During IWA Helikon-Tex displayed their new products on mannequins arrayed around their stand. Each day we will showcase a different one and detail the gear.
Since it’s St Patrick’s Day why not feature some green for Day 5?
All set for a patrol, this ensemble consists of MCDU Combat Shirt and Pants with a CPU Hat and Guardian Chest Rig.
The MCDU Pants are new for this year.
Born from the legendary performance of its big brother the Razor762™, the Razor556™ is the first choice for lightweight durability. Rugged’s dedicated 5.56mm suppressor has decreased blowback, recoil, and flash mitigation standard while clocking in at only 13.4 oz. This suppressor is an out-of-the-box solution designed specifically to tame the sound impulse at the shooter’s ear of America’s rifle, the AR-15/M-16.
The Razor556™ features:
• Lightweight Durability
? Rugged Suppressors are built to last a lifetime and beyond and this one is no different. Weighing 13.4 ounces, it is made from 17-4 Stainless steel and Stellite® baffles.
• Reduced Blowback
? The Razor556 is designed to have reduced gas blowback for your semi-auto and full-auto platforms. No more gas in the face while shooting.
• Belt Fed Rated®
? The Razor556 is machined from top-of-the-line materials to not only last a lifetime but withstand anything you throw at it. The Razor556 is Belt Fed Rated® with no barrel length restrictions. Because we believe your gear shouldn’t be what’s holding you back.
ruggedsuppressors.com/rifle-suppressors/razor556
The new PYTHON BOONIE REVERSIBLE G1 from Phantomleaf is completely reversible, using their WASP II Z3A and Z2 patterns.
There are loops on the boonie to add PYTHON LEAVES G1 and natural material. Additionally, the brim edge is asymmetric in order to create different shadows.
The products in the PYTHON line are made from their proprietary material: very lightweight but very durable, quiet, FR, completely NIR, fast drying / low water absorption, small packsize, dense woven: mechanical barrier for biting insects and less snagging with vegetation.
Available now from www.recon-company.com.
More Info at www.phantomleaf.de
AUSTIN, Texas — The Army’s vision for a future force includes the ability to expertly wield modern weaponry, systems and technologies, at command, squad and individual Soldier levels.
To tackle the challenge of how to best prepare American Soldiers for the fast-paced, multi-domain battlefields of the future, U.S. Army Futures Command is developing equipment designed to improve Soldier movement, vision and combat capabilities.
Coordinating modernization priorities in this area is the Soldier Lethality Cross-Functional Team, based at Fort Benning, Georgia. Brig. Gen. Larry Q. Buris serves as the CFT’s director and as Fort Benning’s Infantry School Commandant, ensuring the needs of the Close Combat Force — a group that includes select infantry, scouts, combat medics, forward observers, combat engineers and Special Operations Forces — are at the forefront of Soldier Lethality CFT efforts.
“Close combat is warfare characterized by brutal physical confrontation,” Buris said. “The CCF designation identifies those positions in the brigade combat team that are truly the tip of the spear, those who close with and destroy our adversaries.”
Buris noted that CCF “make up 4% of the military, but since World War II, have sustained 90% of the casualties — and they receive less than 4% of the DoD budget for Science and Technology.”
The Soldier Lethality CFT seeks to not only identify unique and evolving warfighter needs, but also to harness promising technologies in ways that skillfully and efficiently meet these needs, through improved equipment, training and resources. The team works closely with Program Executive Offices and other partners across the Army to apply Soldier-centered design, frequently using Soldier touchpoints to ensure advances align with Soldiers’ tactical requirements. The CFT includes approximately 55 Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and contractors working across four divisions: Capabilities Management, Operations & Integration, Acquisition Management and Science & Technology.
One of the CFT’s signature efforts is the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program. The NGSW program includes a common fire control, common family of ammunition and two 6.8mm caliber weapons – a rifle (the XM5) and an automatic rifle (the XM250). The XM5 and XM250 will eventually replace the M4/M4A1 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, respectively, in the CCF.
The program, which is scheduled to begin fielding prototypes by late 2022, aims to provide Soldiers with the highest quality, most capable small caliber weapons and ammunition to achieve and retain overmatch against adversaries. Specific advantages offered by the NGSW include increased performance at range, integrated squad fire control, enhanced ergonomics, lightweight case ammunition technologies and signature suppression capabilities. The new weapons will improve Soldier mobility and maneuverability, enhancing ability to execute missions and evade adversaries.
The Soldier Lethality CFT is additionally working to advance the Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System program. IVAS allows for augmented reality capabilities, such as the ability to see around corners or project 3D terrain maps onto a Soldier’s field of vision, to increase lethality. IVAS also maps and captures 360-degree images of any environment, day or night, and preserves that information for Soldiers to use during training and rehearsals. The Army continues to work with Microsoft, which manufactures the mixed-reality headsets through a fixed-price production agreement with the Army, to develop their durability for all-weather field use.
