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Comp-Tac Revisits CTAC…the Original CT Holster

May 28th, 2021

HOUSTON, May 26, 2021 – Comp-Tac® released its updated and enhanced CTAC™ V2 Holster May 26.

The original CTAC™ is an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster first introduced at the beginning of Comp-Tac in 1999. Since then, it has been a favorite among customers because of its thin design and resistance to sweat in hot and humid climates.

The CTAC V2 is an updated version that takes the knowledge and technology Comp-Tac has gained in the last 22 years to become even better. The CTAC V2 maintains the same functionality but now incorporates some new features, including a narrower overall design with the two mounting clips brought in closer to the body of the holster. Additionally, the holster body has been updated to accommodate micro-red dot optics and the color options have been expanded from only black to include coyote brown, OD green and wolf gray.

“When we first started making holsters, it was a thrill to see our products loved and used by so many,” said Gordon Carrell Comp-Tac general manager. “After 22 years of learned experience, bringing on new technology and staying current with the changes in firearm design, we knew we needed to show our original holster some love. The CTAC V2 is a fresh take on a popular holster that doesn’t lose any of the draw of the original.”

For more information about the CTAC V2, visit www.comp-tac.com/ctac-v2

Posted in Advertiser, Holsters, Press Release | Comments Off on Comp-Tac Revisits CTAC…the Original CT Holster

FirstSpear Friday Focus: OEM Spotlight Shaw Concepts

May 28th, 2021

It’s Friday and this week is our third installment of our OEM Partner Series. We’ll take a look at an OEM company that FS has partnered with and the equipment they produce. Check out all American company, Shaw Concepts.

How did Shaw Concepts originate?

Shaw Concepts, LLC. started after emailing a custom gear maker (before the boom in gear markers this past year) to get a quote for a carrier I designed only to find out they wanted a thousand dollars to do it. I talked with one of the riggers at the paraloft who mentioned I could just get a sewing machine for that much and do it myself, so I did just that. I made my own carry and some other equipment and that generated interest around the barracks. So I made some gear for people around the barracks and sewed name tapes to cammies. Eventually I decided to make an Instagram page to showcase some of the work. On April 16, 2019, I started the IG page and that’s when it really started took off.

Why was the ARC series created?

The ARC Series of equipment started due to dissatisfaction with gear on the market and a belief that I could improve it. The ARC Carrier was the first product and was born from identifying some issues and missing features in other plate carriers. I created a carrier that featured solutions to the previous carriers challenges. Some of those issues were comfort, a lack of placard acceptability, maritime ditch capability, expanding plate bags and aftermarket adaptability. Other items joined the ARC suite that resolved other issues and bridged gaps in the market. The ARC Suite continues to grow today.

There are many options for private label manufacturing all around the world, how did you select FirstSpear?

I knew of FirstSpear already having used some of their equipment and during my search for a manufacturer was pleasantly surprised to discover they also offered OEM manufacturing. I was familiar with the quality of the equipment and wanted to find an OEM that would be able to offer consistent quality sewing. It also was great that FirstSpear has the FirstSpear Tubes™ as I am a fan of them and I use them in a good number of my products.

Why was made in the USA important to Shaw Concepts?

American Manufacturing is important for several reasons. The first is Berry Compliance to meet military regulations. Some may view it as an obstacle, but we believe the military should utilize American made goods as this is a supply security issue and a matter of national integrity. The second is the providing of good paying American jobs. This ties into the third reason, which is American Self Reliance. The world and especially the global market is extremely interconnected, which has left America extremely dependent on foreign goods and labor, which is a glaring security issue. This leaves us vulnerable to sabotage or simple bad luck as Shaw Concepts holds an “America First” belief and approach.

Why did you select Tubes™ as your fastener of choice for your carrier?

There are a decent amount of hardware options on the market and most of them are great at certain tasks. FirstSpear Tubes are another great option that are also unique in how they are designed and how they can be implemented. The key difference we’ve noticed is how minimal the distance is between the two items the Tube marries up. This can best be seen on cummerbunds and our RAID Pouch. Other buckles would leave a much larger gap and when it comes to gear the more real estate you can open up to be used the better.

Another aspect is the ease AND intentionality of connecting and disconnecting. Other buckles exist that can be easily disconnected but are difficult to reconnect. The impressive thing about FirstSpear Tubes is that they are designed in a way that requires intentional directional disconnection that is also easy to perform while also making it simple to reconnect one handed. There are some alternatives to FirstSpear Tubes that are more economically attractive but lack this functionality.

What sets your product apart from others on the market?

What sets Shaw Concepts products apart is a mix of personal investment in the quality of the equipment as well as unique designs introduced. Some ideas are based on a wishlist of items I wish I had at different points in Force Reconnaissance and other ideas are based on trying to make certain items more comfortable to wear or easier to use. We were the first to introduce the Tubed Hanger Pouch and have since been copied by other companies. The same goes for a good number of our other designs as well.

