TYR Tactical

Secretary of Defense Establishes Office of Strategic Capital

December 13th, 2022

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today (Dec 1, 2023) established the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), a Department of Defense organization that will help build an enduring technological advantage by partnering with private capital providers.

OSC will connect companies developing critical technologies vital to national security with capital. Critical technologies such as advanced materials, next-generation biotechnology, and quantum science often require long-term financing to bridge the gap between the laboratory and full-scale production, often referred to as the “Valley of Death” in industry.

“We are in a global competition for leadership in critical technologies, and the Office of Strategic Capital will help us win that competition and build enduring national security advantages,” said Secretary Austin. “By working with the private capital markets and by partnering with our federal colleagues, OSC will address investment gaps and add a new tool to the Department’s investment toolbox.”

These technology companies also suffer from a limited supply of longtime-horizon “patient capital,” which results in an inability to transition technology into military capabilities – even for technologies developed with the help of federal research grants or contracts. Moreover, many of these technologies are essential for future defense capabilities but are not purchased directly by the DoD, meaning existing procurement programs are unable to support the relevant companies’ immediate capital needs. 

“America’s strategic competitors are working to influence U.S. technological innovation to their advantage,” said Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu. “OSC is part of a broader administration-wide effort to ‘crowd-in’ private capital in areas where our efforts can boost our future security and prosperity. Our hope is that OSC will be able to strike its first deals by early next year.”

As an office overseen by the Secretary of Defense, the OSC will have an advisory council that includes the Under Secretaries of Defense. The OSC will work across policy, acquisition, and research efforts to increase the amount of capital available to critical technology companies. OSC will also help counter non-market actions by strategic competitors that use U.S. capital markets to advance their own technology goals.

In support of the Under Secretary Defense for Research and Engineering, OSC will complement the innovation organizations already executing programs to support critical technology developers. OSC aims to scale investments between science and technology-focused organizations, such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and commercially-oriented organizations, such as the Defense Innovation Unit, by increasing the capital available to critical technology companies to help them reach scaled production. 

While existing offices rely on grants and contracts to deploy capital, OSC is investigating the use of non-acquisition-based tools, such as loans and loan guarantees. Many other federal agencies use credit programs to participate in capital markets through loans, loan guarantees, development funds, and other tools. 

These types of federal investments have been vital in helping companies such as Apple, Cray Research, and Sun Microsystems early in their development. The OSC is unique within DoD by seeking to use proven credit programs, making strategic public-private investments in supply chains, and supporting critical technology companies from early-stage to full production.

Read more about the OSC at: www.cto.mil/osc

NP Aerospace & Supacat Deliver Training Vehicles to UK MOD

December 12th, 2022

NP Aerospace and Supacat have repurposed a number of IED damaged High Mobility Truck Variant (HMTV) vehicles for UK Ministry of Defence training under the Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support (PMETS) Contract.

The vehicles have been repurposed by NP Aerospace and Supacat engineering teams for the Defence School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (DSEME) in Lyneham. Effectively introducing a simulated training aid that will improve MOD vehicle knowledge and contribute to continued safety improvements.

The initiative has enabled two HMTV Platforms, previously used for training to be returned field Army for operational use and increasing the number of in-service vehicles. The project involved the collection, strip-down, refurbishment and rebuild of three HMTV vehicles to provide five training aids including four static and one mobile skeletonised module. These will be used to assist apprentices and qualified technicians on various courses run by DSEME.

David Petheram, Chief Operating Officer, NP Aerospace, said: “The objective of the UK MOD PMETS Protected Mobility Engineering & Technical Support Contract is to deliver vehicle upgrades and improvements that drive enhancements in safety and performance capability across the fleet, whilst introducing new innovations and sustaining proven platforms. The new HMTV training aids developed with Supacat are a great example of vehicle reuse and engineering innovation for the benefit of improving expertise and knowledge.”

