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Sneak Peek – MAGMA MID GTX from Tecnica

February 24th, 2021

Tecnica changed the outdoor footwear game several years ago with the Forge which adapted the Thermoform system normally found in ski boots for use in hiking footwear.

Last year, Tecnica introduced the Magma, a low top mountain shoe. This September comes a Mid version, complete with Gore-Tex lining.

It will be offered in both Men’s and Women’s sizing and incorporates an anatomically shaped last which closely matches the shape of the foot, delivering a precise fit out of the box that can be even more dialed in with the integrated lacing system. Even more impressive is Tecnica’s C.A.S system, which custom molds sections of the upper to the individual’s foot.

The mid-cut boot features a suede upper with a GORE-TEX liner for that ideal combination of warmth, protection, and waterproof/breathability. The thoughtful outsole design, inspired by MTB enduro tires, provides optimal grip in all surfaces regardless of conditions.

Posted in Boots | 1 Comment »

Springfield Armory Introduces Two New Red Dot Sights

February 24th, 2021

Featuring a lifetime warranty, the new Hex series red dots from Springfield Armory are manufactured from 6061 aluminum and outfitted with a scratch resistant, anti-glare glass lens.

Hex Wasp

This micro red dot reflex sight is designed for direct mount concealed carry. Fits the Hellcat OSP and XD-S Mod.2 OSP. It’s always on, but thanks to an auto-dimming sensor the dot brightness is regulated based on changing ambient light conditions.

Hex Dragonfly

It’s a versatile, standard size red dot reflex sight for multiple weapon platforms. Includes a Picatinny mount and fits the XD-M Elite OSP with a mounting plate. Manual brightness adjustment of the 3.5 MOA dot offers maximum control and the 16 hour auto-off feature prevents your battery from draining if you accidentally leave it on.

Here is their press release:

ANNOUNCING HEX™ OPTICS BY SPRINGFIELD ARMORY®

GENESEO, ILL. (2/23/21) – Springfield Armory® is proud to announce the new HEX™ line of optics, designed to deliver a higher standard of performance and superior optical support for handguns and long guns. The two new HEX optics offer intuitive target acquisition, faster follow-up shots and every-day dependability.

The micro-sized HEX Wasp™ is intended for use on CCW pistols like the 9mm Hellcat® OSP™ and features the Springfield Micro™ footprint popularized by the Hellcat OSP. This system allows for direct mounting to the slide of a pistol, ensuring the lowest possible mount and an ability to co-witness with iron sights like those of the Hellcat. The HEX Wasp is “always-on,” featuring an auto-dimming sensor that regulates the brightness of the dot based on changing ambient light conditions. Battery life is rated at a two-year runtime.

The standard-sized sibling to the Wasp is the HEX Dragonfly™, a versatile red dot sight perfectly suited for use with full-size handguns as well as rifles and shotguns. Employing the Springfield Standard™ footprint, the Dragonfly allows the user to manually choose from eight brightness levels, and a 16-hour auto-off feature prevents the battery from being unintentionally drained. Battery life is rated at a three-year runtime.

Machined from 6061 T6 aluminum that is Hardcoat anodized for protection and durability, the HEX 3.5 MOA Wasp and Dragonfly feature patent-pending side serrations as well as lens shrouds on the forward face that offer added protection for the scratch-resistant, anti-glare-coated glass lenses. Additionally, IPX7-rated waterproofing ensures rugged dependability.

“With the release of the new HEX line of red dots, Springfield Armory is providing shooters with appealing options for their optics-ready firearms,” says Steve Kramer, Vice President of Marketing for Springfield Armory. “The demand for quality red dot optics is growing every day, and these HEX optics stand ready to deliver the quality and performance shooters are expecting.”

Each HEX is built to exacting specifications from premium materials, and every HEX product is thoroughly tested and backed by a Lifetime Warranty.

For more information on HEX optics, visit: www.spr-ar.com/r/4499

Posted in Optics, Press Release | 3 Comments »

Newest Handheld Leader Radios Get Tested by Elite Army Airborne Forces

February 24th, 2021

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina – Airborne Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 82nd Airborne Division, completed almost two weeks testing the Army’s newest small leader radio (LR) packages.

“Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division demonstrated tactical communications at its finest during the initial operational test,” said Maj. Brian Ramirez, Leader Radio (LR) Test Officer with the Fort Hood-based U.S. Army Operational Test Command’s Mission Command Test Directorate (MCTD).

The Handheld, Manpack and Small (HMS) Form Fit/Tactical Radio variants are two-channel handhelds, used at the company and platoon levels by squad and team leaders to talk to each other and to aircraft to improve battlefield situational awareness.

Ramirez said the LR system is designed as an interoperable family of advanced software-reprogrammable, dual-channel, net-centric reliable communications radio sets.

