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HORIBA MIRA Gears Up for New Defence Power Standard Following £350k Testing Capability Investment

June 8th, 2020

As a business committed to keeping a seat firmly at the helm of industry changes, HORIBA MIRA has invested £350k in a new power accreditation test service and Electrical Power Laboratory – providing defence industry customers with a first-of-its-kind validation solution in readiness for the new Def Stan 61-005.

The recently released new Def Stan 61-005 Part 06 (issue 7) – which applies to electrical power supply systems in vehicles for Ministry of Defence use – has been comprehensively updated to reflect the latest industry requirements and governance of power distribution systems for both current and future military vehicles.

Ahead of the changes, recent months have seen HORIBA MIRA, an established provider of vehicle verification and validation solutions, make significant investment in the development of a bespoke Def Stan 61-005 Electrical Power Laboratory at its Nuneaton headquarters – creating the UK market’s most sophisticated testing ground for customers seeking to ensure compliance with the new standard.

The cutting edge facility includes the addition of two new 100 amp transient generators – the first in the UK – enabling the HORIBA MIRA team to far surpass standard 30 amp test conditions and assess vehicles against extraordinarily high currents of up to 100 amp.

With the continued evolution towards complex electric and hybrid military vehicles requiring high power supplies, HORIBA MIRA is not only providing a market-first solution to Def Stan 61-005 compliance, but playing an integral role in supporting the industry to meet the evolving validation challenges associated with the increasing power demands of modern defence and commercial vehicles.

Mark Emery, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Technical Manager at HORIBA MIRA, said: “As a business, we pride ourselves on staying one step ahead when it comes to our ever-changing industry, working to meet our customers’ future requirements today.

“As such, we have placed significant investment in the development of our new power accreditation service and laboratory, with the aim of ensuring our customers have access to the most sophisticated solution first, when it comes to ensuring compliance with the new Def Stan 61-005.

“This is an incredibly exciting development for HORIBA MIRA. Not only will it help to ensure a seamless transition towards this complex new standard for customers, but it marks a major step forward for increased power generation test method capability here in the UK.”

Mark added: “Inherently, military vehicles are energy-intensive, with a myriad of power-intensive electronics required to perform different mission applications. But as the rate of innovation and applications continues to grow, including the movement towards electric and hybrid options, the energy demand of such vehicles continues to escalate – placing greater onus on the power accreditation validation methods behind it.

“In this way, our new facility will play a fundamental role in helping both existing and new military customers to perform the vital testing needed to meet current and future vehicle standards in the years to come.”

The new offer will form part of HORIBA MIRA’s vast EMC division which will continue to support Def Stan 59-411 and MIL-STD 461.

With military test programmes often taking place over several months or years, customers utilising HORIBA MIRA’s unique expertise are also able to take advantage of secure workshops and facilities, associated office spaces and IT networks that are fully accredited by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) as part of MIRA Technology Park. For more information on the new Electrical Power Laboratory or MIRA Technology Park, visit www.horiba-mira.com.

Posted in International, Power, Press Release | Comments Off on HORIBA MIRA Gears Up for New Defence Power Standard Following £350k Testing Capability Investment

Sea To Summit – Ascent Down Sleeping Bags

June 7th, 2020

Insulated with ULTRA-DRY Down 750+ for performance in wet weather, the Ascent offers extra room between hips and knees and a mixture of vertical and horizontal baffles in the chest area to help prevent compression and clumping of the insulation.

Their triple-zipper Free-Flow Zip system offers separate zippers on your left (full length) and right side (half length) and in the foot box. Open them for ventilation or to turn the Ascent into a fully-flat comforter.

What’s more, the Ascent can be connected to the Women’s Altitude, Journey and Venture sleeping bags, in both Regular and Long lengths because they all have the same side zipper length.

Offered in 25 F, 15 F and 0 F models in regular and long lengths. But don’t let those ratings fool you. There’s a lot of venting like we mentioned earlier, offering increased versatility in marker weather.