Phil Applegarth, Director of Supacat, commented: “The HMTV platform is a proven platform for use in harsh environments. By refurbishing damaged vehicles and upgrading them with the latest improvements for training, we are able to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring MOD teams are knowledgeable about their equipment, which ultimately keeps crew safe and maximises training or operational availability.”

Ocean State Innovations to Exhibit at SHOT Show Suppliers Showcase

December 12th, 2022

Ocean State Innovations will be exhibiting at the SHOT Show Suppliers Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Palazzo Ballroom – 5th Floor of the Venetian Expo on Monday & Tuesday, January 16-17th, 2023 – Booth # 52240. We hope to see you there! 

Ocean State Innovations

208 Clock Tower Square, Portsmouth, RI 02871

www.osinnovate.com

401-293-5500

Rosco Manufacturing Releases the 13.95” K9 Barrel

December 12th, 2022

December 12th, 2022: Rosco Manufacturing, an American manufacturer of high-quality pistol barrels, rifle barrels, & firearm accessories is proud to announce the launch of their 13.95” K9 Greenline Tactical barrel. This barrel is sponsored by and has been extensively tested by Don Edwards. Don is the owner of Greenline Tactical and a 20+ year veteran of US Army Special Operations.

The K9 13.95 features a mid-length gas system with an optimized gas port to run reliably suppressed and/or unsuppressed. The K9 continuous taper is the most effective profile to dissipate heat from hard use. With weight shifted to the back of the barrel, modern attachments on the front of the rifle create a perfectly balanced and better handling rifle.

Made in the USA, the Rosco way!

Effective immediately, the 13.95” K9 barrel is live and for sale: www.roscomanufacturing.com/product-category/barrels/k9-barrels

Rosco 13.95” K9 barrel, MSRP: $180

From Don Edwards:

“I am excited about the release of this barrel, many of the features incorporated are ones we have been discussing for a few years.  I have shot and tested this barrel from 0-500 yards.  The goal was to make a reliable, accurate soft shooting hard use barrel and it does everything I wanted it to.  I had used the Purebred 13.7 barrels since their birth, the slight added length opens many more muzzle devices that will make this barrel capable of being pinned to 16 inches if the shooter wants it to.”

Revision Unveils New Speed Demon Metal Sunglasses with I-Vis Lens Technology in Collaboration with Fast Metal

December 12th, 2022

Essex Junction, Vermont (December 12, 2022) – Revision Military, a leading producer of protective eyewear, has spent years developing best-in-class ballistic protective lenses. Similarly, Fast Metal and their founder, has spent that time developing premium made in USA aluminum sunglasses. With this announcement of a collaboration, the two companies have combined what they are truly experts in to create the Revision Speed Demon metal sunglasses with Revision’s new I-Vis™ lens technology. These sunglasses bring together state of the art lens technology with a sleek, stylish frame.

Fast Metal was built on over 35 years of experience in manufacturing the highest quality metal sunglasses by its founder, Ken Wilson. As the pioneer of the aluminum sunglass industry, Ken created the first patented 27-step procedure for manufacturing high-quality aluminum frames. Today, Fast Metal is proud to offer the world’s first and best aluminum sunglass and eyewear protection system featuring field replaceable lenses.

Over the past 20 years, Revision has grown to be the proven supplier of military protective eyewear to NATO forces around the world. This new partnership with Fast Metal is a powerful relationship that combines military and tactical industry expertise with the best in aluminum sunglass design. The goal – to create an eyewear protection system that customers not only need but want.

“At Revision we believe in the power of partnerships and collaborations in bringing new and exciting technology to end-users quickly,” said Revision CEO Amy Coyne.  “Our new I-Vis lens technology delivers enhanced visual performance and we needed an everyday sunglass platform to offer protection, style and performance. We believe this collab is just the beginning of our partnership with Ken and the Fast Metal team.”