For more information about Shaw Concepts, check out: shaw-concepts.com

For more information about FirstSpear and OEMs, contact sales@first-spear.com.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Load Carrying | 3 Comments »

Air Force Releases Updated Fitness Test Score Breakdown

May 28th, 2021

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

The Air Force will resume physical fitness testing July 1 with only three components: push-ups, sit-ups and the 1.5-mile run.

Without the waist measurement as a scored component, push-ups and sit-ups will increase from 10 to 20 points each, while the 1.5-mile run will remain at 60 points. Scoring will fall into five-year age groups, as opposed to the previous 10. Updated charts can be found here.

The waist measurement will no longer be required as part of the physical fitness test but a separate assessment of body composition, as required by DoD Instruction 1308.3, will continue starting in October. Testing for body composition may continue to use some form of waist measurement and may be administered during PT testing to reduce scheduling and administrative burdens, but body composition will not be a component of the PT test itself. Further details on the body composition program will be released at a later date.

The Air Force has also worked on alternative strength and cardiovascular testing exercise options with plans to announce them in the coming weeks. Once announced, members and fitness monitors will have approximately six months to familiarize themselves with use and execution of the alternative testing options prior to having them available in January 2022. Members will have a choice of which testing options they choose for their physical fitness assessment components. The six-month timeline will help ensure fitness assessment cells are prepared to train physical training leaders to administer tests using the new options.

“We are moving away from a one-size-fits-all model,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. “More testing options will put flexibility in the hands of our Airmen – where it belongs. We know not all Airmen maintain their fitness the same way and may excel in different areas. Alternate components provide choices while still providing a mechanism to determine overall fitness.”

These changes align under the Air Force’s Action Order Airmen, people-first approach.

“Physical fitness is an important part of our everyday lives, it’s more than just a test – it’s a way of life, our readiness and ultimately our future success,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass. “July 1st is a chance to refocus on building a lifestyle of fitness and health, and I know our Airmen will be ready.”

For additional information, Airmen can visit myPers or the Air Force’s Personnel Center’s fitness program page.

The Space Force will follow these policies until service-specific fitness policies are developed and fielded.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, Training | 5 Comments »

High Speed Gear Extends Cost Savings to Customers for Lightweight Pouches

May 27th, 2021

SWANSBORO, N.C. – May 26, 2021 – High Speed Gear® recently reduced the price of its entire lightweight LT line of TACO® magazine pouches.

The company decided to pass on the savings to its customers after manufacturing and technological advancements reduced the cost to make these pouches. The change in price brings the LTs down to nearly the same price as the originals. The TACO LTs are constructed from proprietary materials to decrease their weight by 25 percent compared to their counterparts without sacrificing any of the functionality or versatility of the originals.

The TACO LTs were designed for users who need to save weight wherever possible. This family of products includes the TACO LT, Double Decker® TACO LT, Pistol TACO LT and Extended Pistol TACO LT.

“These pouches are meant for anyone who believes in the ‘ounces equal pain’ axiom and we’re very pleased to make them even more accessible to our customers,” explained Bill Babboni, HSGI® vice president of sales and operations. “The LTs have been a phenomenal seller for us for years and it means a lot that we can give back in this way. We pride ourselves on serving those who serve and passing on the savings on products like these is a great, if small, way to do exactly that.”

You can watch the official product video for the LT family at vimeo.com/highspeedgear/tacolt.

Posted in Advertiser, Load Carrying, Press Release | Comments Off on High Speed Gear Extends Cost Savings to Customers for Lightweight Pouches

Civil Air Patrol Awards $2.1 Million Contract to Persistent Systems to Supply AERONet system

May 27th, 2021

Airborne Extensible Relay Over-Horizon Network will connect emergency managers to remote rescue and disaster relief teams

For Release on March 30, 2021

NEW YORK– March 30, 2021 – Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”), an industry leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) technology, announced today it has been awarded a $2.1 million contract to supply AERONet to Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

Persistent will outfit nine aircraft, 21 dismounted ground units, six vehicles and three tactical operations centers with AERONet, or the Airborne Extensible Relay Over-Horizon Network, an IP-based MANET capability that can facilitate:

• Disaster relief and emergency aid,

• Drug interdiction and other law enforcement missions,

• Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance,

• Personnel recovery operations,

• Close air support, and

• Joint force and joint nation operations.

The contract follows multiple earlier ones that included AERONet equipment for five aircraft, three dismounted units, one vehicle and one tactical operations center, along with spares.