The Generation 2 Manpack (MP) Radio is a two-channel, software defined, multi-waveform, General Purpose User (GPU) radio designed to support mounted and dismounted operations.

Explaining the two systems in non-technical, every-day terms, Ramirez said, “This initial operational test of radio capabilities gave the Army the opportunity to demonstrate the current and future of tactical communications.”

The HMS MP will be fielded primarily to Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Battalions, Companies, and Platoons.

The GEN2 MP is deployed in three configurations: a Tactical Operations Center (TOC) kit for command posts; mounted configurations integrated into the Army’s tactical and combat platforms; and a rucksack-held configuration to support Army dismounted operations.

Ramirez said operational testing of the radios are no different than an improved tank or new weapon system.

“These radio systems are subjected to weather, terrain, and the daily regimen of Light Infantrymen in an effort to replicate the actual operational environment to which they will be subjected if selected,” said Ramirez.

“Operational testing helps determine the effectiveness, suitability and survivability of operational systems Soldiers can use that works.”

The test, like many other previously routine operations, adjusted its daily operations to cope with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Soldiers from the test unit and test team begin with daily COVID-19 screening and temperature checks;” Ramirez said. “This allowed the test team to identify and contain any possible transmission between specific bubbles.”

Once cleared into their specific environments, all attempts were made to maintain social distancing, between operations and test support functions, reducing interaction between test support personnel and test unit Soldiers.

“Operational Testing is about assisting the Army in providing modern software-defined radios with the latest technology for Soldiers,” said Col. Patrick Curry, director of MCTD.

“It is about making sure that the communication systems developed assist the Soldier in their mission and ensuring Soldiers are effective against all enemies in any operational environment.”

By Mr. Rick Michael, Mission Command Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command

Associated link

Posted in Army, Comms, Guest Post | 5 Comments »

Kia Showcases New Defense Vehicle Technologies at IDEX 2021 Defense Exhibition

February 23rd, 2021

– Kia displays Light Tactical Cargo Truck and Bare Chassis concepts at the IDEX defense exhibition in the UAE

– Unique design optimized for military use offering superior mobility, durability and functionality

– Modular platform can underpin mobile workshops, communication hubs and troop and cargo carrying capabilities

– Four-wheel drive, independent suspension and run-flat tyres ensures enhanced usability in harsh environments

Kia Corporation has showcased two light tactical defense vehicle concepts at the 2021 International Defense Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) in the UAE, the largest international defense exhibition in the Middle East and Africa.

Kia has been supplying its light tactical vehicles to the South Korean army since 2016, becoming the standard-bearer for vehicle quality in the country’s military operation system. The new four-seater Light Tactical Cargo Truck concept displayed at IDEX adopts a bold, commanding design and has been equipped with a cargo container for transporting troops alongside diverse armory. Kia expects the added visual appeal and usability to stimulate further demand for its military vehicles.

Together with the Light Tactical Cargo Truck concept at IDEX, Kia is displaying the vehicle’s Bare Chassis. With the body removed, the bare chassis showcases the truck’s powertrain and basic frame, providing a glimpse of the platform’s scalability as a basis for a range of armored vehicles. Kia is actively developing vehicles based on the Bare Chassis for clients’ eclectic taste around the world.

Ik-tae Kim, Vice President for Kia’s Special Vehicle Division said: “Our participation at IDEX 2021 is an opportunity to promote Kia’s latest developments in the design of future defense vehicles. Both concepts on display have been developed to be highly flexible and durable, with the capability to be used in some of the world’s harshest environments.”

Kia’s involvement at IDEX is its largest to-date, with the region being seen as a key strategic military vehicle market. Kia first participated at IDEX in 2015, with this year’s exhibition space shared with Kia’s affiliate, Hyundai Rotem Co.

Kia Light Tactical Cargo Truck
Kia has developed the Light Tactical Cargo Truck concept in close cooperation between the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. The vehicle’s modular chassis has enabled Kia to offer standard and long-wheel base variants alongside armored and unarmored versions for purposes including tactical commanding and reconnaissance, weapon installment, target observation and multi-purpose for supporting.

Differentiated by its unique design, the four-person Light Tactical Cargo Truck has been optimized for use by military forces by offering superior mobility, outstanding durability and a high level of functionality. The unarmored long wheelbase design features a superstructure that can be tailored to underpin different structures such as a cargo box, a mobile workshop and a communications centre. The vehicle can also carry ten fully-armed soldiers and up to three tons of cargo in the vehicle’s rear compartment.

The Kia Light Tactical Cargo Truck is powered by a 225 horsepower Euro 5 diesel engine, with power sent to all four wheels via state-of-the-art 8-speed automatic transmission. The truck also features an independent suspension system, air conditioning, a limited-slip differential, run-flat tyres and an electro-magnetic interference system.