So what’s so special about this new Revision Speed Demon Sunglass?

Well first, the frame is completely made out of aluminum 7075 allow that provides ANSI Z87.1 protection.

Second, it is available with Revision’s new I-Vis lens technology. This technology is an advanced dye formulation process resulting in a new series of lens tints that markedly enhance visual performance. More than a single solution, I-Vis lenses are available in six tints, each optimized for use in a different environment. Each tint is designed to increase contrast and elevate color recognition in specific geographic regions, doing so without the negative effects associated with traditional monochromatic lens tints. These Speed Demon lenses also come with Revision’s OcuMax® anti-fog and scratch coating and are field replaceable.

Finally, all frames and lenses are made in the USA; frames are made by Fast Metal in Yuma, Arizona and lenses are made by Revision in Essex Junction, Vermont. Product is available for sale today at www.revisionmilitary.com and coming soon to Revision’s network of dealers and distributors around the globe.

Atlas Shirt from Kapsul

December 12th, 2022

The support of the head and neck complex is critical in all activities including sport, powersports, safety and the military. Attempts to support the neck have failed due to restriction in functional range of motion and comfort. Kapsul Tech is proud to announce its release of the Atlas Shirt. The Atlas shirt provides unparalleled, unrestricted protection and performance enhancement to the Head/Neck complex. Unparalleled, since Kapsul Technology is the only Dynamic Neck Stabilization Technology (DNST) product on the market, in the field, on the field, in the snow or wherever sport or activity happens. Kapsul’s patented solution helps protect the neck (and brain) through the dissipation of force. These forces can include Concussive Force, Repetitive Sub-Concussive Trauma, Posture and Vibration. The technology uses proprietary medical-grade, rate absorptive, viscoelastic foams against the skin and across joints to reduce joint acceleration, under stress and/or strain. The dissipation of force increases joint stability through reducing the load on active (muscles) and passive (ligaments, joint surfaces, etc.) support systems. It also mitigates the risk of injury, pain, strain, and fatigue to empower athletes and service members to do what they love, at their highest level, for as long as possible. All this in a form where the user barely feels it is there, until support is required.

Kapsul Tech was formed in 2015, built around the idea of empowering athletes and service members to do what they love longer through the provision of enhanced support to critical areas of the body. Kapsul is supported by leading edge research facilities and a consortium of Orthopaedic Surgeons, who are responsible for the Worlds leading athletes, including the NFL, CFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, Rugby and World Cup Skiing. The Kapsul Atlas was designed to seamlessly integrate into existing equipment under a variety of conditions and environments.

Why the Neck? To this point there is no solution that supports the neck that does not hinder the neck’s ability to move with an unrestricted range of motion. On the field or battlefield, this range of motion is crucial to optimal performance. Joint mobility comes at a cost. The more mobile the joint, the less stable those joints are. Your neck is especially vulnerable when you perform activities that tire the muscles and challenge ligaments and soft tissues that are the joints’ natural support system. This weakening of your neck’s natural support system and destabilization of its joints render you more susceptible to serious injury and pain from sudden impacts, low-force impacts, repetitive motion, and prolonged postural positions. The neck also controls the motion of the head and the brain housed within it. Acceleration/Deceleration of the neck create a relative acceleration of the brain inside the skull. Support and control of these motions in the head may protect the brain, particularly in conditions that don’t involve blunt force trauma directly to the head.

How does this relate to service members? Members of the military are athletes in their own right. Asked to perform tasks under duress and while carrying heavy loads. Body armor, helmets, night vision and weapon systems all place extreme load on the body. Additionally, the tasks we ask service members to complete, parachute insertion, mobility operations and general combat operations, while wearing kit, produce countless injuries and long-term disability. Kapsul understands this problem and its transition to military products was the clear next step. Actually, the product was born, designed and tested with the military athlete in mind. No single sporting category has the physical demands of the military athlete and injury statistics clearly demonstrate this. Kapsul Tactical will provide stand-alone solutions such as the Atlas shirt, and they are currently working with elements of USSOCOM and CANSOFCOM to develop the next generation of Kapsul protections. These innovations will include the complete integration of the Kapsul collar with existing Programs of Record, including combat shirts, flight suits, dry suits and tactical vests.