“With AERONet, Civil Air Patrol will be able to conduct disaster relief and emergency aid missions far more effectively,” said Adrien Robenhymer, Persistent’s VP of Business Development for Air Force and Intelligence Community Programs. “Teams that otherwise would have had to operate in isolation can now connect back to a tactical operations center and be guided by medical professionals.”

Separate AERONet enclaves can also be federated at a regional hub, so different organizations can better coordinate their activities and avoid working at cross-purposes, Robenhymer added.

The AERONet kit for a Civil Air Patrol aircraft includes two MPU5 tactical networking devices, each operating on separate radio frequency bands and using a different set of multiple-input and multiple output antennas, said Gabe Pagliere, Persistent Systems project engineer and lead on the company’s AERONet efforts.

“When the tactical operations center and deployed ground teams are not in range of each other, they can relay their communication through the AERONet equipment on the airplane,” Pagliere said. “This enables their communication to extend across long distances, over terrain and around obstructions.”

Persistent Systems successfully conducted an AERONet demonstration in August linking an aircraft to a tactical operations center and a beyond-line-sight unit on the ground. The link delivered a live video feed to simulate how medical doctors could provide remote assistance from anywhere in the world. The demonstration proved that robust network connectivity could save lives during a disaster relief effort.

“Following that, we completed our first AERONet integration with an international customer,” Robenhymer said, “and we are already supporting multiple domestic and international implementations of this capability.”

www.persistentsystems.com

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Comms, Contracts, Press Release | Comments Off on Civil Air Patrol Awards $2.1 Million Contract to Persistent Systems to Supply AERONet system

Introducing the NEW Venom 5-25×56 FFP Riflescope

May 27th, 2021

THE VORTEX® VENOM® 5-25×56 FFP. START LOOKING FOR A LONGER RANGE.

BARNEVELD, Wis. – Vortex Optics is launching the all-new Venom® 5-25×56 FFP, the first in a new series of optics aimed at giving shooters all the tools they need to get into the game at an affordable price without compromising optical quality, or giving up the features they need to be competitive.

The Venom® 5-25×56 FFP is a perfect example of what shooters should expect from the Venom® lineup, providing new shooters an entry-level price with next-level tools. There are some obvious features that showoff the Venom® 5-25×56 FFP’s long-range pedigree. There’s the 34mm tube, maximizing turret travel. There’s the RevStop™ Zero System, a fast, easy, rock-solid return to zero. And, an included throw lever means rapid, smooth magnification adjustments are a snap.

But take a look inside the Venom® 5-25×56 FFP and you start to see how this riflescope makes it easier for new shooters to learn, all while keeping them in the game. The First Focal Plane reticle ensures subtensions are accurate throughout the mag range, which shooters will love because the EBR-7C reticle makes it easy to measure and range targets in scope. The 5x zoom range takes shooters farther, letting them punch out to 1,000 yards and beyond.

Just because a shooter is new to the game doesn’t mean they should be limited by inferior optics, and the Venom® 5-25×56 FFP is a perfect example of how the Venom® line makes it easier to not just get started, but to have the tools shooters need to be competitive right away.

MSRP:

$699.99 – Venom® 5-25×56 FFP MOA Riflescope

$699.99 – Venom® 5-25×56 FFP MRAD Riflescope

For a list of specifications, frequently asked questions and high-resolution images, check out the Vortex New Products Portal. For more information, visit VortexOptics.com.

Posted in Optics, Press Release | 2 Comments »

XTech Tactical Releases VP9sk / P30sk Magazine +2 Extender Kit

May 27th, 2021

Chandler, AZ

May 25th, 2021

For Immediate Release:

XTech Tactical has released its VP9sk/P30sk 9mm Magazine Conversion kits for the Heckler and Koch VP9sk & P30sk in 9mm. The kits convert factory H&K 10rd magazines to 12rds while also providing a much-improved grip of the pistol. The kits are MADE IN THE USA and are $17.95.

The kit includes a follower, spring button and base plate and will add two rounds to existing 10rd magazines.

The magazine extender is less overall length and size than the H&K factory finger extension while offering the user 2 additional rounds.

The kits are in stock and shipping!

www.xtechtactical.com/product/mtx-hk-vp9sk-p30sk-plus2

Posted in Press Release, Weapon Accessories | Comments Off on XTech Tactical Releases VP9sk / P30sk Magazine +2 Extender Kit

Spiritus Systems – MOLLE Back Panel

May 27th, 2021

The MOLLE back panel was designed to give LV/119 O V E R T users the ability to quickly swap out multiple rear bag loadout configurations based on the needs of a mission set.

With its semi-rigid MOLLE frame, multiple anchor points, and quick zip installation, the MOLLE Back Panel is just as robust as a permanent sewn-in system while providing a near limitless set of pouch combination options.

www.spiritussystems.com

Posted in Admin | 7 Comments »