Posted in Armor, International, Mobility, Press Release | 7 Comments »

Team SIG’s Lena Miculek Becomes First Female to Capture an Overall PCC Championship in Competition

February 23rd, 2021

Team SIG’s Lena Miculek Takes Overall PCC Title at Florida Open&nbsp

NEWINGTON, N.H., (February 23, 2021) – SIG SAUER congratulates Team SIG professional shooter Lena Miculek for a remarkable career first for taking the Overall Championship Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC) division title at the 2021 Annual Florida Open. Additionally, Miculek earned the High Lady title and First Grandmaster for the competition.

“Congratulations to Lena on this historical win and earning the overall championship title for the PCC division at this year’s Florida Open,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales. “We are extremely proud of Lena for this monumental achievement, and for being a trail blazer for females in the industry. This is just the start of the 2021 competition season and knowing how dedicated Lena is to her training, and her unmatched skill as a PCC competitor, we can’t wait to see what her achievements will be as the 2021 season continues to unfold.”

To earn her multiple titles at the 2021 Florida Open, Lena competed through ten stages using her MPX PCC 9mm with a ROMEO3XL red dot reflex sight.

“This match was a difficult one, but my goal throughout was consistency and I managed to come away with a personal achievement that I am very proud of,” added Miculek. “In 2021 I set some lofty goals for myself which included taking my PCC competition to the next level and proving, through wins like this, that females in professional shooting sports can consistently move past the high lady title and win it all.”

The SIG SAUER Electro-Optics ROMEO3XL red dot reflex sight used by Team SIG Pro Shooter Lena Miculek can be purchased online at sigsauer.com/store or retailers everywhere.

The 2021 Florida Open was hosted by Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, Florida, February 18 -21, 2021.

Posted in Advertiser, For the Ladies, Press Release, Shooting Sports | 4 Comments »

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Moves to August 10-12

February 23rd, 2021

Outdoor Retailer has issued a statement on hosting an in-person Outdoor Retailer Summer Market from August 10-12 in Denver.

Mark Your Calendars

The Outdoor Retailer Summer 2021 show is shifting back two months. Mark your calendars for the new dates of August 10-12, 2021, when we’ll return to the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Originally scheduled for June, this change allows more time to facilitate a safe and successful in-person event, gives exhibitors and attendees more days to plan participation, and provides greater peace-of-mind in the opportunity to gather and do business together.

We remain committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of each member of our community, our internal team and everyone involved with the show. We have been working closely with Visit Denver, the Colorado Convention Center, and hotel partners to implement the highest safety protocols and measures recommended by health officials and government agencies, and we are available to address any questions or concerns you may have.

We’ve heard from many of you who are eager to reunite and ready to get back to the productive work you find at the in-person show. We’re anxious to see you too! When we reconvene in Denver this August, expect to see extra precautions we are taking beyond those mandated by government authorities, and face masks will be required of all persons entering the building, without exception.

We recognize the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is dynamic in nature, and we will coordinate with local officials, health agencies, and show partners to adapt preparations consistent with the latest protocols. Read more about our current guidelines here, and we will communicate updates throughout the coming months.

If you are unable to attend in person, there will be opportunities to learn and discover what’s new. Education sessions will run throughout the summer to help advance your business and grow our industry. The webinar-style programming, developed in partnership with Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), will be accessible from wherever you are and offer the same high-caliber sessions you’ve come to expect. Also, new digital opportunities via Elastic Suite will allow you to connect with brands and find new products for your store. Stay tuned for more information coming this spring.

During this past year we’ve all changed – how we live, the way we work, where we spend our time. One of the highlights has been the dramatic boom in outdoor participation. Now, we have a chance to embrace the new consumers and welcome all into our incredible community. They become lifelong outdoorists when we collectively nurture the new pursuits and ensure accessible adventures. We do that as a united industry and through the relationships we build.

These days are shaping our future, and we’re here to help you grow with each other and move forward more resilient. We look forward to seeing you in August when we are safely together again.

Marisa Nicholson
Outdoor Retailer Senior Vice President and Show Director

Posted in Outdoor Retailer, Press Release | Comments Off on Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Moves to August 10-12

SOFWERX Disruptive Speaker Series – “A Turmoil of Shadows: The Hidden Facets of Arctic Threats and the Role of USSOCOM in Ensuring Stability” by Dr Lilian Alessa

February 23rd, 2021

Join the Disruptive Speaker Series on 31 March, 2021 as Dr. Lilian Alessa presents, “A Turmoil of Shadows: The Hidden Facets of Arctic Threats and the Role of USSOCOM in Ensuring Stability.”

