FirstSpear

Mehler Vario System and 3 Subsidiaries will Combine Forces to Maximise Their Draw Power at Upcoming GPEC Show in Frankfurt, Germany

May 21st, 2022

FULDA, GERMANY (19 May 2022)—Mehler Vario System GmbH, Europe’s market leader for ballistics, today announced it will share stand space with subsidiaries Lindnerhof-Taktik GmbH, Mehler Engineered Defence GmbH, and Mehler Law Enforcement GmbH during the 2022 General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference (GPEC) set for 31 May through 2 June in Frankfurt on the Main, Germany.

The occasion marks that Mehler Vario System and its three subsidiaries will jointly appear at GPEC. Company officials explained that bringing the four brands together at a single stand will synergistically enhance their prominence in the event, billed as Europe’s largest annual tradeshow for law enforcement, public safety, and homeland security services.

“Increasing our visibility will attract more visitors to our stand, which we’re looking forward to because our family of companies have some very impressive products to present and talk about,” said Mehler Vario System Managing Director Siegfried Will. “We are very confident that this combining of our forces will better facilitate technical discussions and allow us to more effectively answer questions about our highlighted products.”

The Mehler Vario System group will be located at stand J43 in Hall 3 of the city’s convention centre.

According to Will, Mehler Vario System plans to showcase—among other innovations—its new lightweight Comfort IV covert vest and certified H6S hybrid helmet.

“Both products are the lightest and most-comfortable ones in its category.”

Also expected to be presented is M.U.S.T., a project that Mehler Vario System has been working on jointly with Lenggries, Germany,-based Lindnerhof-Taktik, which makes high-quality tactical equipment systems.

“M.U.S.T. is a highly modular protection-and-carrying system that represents a light and quickly mountable-dismountable solution for police and the military,” Will explained. “Its individual modules can be universally combined by means of smart interfaces and, with ballistic components in place, M.U.S.T. provides an enlarged protection surface. The entire M.U.S.T package includes the carrying system, equipment bags, and operational clothing.”

Lindnerhof-Taktik, meanwhile, will present its new line of lightweight, high-performance, “no frills” combat clothing.

“Notable about the combat pants is they accept a variety of manufacturers’ knee-pad systems—no one else’s does,” said Lindnerhof Taktik Managing Director Jakob Kolbeck.

Lindnerhof-Taktik also plans to exhibit its MX634 multi-radio bag, improved MX116 MX-based admin panel, and novel head-system bag for toting a helmet plus accessories, Kolbeck said, adding that these and other planned-for-exhibit Lindnerhof-Taktik products underscore the company’s ability to learn from user feedback and combine those insights with innovative thinking to develop intelligent protection-and-carrying systems for fields beyond the traditional tactical space.

“For example, at our joint stand, Lindnerhof-Taktik will show a drone carrying system that can be adapted or developed into other applications,” he said. “Further, the bags that are part of that system feature diverse fastening options and imaginative inlays which could convincingly be the basis for rugged notebooks and tablets among other possibilities.”

Mehler Engineered Defence of Königslutter, Germany, will bring to the joint stand at GPEC its acclaimed line of ballistic personal protection shields. Christian Vahldiek, Managing Director of Mehler Engineered Defence, said some of the shields were developed and manufactured according to customer-specific designs in various protection classes including NIJ 0108.01, VPAM, TR bullet-resistance, and other standards related to protection against long- and short-range weapons threats.

“In addition to the shields made to customer specifications there also will be standard models,” he said. “Among the standard models will be small-format types for use in confined spaces such as aboard planes and ships and inside homes. There will also be larger but lightweight types for increased protection in evacuations and hostage situations. For riots and rampages, we’ll be showing foldable versions that are carried in patrol cars and deployed to protect against long weapons.”

Lastly, Mehler Law Enforcement, also based in Fulda, will demo its high-quality, functional, and modular equipment designed for use by security personnel in operational and crisis regions.

“Mehler Law Enforcement produces ballistic protective equipment, impact protection, operational gloves, and tactical equipment—they nicely round out the offerings of the entire Mehler Vario System family,” said Frank Rispeter, Managing Director of Mehler Law Enforcement.

For more information about Mehler Vario System and its subsidiaries visit: m-v-s.com

Ocean State Innovations Announces Appointment of Global Sales Manager

May 20th, 2022

PORTSMOUTH, RI – May 23, 2022 – Ocean State Innovations (OSI), a leading textile provider, announced the appointment of Peter Raneri as Global Sales Manager. Mr. Raneri joins OSI with over thirty years of textile experience. Most recently he held the position of VP Sales & Business Development at HLC Industries. In his new role for OSI, Mr. Raneri will handle domestic and global business opportunities in tactical, industrial and specialty market segments. Raneri has a strong partnership with the INVISTA™ CORDURA® team which will be an asset in growing both the OSI and the CORDURA® brands.

“Ocean State Innovations continues to evolve and grow. We made the commitment to textile assets with the purchase of ColorWorks, one of America’s largest dyers and finishers, and the purchase of Cutting Edge TexStyles, a premier bias and straight cutter of textiles. Now we are investing in people.  Peter brings a global presence to our sales force, specializing in the CORDURA® brand, but also brings a wealth of knowledge and relationships in the textile industry that will help us grow to the next level,” said Bryan Boulis, President of Ocean State Innovations.

For more information, please visit www.osinnovate.com

SOFIC 22 – Farm To Feet

May 20th, 2022

Farm To Feet makes socks from American Merino wool. The Quantico model featured here is a full cushion model with cushion at both the sole and instep.

Where you can really appreciate what’s going on is when you turn the sock wrong side out. The wool is mercerized and feels very soft and you can see the nap.