Until recently, the CFT also led the development of the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular for the Army. The ENVG-B offers improved depth perception and rapid target acquisition by providing dismounted Soldiers with unparalleled vision day or night, including in low or no light, fog, smoke and inclement weather. In 2021, the CFT transitioned the ENVG-B to the Maneuver Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate’s Soldier Readiness Division for further development and fielding, in an effort to continually improve the visual aids available to Soldiers operating in low-visibility environments.
To learn more, visit the Soldier Lethality CFT on Twitter.
By Maureena Thompson, Army Futures Command
Taufkirchen, 11. March 2022 – In the course of the acquisition of three Lockheed C-130J-30 and KC-130J “Hercules” aircraft each, the German Bundeswehr decided to equip all aircraft with HENSOLDT’s latest generation of defense sensor technology. With MILDS Block 2, HENSOLDT is supplying a total of 35 sensors (five per aircraft and five units for lab use) to Danish company Terma A/S, which is managing the integration of the systems at Lockheed Martin through Terma Inc. The contracts, with a scope of 2.9 million euros, were signed in 2020. So far, 20 sensors and the ordered desiccant-kits have already been delivered. By January 2023, the remaining 15 sensors will be delivered. The first “Hercules” for the German Air Force was handed over in Évreux/Fauville (France) on February 19, 2022 to the Franco-German air-transport squadron. With MILDS Block 2, HENSOLDT is also helping to close the capability gap created by the retirement of the C-160 “Transall”.
MILDS Block 2 is a passive, true imaging sensor system optimised for detecting emission signatures in the UV solar blind spectral band emitted from an approaching missile exhaust plume. The sensor is designed as the successor to the well-known MILDS AN/AAR-60, offering increased sensitivity and additional applications. MILDS Block 2 detects incoming missile threats and indicates the direction of arrival with maximum warning time. MILDS Block 2’s high spatial resolution combined with advanced temporal processing provides a very high declaration rate while virtually eliminating false alarms. MILDS Block 2 consists typically of four to six identical interconnected detectors integrated into the higher-level EW system. In addition, neither cooling nor a central processing unit are required.
A high percentage of aircraft losses in current and recent conflicts have been caused by ground-based defense systems using IR SAM (infrared surface-to-air missile). To keep pace with this evolution on the threat side, HENSOLDT Sensors has developed the MILDS AN/AAR-60 Block 2 missile warning system, a self-protection solution specifically for helicopters and wide-body aircraft that allows for higher performance and enables additional features such as in-sensor data recording and Hostile Fire Indication (HFI). Rapid detection and declaration, combined with automatic countermeasure release and crew alerting, supports mission success and safe crew and aircraft return.
For immediate release
There is a new name in the training industry.
The Ben Franklin Range is a new training facility in Armstrong County, PA. It is built on over 1100 acres and will have the capability to host a variety of training and special events. It will be open to both public and private groups.
The reality of BFR came about after a small group of Special Forces veterans and another group of Law Enforcement joined together. Independently, unbeknownst to each other, they had been working for years to find the right property. Their goals were almost identical, having never been fully satisfied with the ranges and training locations that they have used in the past. After a series of meetings in early 2021, they realized that they would complement each other and combined to make their dream a reality.
They found and purchased the perfect location at 1130 Ridge Rd Templeton in Armstrong County PA. It is the site of the former Scrubgrass OHV park. It already consists of 60 plus miles of off-road trails and 4 HLZs. BFR will have a Gun Shop, Pro Shop, Bunk house, 6000 square ft modular Sims/UTM shoot house, as well as numerous ranges. There are points for land navigation and outdoor space for Small Unit Tactics classes. There will be camping on site and trailer hook ups as well.
Themis Arms Center and Lodestone Training and Consulting will be making the Ben Franklin Range their home. They will be providing a wide variety of training opportunities, but BFR, its ranges and facilities will be open to trainers and training companies to run their courses. With decades of experience taking and running training all over the world, The BFR is the place we have always wanted. It will be a one- stop shop for everything training.
For the calendar of events, information, and to inquire for use, go to www.benfranklinrange.com
Follow us on Instagram @benfranklinrange
Grand opening will be Saturday, July 2nd
BFR will feature:
Experienced training staff
On-site firearms dealer
Multiple-bay shooting ranges – used for pistol/rifle shooting and training
Dynamic shooting range – used for pistol/rifle tactical shooting and training
Sim shoot house and village with ability for changing configurations/rooms for training purposes
Several high-angle ranges for rifle shooting and training
A long-distance rifle shooting range (1 mile) for shooting and training
A known-distance rifle shooting range for shooting and training
A live-fire driving range for training
A wilderness skills area
A land navigation area
A minimum of 4 helicopter landing zones
On-site Pro Shop
Lodging for class participants on site
Trailer hook-ups on site
State of the art classroom training facilities
Over 60 miles of OHV trails
Camping facilities throughout property
Paintball and airsoft setups on site
Will have the capability to host a variety of training and recreational events.
