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U.S. Army Selects AeroVironment JUMP 20 Medium Unmanned Aircraft System to Enter Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) Program Increment 2

March 2nd, 2023

• AeroVironment is the only company to secure an award for all FTUAS program increments, including FTUAS Increments 0,1 and now 2

• Increment 2 is the final phase of the U.S. Army’s FTUAS program competition to select a replacement for the RQ-7B Shadow UAS

The JUMP 20 is shown conducting flight tests and maneuvers on February 25-26, 2021, at Fort Benning, Georgia during the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) Rodeo. (Photo: Courtesy asset of the U.S. Department of Defense attributed to Mr. Luke J. Allen). The appearance of U.S. DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

ARLINGTON, Va., March 1, 2023 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, today announced it was selected by the United States Army on Feb. 28, 2023, to move forward in the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program.

AeroVironment’s JUMP 20 will compete with several other vendors in the FTUAS Increment 2 multi-phased effort which will allow the Army to select the best system for its needs. Ultimately, FTUAS Increment 2 aircraft will be fielded to Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) throughout the Army, replacing the long-serving RQ-7B Shadow UAS.

During the early stages of what would become the U.S. Army’s FTUAS program, AeroVironment’s JUMP 20 demonstrated superior competitive performance and was awarded the FTUAS Increment 1 contract to develop a prototype system to field to one Brigade Combat Team (BCT). Its success throughout the demonstrations led to AeroVironment’s contract award for FTUAS Increment 0, in which the U.S. Army fielded the JUMP 20 into an additional Army BCT within the United States Army Europe. AeroVironment is the only company awarded the FTUAS contract for all three program increments.

“The AeroVironment JUMP 20 is the most mature and capable solution in its class,” said Gorik Hossepian, AeroVironment’s vice president and product line general manager for medium unmanned aircraft systems. “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Army to ensure we meet their performance needs both today for an all-environment aircraft system and in the future as requirements evolve to meet changing battlefield demands.”

Posted in Army, Contracts, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on U.S. Army Selects AeroVironment JUMP 20 Medium Unmanned Aircraft System to Enter Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) Program Increment 2

Airborne Innovation Lab Presents Additive Manufacturing Course

March 2nd, 2023

Last week, the AIL hosted a Basic Additive Manufacturing Course. This 40 hour course taught the basic concepts of Additive Manufacturing and how to efficiently implement it within the DoD.

Students came from various units across Fort Bragg including Division, 18th Fires, 3SFG, and 2SFAB. Students completed the course with a capstone project Highlighted here was a handcuff skeleton key which van be hidden in a boot lace.

AIL offers a variety of courses that can be found on our website:

www.army.mil/82ndairborne#org-airborne-innovation-lab

Posted in Disruptive Tech, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on Airborne Innovation Lab Presents Additive Manufacturing Course

Explosive Hazard Recognition Cards

March 2nd, 2023

My friend Grzegorz gave me a pack of playing cards today that were created to help keep people alive in Ukraine.

Intended to educate about different types of munitions, each card features a photo with size and weight ?data and a QR code to learn more about the item.

For example, here it the card for the PFM-1 with the QR code going here.

To learn more, visit fenix-insight.online.

Posted in CIED, Munitions | 3 Comments »

Enforce Tac 23 – Benchmade Claymore

March 2nd, 2023

Designed as a replacement for the long serving AFO, the Claymore is lighter, thinner, and faster opening.

Also an automatic opener, they’ve improved the blade steel to CPM-D2 and moved the pocket clip for deep carry. Additionally, Benchmade moved the safety and enlarged it to make it easier to manipulate.

If all that wasn’t enough, it’s also cheaper than the AFO.

The Claymore has been issued NSN 1095-01-796-1907.

Posted in Enforce Tac, Knives | Comments Off on Enforce Tac 23 – Benchmade Claymore

Enforce Tac 23 – Adept Armor

March 2nd, 2023

Adept Armor is a US company that specializes in ballistic armor innovation like their NovaSteel Ballistic Buckler.

They took the opportunity of Enforce Tac to preview their latest product, a hard armor plate that replaces the ceramic strike face with treated glass. The result is both weight and cost savings. We should have some definitive ballistic performance and weight data soon.