Presented in collaboration with the USSOCOM J5 Donovan Strategy and Innovation Group, Dr. Alessa will address the roles that the SOF Enterprise, as a force multiplier, could be responsible for in the emerging Arctic operational environment. While SOF maintains a standard of being able to operate in any conditions anywhere in the world, the Arctic is emerging as a more nuanced and complex theater.

RSVP NLT 24 March 11:59 PM ET

Got full details visit events.sofwerx.org/dssarctic.

Posted in SOF | 1 Comment »

Liteye Systems Launches: Liteye SHIELD The Next Generation of Counter UAS Defense

February 23rd, 2021

The Liteye SHIELD Autonomous Kill Chain with dispersed Command and Control provides robust state of the art protection from small UAS, at Machine Speed.

Photo: The Liteye SHIELD Autonomous Kill Chain payload is a customizable Multi-Mission solution

Centennial, Colorado (February 23, 2021) – Liteye Systems, Inc., a US leader in Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems, announces Liteye SHIELD, the next level in Multi-Mission, Multi-Domain systems and a true advancement in Counter UAS Defense.

Liteye SHIELD incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning techniques with a newly designed SPYGLASS™ 3D radar, EO and IR tracking to increase the speed and confidence of the system. The SHIELD Command and Control further ensures the full Detect, Track, ID Kill Chain is automated and conducted at machine speed. SHIELD is the next generation, cutting-edge technology required to defend against the rapid technology maturation and proliferation of small UAS threats worldwide.

“Liteye and our partners are able to present leading edge capability in advanced 3D radars, HD Cameras, and the only US company to provide both narrow band and directional wide band electronic attack for this threat” said Kenneth Allen Geyer, CEO Liteye Systems. “SHIELD operates as a self-contained system or links multiple SHIELD payloads, but more importantly, it seamlessly integrates into higher-level networks, can cue kinetic and non-kinetic effectors, and can be physically integrated into practically any platform. I’m proud of what Liteye and our teammates have achieved and confident we can continue to protect US interests around the world.”

Manufacturing and integration of SHIELD critical components are based at Liteye and partner locations in the United States. Success over the last five years with Liteye’s deployed combat proven Anti-UAS Defense System (AUDS), has earned Liteye unmatched technical experience in this market. It is this experience that has led to the development of Liteye SHIELD primarily for the C-UAS mission, but significant for additional surveillance and electronic attack missions. From first combat deployment in Iraq 2016 to today with systems deployed worldwide Liteye’s continually adding to our repertoire of experience with the rapidly evolving threat.

“Liteye has been protecting US Forces, our Allies and Critical Infrastructure for years, and we’ve listened closely to what the US DoD deems important,” said Ryan Hurt, Vice President of Business Development. “Constructing an autonomous kill chain with artificial intelligence and machine learning for detect, track and identification, so decisions can be made at machine speed, was the starting point for design of this new system. Seamless integration with existing Networks ensures Operators have access to the sensors and effectors they need, when they need them, and lessens the manpower footprint. This is next generation multi-mission, multi-domain performance.”

Key performance characteristics of SHIELD are:

Fully Autonomous Kill Chain: The Autonomous Kill Chain affords machine speed detect, track, identification and classification allowing an Operator to monitor the environment, manage multiple systems and only step in for final Positive ID and trigger pull to fulfill the mission. Key components: Spyglass 3D Radar for Detect & Track, AI based RF Detect, AI Target Prioritization, and Automated Video Track.

Dispersed, Networked Command and Control: SHIELD utilizes a Man-ON-the-Loop local C2, and is networked, requiring low manpower to operate any system from any console with a distributed common operation picture. The local C2 provides multi-sensor resource management & Sensor Fusion to an intuitive operating system with Machine Learning principles and 3D targeting for cueing networked effectors.

Multi Domain/Multi Mission with OEM Service and Support:

Multi-Domain – Operation across Air, Ground, Surface, and Radio Frequency (RF) Spectrum, SHIELD effectively provides multi-domain critical infrastructure protection.

Multi-Mission – SHIELD provides platform agnostic (mobile, transportable, fixed/semi-fixed) mission essential service for: Integrated air and ground base defense, convoy protection, offensive electronic attack, wildland fires, space launch protection, event security and more.

OEM Service and Support – Liteye’s mature Service and Support program is operational today. Qualified and Certified by Liteye, our OEM Service and Support ensures the systems and Operators stay proficient and fully mission capable.

Liteye Systems, Inc, is a world leader in Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), radar and surveillance sensor packages, ruggedized thermal cameras, and helmet mounted displays with over $100M in services and products provided to the US Government.

For More Information on Liteye SHIELD visit: Liteye.com/shield

Posted in International, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on Liteye Systems Launches: Liteye SHIELD The Next Generation of Counter UAS Defense