 9th at 12pm Eastern from our friends at Black Triangle Group.
You can read more here.
SIG SAUER Academy Partners with The Light Foundation for Corporate Training Day 2022
September 8th, 2022NEWINGTON, N.H., (September 6, 2022) – SIG SAUER Academy, the leading provider of the highest quality firearms instruction and tactical training in the world, is pleased to announce a partnership with The Light Foundation for its Corporate Training Day 2022 (CTD 2022). The proceeds raised from the event will directly benefit the programming of The Light Foundation whose mission is to provide leadership tools and training through outdoor experiences to underserved youth.
“For many years SIG SAUER has been a major sponsor of The Light Foundation’s Celebrity Shoot-Out founded by former New England Patriot offensive tackle Matt Light, that has raised nearly nine million dollars for the Foundation’s programs,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG SAUER, Inc. “For 2022, we are proud to expand our partnership with Matt and his team by bringing the elite instruction of the SIG SAUER Academy to his Corporate Training Day to further benefit, and expand the reach, of The Light Foundation programming.”
The Light Foundation will host CTD 2022 on Monday, September 12th at Addieville East Farm in Mapleville, Rhode Island. This unique experience offers top level executives an intense and powerful way to build key leadership skills through an immersive experience. The day will include instruction and training on the proper use and handling of both handguns and rifles and individualized instruction with real time feedback on participant performance.
“America’s special operations units set the standard for solving complex problems, overcoming adversity, and achieving results. We are honored to have the instructors of the SIG SAUER Academy, with their special operations experience, contribute to The Light Foundation’s Corporate Training Day for 2022,” added Matt Light, Co-Founder, The Light Foundation.
To learn more, register, or review the course outline, for The Light Foundation Corporate Training Day 2022 presented by SIG SAUER Academy visit mattlight72.com.