Posted in Armor, Enforce Tac, Materials | Comments Off on Enforce Tac 23 – Adept Armor

Enforce Tac 23 – FROG.PRO U.LOK

March 2nd, 2023

The new hotness from Italy’s FROG.PRO is their patented U.LOK attachment system which utilizes magnetic studs to secure a pouch or panel to a platform.

This modular magnetic attachment system allows you to quickly attach and detach panels and pouches.

Detachment is as simple of pulling one handle and the magnets snap everything into alignment.

Posted in Enforce Tac, Load Carrying | 3 Comments »

Enforce Tac 23 – Tilak J Jotun MIG Jacket

March 2nd, 2023

The other garment I wanted to show you from Tilak is the new Jotun MiG jacket. It is manufactured from Polartec WindPro material which makes it more abrasion resistant than standard Power Stretch. I really like the styling.

It features zippered shoulder pockets on either arm, two zippered lower chest pockets, and pit zips for ventilation.

Offered in Green and Black, sizes Small – XXLarge.

www.tilak.cz

Posted in Clothing, Enforce Tac | Comments Off on Enforce Tac 23 – Tilak J Jotun MIG Jacket

First-Ever Multi-Domain Effects Crews Increase Readiness at Fort Huachuca

March 2nd, 2023

FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — Senior leaders from across the Army converged on Fort Huachuca on Feb. 13, to observe a new development in Army Modernization: the successful conclusion of the 1st Multi-Domain Effects Battalion’s inaugural exercise, conducted on the newly built 1st Lt. John R. Fox Multi-Domain Operations Non-Kinetic Range Complex.

Throughout the day, the 1st MDEB demonstrated a wide array of non-kinetic effects, highlighting the significance of this milestone in the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force’s path to become fully operationally capable.

The Multi-Domain Effects Battalion, assigned to the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, has the mission of employing non-kinetic effects to deter adversary aggression in the Pacific.

The commander of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca, Maj. Gen. Anthony Hale, hosted the visiting party, consisting of almost 50 general officers and senior leaders, to demonstrate the effects of a collaborative effort to create realistic training and to test Army crews on using technologies and hardware that no military on earth has ever before fielded.

“This is a great opportunity for Fort Huachuca to show our unique capabilities in the electromagnetic spectrum on the 1st Lt. John R. Fox range,” said Hale. “We have 700 acres of training area, we have 1,500 square miles of restricted airspace, and since we are surrounded by mountains, we can keep the electrons in our range complex. And this really allows the MDEB to come out here and really test their capabilities to train on their systems that they are going to deploy with into theater.”

Completion of this range complex marks the culmination of two years of collaborative effort, starting when the Chief of Staff of the Army approved Fort Huachuca for a planning task to develop the first multi-domain operations-capable range.

“We have been testing equipment for the Army and for the joint force for over 70 years now we are bringing this training capability, not only to the Army, but to the joint force,” said Hale. “The MDEB is training their teams on their equipment that they will deploy with into theater and use. As we do that in the joint environment, that makes everybody better in our warfighting capabilities.”

Soldiers training on this new range complex emerged with an enhanced understanding of multi-domain operations and their important role in the Pacific region, ultimately to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“This will certainly be a key component of our training program as we move forward,” said Brig. Gen. Bernard Harrington, commander of the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force. “As our Soldiers go through this training, they are rehearsing their individual and small unit tasks in preparation to deploy forward in theater and operate in a real-world environment.”

This exercise is a major milestone, and a critical part of a massive Department of Defense effort to modernize the force and prevent future conflicts.

“The Army and the Department of Defense is taking on the largest modernization effort in the last four decades,” said Peter Don, Senior Technical Advisor for USAICoE and Fort Huachuca. “We realized that as we modernized our kit, our capabilities, and our formation, our ranges were not keeping pace and would not allow us to work through the next generation of weapon systems, collection systems, and also have us work through our warfighting functions and concepts. So, we wanted to create an environment and a range and a training area that would allow us to train and certify our Soldiers on their weapon systems, but also explore and expose different technology that will allow us to adjust how we need to fight.”

Story by LTC Derek Wamsley, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force

Photos by SFC Henrique De Holleben

Posted in Army, CEMA, Guest Post | Comments Off on First-Ever Multi-Domain Effects Crews Increase Readiness at Fort Huachuca