Appleton, Wisconsin (March 8, 2022) – BLADE Show West, the largest Western knife event featuring the top names in custom and factory knives, will take place Friday-Saturday, October 7-8, 2022, at its new, expanded location in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Moving the show to the Salt Palace Convention Center from previous years’ venues (Long Beach, California and Portland, Oregon) was an easy decision given all the amenities that Utah’s most populous city has to offer.
Knifemakers, manufacturers and knife enthusiasts will find that Salt Lake City is ideal for this growing event thanks to a general lack of restrictions on knife styles or sales.
“We are excited to move our show to a city and state that celebrates the outdoors and is knife friendly to our industry as a whole,” said BLADE Show Director, Alicia Newton. “We know Utah and the surrounding states are home to a significant population of knife and outdoor enthusiasts, so we can count on great attendance. Further, Salt Palace Convention Center offers many conveniences that we look for in a host city in terms of proximity to the airport, hotel accommodations, restaurants and bars.”
Above: The Salt Palace Convention Center
In addition to seeing firsthand some of the industry’s finest custom and factory creations, attendees can participate in a number of free demos and seminars.
“BLADE Show West has always been known for its educational seminars and knife competitions, and we will continue that tradition in Salt Lake,” said BLADE Magazine Editor, Steve Shackleford. “The same goes for our custom and factory knife judging events, where some of the world’s top fixed blades and folders vie for the best-of-the-best honors in the most prominent knife categories.”
BLADE Show West is one of three major, annual knife events presented by BLADE Magazine, including BLADE Show Texas (March 18-19, 2022) and BLADE Show (Atlanta, June 3-5, 2022).
For more details on all three events, visit bladeshow.com. For information about exhibiting, email bladewest@bladeshow.com.
The U.S. Army, Army Contracting Command-New Jersey at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000 is conducting a market survey / sources sought notice on behalf of the Project Manager Soldier Lethality (PMSL) for an M240 6.8mm conversion kit for M240B and/or M240L. Presently, the M240B and M240L machine guns are 7.62mm weapons.
From the RFI:
The conversion kit should include all hardware and instructions needed to modify a standard M240B and/or M240L to fire the 6.8mm ammunition. This will include a new barrel assembly and may include changes to the weapon powering through updates to the gas regulator, drive spring, or other means. The barrel assembly may be either of the standard barrel length (M240B) or short barrel (M240L). Information on 6.8mm ammunition type, specifications, and availability should be provided.
The winner of the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons program to replace the 5.56mm M4 Carbine and M249 SAW with weapons firing 6.8mm for close combat forces (XM5 & XM250) should be announced soon. From the beginning of this effort many have referred to it as an ammunition program. This Army RFI demonstrates the veracity of that claim.
While there have been several different candidate weapons involved, there were three very different ammunition types in the running until late last year. All were developed to meet the Army’s requirement to create what is essentially a 270 WSM but with a 20% weight reduction for both ammo and weapons.
The most radical type of ammunition offered up was the so-called case telescoped cartridge from Textron, a rimless technology with the projectile embedded within the case. They are no longer in the running and such a modification to the M240 desired by the Army would have been impossible.
Slightly less ambitious is True Velocity’s polymer cartridge case with its peculiar neck design where the projectile is inserted into the case. TV’s ammunition is intended to be manufactured in their proprietary machines.
Finally, SIG SAUER’s ammunition division introduced a hybrid case with a brass body and steel head. With this construction, they claim to gain an significant increase in velocity over conventional brass ammunition as well as the desired weight reduction. It can be manufactured with current machinery, but adds the step of attaching the two case components together.
However, despite Textron’s exit from the program, I will assert that there are still three candidate cartridges. Along with SIG and True Velocity, the Army is sure to have cooked something up in-house, if only for experimentation purposes to establish a baseline of 6.8 conventional, brass case ammunition.
Both the Army and industry know a lot about how such a cartridge would perform across all JPEO Ammunition’s requirements and how to manufacture it with the machines currently located at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.
In fact, no matter which type of ammunition is elected for NGSW, it will be manufactured at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. The program has budgeted for a new next gen ammo building there.
You’ll note that NGSW is a Carbine and SAW replacement and those are currently 5.56mm weapons. When you consider that the next gen is 6.8mm, regardless of which form it takes, is the equivalent of 270 WSM, then you realize it will outperform 7.62mm NATO. Then, you’ll ask yourself why you’d provide the Infantry Company a weapon with a shorter range which delivers less energy on target than what the Squad is carrying. From the beginning, it was a forgone conclusion that if feasible, at least some of the M240s in inventory (around 100,000 across DoD) would be rechambered to 6.8.
In fact, True Velocity demonstrated this capability in the M240 last year, and reports are that the US Army has conducted experimentation with their own 6.8mm ammunition.
This move makes complete sense and I’m glad to see the Army moving forward with it. However, since the Army has yet to announce which team has won NGSW and therefore which type of ammunition the 6.8 conversion will be required to fire, it will be more difficult for industry to offer specifics in response to the Army’s sources sought notice.
Eric Graves
Editor