Farm to Feet also uses several technologies in their socks:

• SILVADUR antimicrobial technology that inhibits bacteria and fungus growth.

• XS Technology that enhances comfort with resilience and bounce in impact zones.

• NanoGLIDE friction free nylon reduces heat, moisture and blister formation.

• LYCRA spandex for enhanced active fit and comfort.

The blend for the Quantico is:

63% US Merino Wool
16% US XS Polyester
10% US Nylon
10% NanoGlide Nylon
1% US LYCRA® Spandex

www.farmtofeet.com/collections/tactical

SOFIC 22 – SOAL Marine

May 20th, 2022

SOAL Marine Group exhibited with Wing Inflatables. The Kraka Jet Board is a rigid inflatable platform which can be manned or unmanned to perform infiltration and exfiltration of swimmers and material, ISR, and even armed overwatch.

It can navigated by its passengers, remote controlled, or programmed for a predetermined course. Kraka Jet Board can be airdropped and is inflatable within seconds thanks to an onboard air tank.

The system can also be cached up to 26 meters underwater and is powered by a 11 kW brushless electric motor offering up to 18 knots of speed. The rechargeable battery that can be swapped out as needed.

A remote weapon station or ISR mast can also be placed on the Kraka. This model will support two fully equipped swimmers but there are larger versions which will support a quad or Polaris UTV for river crossings.

SOFIC 22 – Tampa Microwave

May 20th, 2022

Tampa Microwave is a Thales company and offers specialized communications systems like the new Raider Scout.

Raider Scout is a SATCOM terminal designed to be used by the non-Signaler which can be used with both INMARSAT and military satellites. You simply connect your end user device of choice. It weighs less than 35 pounds but offers four to five times the amount of bandwidth normally associated with such systems. With this asynchronous system you can expect 20 MB up and over 40 MB down.

Highly mobile, the system can be set up within one minute and satellite acquired within five. Both training and operation is simple.

It is powered by an internal rechargeable battery offering up to 30 minutes of use per charge but can also be powered by an external power source such as a battery or shore power.

SOFIC 22 – Juggernaut

May 20th, 2022

Juggernaut launched their new VELOX mount which is an USB-C Armor Docking Mount for your End User Device, serving as an ecosystem to facilitate ease of use regardless of cables associated with your EUD and radios.

Tension can be adjusted to ensure your EUD stays where you want it and there is a soft bungee strap to keep it stowed when not needed.

Not only is VELOX IP-68 certified, it is also EMI shielded and is compatible with Glenaire, ODU, and Omnetics connectors.

Also, it’s not only compatible with Juggernaut’s latest line up of cases, but it’s also backwards compatible.

Finally, the pins on the case automatically align with the pins on the VELOX mount as you snap your EUD into place on the mount.

SOFIC 22 – Forgeline Solutions

May 20th, 2022

In the SOFIC SELECT pavilion Forgeline Solutions offered us a sneak peek of their FR 3-season uniform.

It features the same cut of their 3-season uniform but in a new FR performance fabric. Forgeline envisions that it will run about the same price as their NYCO uniform and will include combat pant, combat shirt and field shirt. They can keep costs low because the uniform was designed from the outset for manufacturability, costing less to make.

If you feel clammy in a NYCO uniform that’s because the fabric is 3 CFM, meaning a very low breathability. This fabric offers 70 CFM, being much more breathable.

Note: the color of the photo is due to the lighting in the room.

SOFIC 22 – USSOCOM Weapons Update

May 20th, 2022

There wasn’t a lot briefed this year as USSOCOM has decided to go quiet with industry, over concerns adversaries may determine and exploit their capability gaps. This strategy may prove challenging while trying to fill those gaps, particularly the more exquisite requirements.

The Program Executive Office Special Operations Warrior team only briefed a few immediate items of interest.

There are currently two open weapon competitions, the Mid Range Gas Gun and Light Medium Machine Gun and both address overmatch concerns.

The 6.5 Creedmoor MRGG consists of two variants, Assault and Sniper Support. We introduced the FN America candidates during last week’s Modern Day Marine coverage. This is essentially a do over of an earlier attempt at selecting a weapon.

I asked PEO SOF Warrior, COL Anh Ha if SOCOM planned to continue to invest in 6.5 CM considering the recent Army decision to adopt 6.8x51mm Common Case Ammunition. He responded that the command’s concern is overmatch and that the planned to proceed with 6.5 CM but would monitor the Army’s 6.8 efforts.

Although not briefed on slides SOCOM plans to move ahead with the Lightweight Assault Machine Gun program. However, I doubt will survive the budget axe once an Assessment Director takes a look at it. The XM250 will be a service common beltfed solution meaning MFP 2 funds pay for it rather than the MFP 11 SOF budget. If it is determined that it still must be chambered in 6.5 CM, the manufacturer has been demonstrating a barrel swap from 6.8 to 6.5. The only cost to SOCOM in that case would be the SOF unique barrel.

The LMG-M is a beltfed machine gun which fires a .338 Norma Mag cartridge offering the range of an M2 at less than the weight of an M240. Instead of area targets at that range, the gunner will be able to engage point targets with semi or full auto fire. Although there are multiple small arms updates across DoD, this program is the single most important capability on the horizon.

As far as ammunition goes they are constantly in a state of improvement of various small arms calibers, concentrating particularly on terminal effects. In FY24 they will begin to examine alternative case materials.

The Enhanced Close Quarters Sight (E-CQS) is a planned replacement for the SU-231A holographic weapons sight. This new capability will add a digital overlay which will port data from Android Team Awareness Kit and can be turned off when not needed.

Last, but not least, the proposed Day and Night Heads Up Display (DANHUD) will integrate with the ATAK and transition the operator’s focus from the End User Device to the battelspace around them, increasing situational awareness.