While the neck was its first choice, given the number 1 and 2 injuries sustained by US Forces were TBI and Neck Injury, Kapsul is also working to develop integrated support systems for other areas of the body, like the lower back and knees. Lots more to come from Kapsul!

More info on Kapsul and the Atlas Shirt can be found at www.kapsultech.com.

Colorado’s 138th Space Control Squadron Pioneers New Training

December 12th, 2022

SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. — The Colorado Air National Guard’s 138th Space Control Squadron, in conjunction with the National Space Test and Training Complex, conducted a training event named “Neptune Falcon,” which took place at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, to test new capabilities for meeting wartime objectives in the space domain. 

The exercise, held over 10 days in October 2022 at a newly created forward operating base by Airmen of the 138th, simulated real-world expeditionary operations and prepared them for upcoming deployments. 
 
“This is a Secretary of Defense level joint interoperability exercise that includes aircraft from Air Combat Command, space participants from the 138th Space Control Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard, and the 25th Space Range Squadron, as well as a host of other participants,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Andy Gold, commander,138th SPCS, said. 
 
There have been many significant milestones that the 138th SPCS has led along the way, according to Gold. 
 
“This is the first time a U.S. Air Force or Air National Guard weapons system has ever connected to the Range Closed Loop Environment,” Maj. Matthew Thampy, assistant director of operations, 25th Space Range Squadron, said. “The RCLE provides a highly realistic electronic warfare system to train and test our systems.” 
 
This is also the first time the RCLE has been requested by a combatant command to support a joint interoperability exercise, such as Neptune Falcon. Additionally, this marks the first Total Force event (integration of Active Duty and Reserve forces) in which the combatant command and Air National Guard unit employed the RCLE, paving the way for future support for the broader Department of Defense need of realistic, dynamic environments to support the warfighter. 
 
“During this exercise, we are training to deal with crew dynamics, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as getting hands-on system time,”  U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Lindsey Sequoia, 138th SPCS space control operator, and Neptune Falcon participant, said. “Getting that practice on how to respond in a real-world scenario is invaluable to me.” 
 
Neptune Falcon also signifies a key Total Force Integration partnership for future training and test events involving the National Guard Bureau, Space Operations Command, and Space Training and Readiness Command. 
 
“Events like this also meet key U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force directives for highly realistic training events/scenarios in preparing Guardians, Airmen for war,” Thampy said. 
 
The 138th SPCS stood up in May 2019 and has rapidly improved the training environment to create the most realistic wartime scenarios possible, preparing space professionals for future wartime missions. Forward Operating Base Schriever is the latest iteration of technological advances in training for the members, which creates a superior training environment never before experienced by Air National Guard or Active Duty space warriors.

By Mr. John Rohrer, 140th Wing Public Affairs

DEFTEX Announces New Distribution Partnership with Qore Performance, Inc. for Germany

December 11th, 2022

USA and Germany: Defence Textile is a young German company specializing in the Military and Law Enforcement sectors. Their focus is providing innovative and high-quality equipment for professional end-users. DEFTEX is happy to announce that they are now an official distributor of the Qore Performance IceAge Ecosystem of thermoregulation/hydration performance-enhancing tools for Germany. “We can offer now our German customers outstanding products such as IcePlate Curve thermoregulation/hydration systems and IceVents Ultralight Ventilated Padding. Another advantage for our customers is the fast in-stock availability and low shipping costs. We look forward to future cooperation with Qore Performance,” said Florian Fenkes of DEFTEX.

www.deftex.info

www.QorePerformance.com