Here are their recommended uses:

– 2.5 Season: 25°F (comfort range 25°F to 70°F)

– 3 Season: 15°F (comfort range 15°F to 65°F)

– Winter: 0°F (comfort range 0°F to 60°F)

seatosummitusa.com/collections/mobile-sleep-system/products/ascent-down-sleeping-bag

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SCUBAPRO SUNDAY – The Battle of Normandy 6 June thru 29 August

June 7th, 2020

When most people think of Normandy, they think about the invasion on 6 June, and leave it there. But the Battle of Normandy did not end until 29 August when the last German troops crossed the Seine river. The Allies had estimated the casualties on D-day could be as many as 40,000, but they were far fewer – around 10,000. Even on Omaha Beach, the Allies lost about 842 dead. But it could have been a lot worse. German casualty numbers on D-Day are not as precise, but estimates put them at a similar amount. By the end of the battle, the Allies would have over 2,850,000 soldiers on the ground in Europe.

Overlord was the code name for the invasion. The first six weeks had come to a stalemate, an operation on 18 July by the U.K. forces known as GOODWILL did advance them about 10 square miles, but it came at the cost of over 5500 Allies casualties, and about 400 tanks lost. The Germany losses were about 100 tanks and about 200 people captured. It is conceded by many the biggest tank battle fought by the U.K.

General Bradley’s idea was named Operation Cobra, and it was put into motion on 10 July. It started with the carpet bombing of a 4-mile-long line in front of the Germans along the U.S. lines. As soon as the bombs were dropped, the U.S. 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions would punch a hole through the German defenders and finally break out of the peninsula.

As the Allied forces advanced in all directions, the German divisions tried desperately to reorganize. Patton’s 3rd Army advanced towards the east of France during the weeks that follow, only being slowed down because they were outrunning their supply of fuel and ammo. Now the Allies could pursue the Germans into the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

This battle would set the tone for the rest of the war, Germany lost about one battalion worth of man a week to death and injury as they retreated about 50,000 German soldiers. They also had approximately 200,000 men captured. The Allies lost more than 36,000 soldiers, and the fighting had also affected civilians living in Normandy; about 20,000 people killed, and around 300,000 homes destroyed.

Overall, the Normandy campaign was one of the most brutal of the war. The combined average daily casualty rate on each of the 77 days of the battle was 6,675: higher than the Somme, Passchendaele, and Verdun in the First World War. The Battle of Normandy was a decisive first step in the liberation of Europe.

###I want to add a note about the number and dates I have used for this article. You can ready about this campaign, and you will get different numbers and dates, depending on who wrote it and when. To this day, the numbers are still changing.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, History | 2 Comments »

ThirdBlockGear Surveyor Bag

June 7th, 2020

Our friends at ThirdBlockGear developed a very specialized bag for their own use after considerable investment in time, working out all of the features. Unfortunately, it’s too expensive to sell and believe it or not, this is all too often the case.

thirdblockgear.com

Posted in Grey Man, Load Carrying | 1 Comment »

USAF SERE Training Film – How To Catch A Fish

June 7th, 2020

United States Air Force Film Training Aid FTA, 279Q. “Survival Training”. This is a 1950s, black and white military training film. The film is intended to show stranded persons how to catch fish through several means to survive. The film is narrated. Fishing. The film opens with a man fishing on the side of the river with a branch. A soldier is seen walking along the banks of a river 1:10. A man is creating fishing gear 1:40. A man fashions a hook from a key 2:09. A man makes a fishing pole out of a branch 2:34. A man digs for bait 3:12. Earthworms are found 3:22. A man fashions fishing lures out of regular items 4:00. Man fashions a spear from a branch and kills a fish 4:15. Man creates a gaffe 4:50. Man fashions a spear out of bamboo 5:00. Man creates a fishing trap out of his parachute 5:30. Man punctures trap to allow water to flow through 6:07. Man places bait into fish trap 6:23. Man creates mesh net to catch fish 8:35. Man ties weights to the bottom of the net to hold it in the water 9:06. Man places net across the river 9:38. The net catches fish by the gills in the riverbed 10:30. Man creates a trite line with several hooks along a single line 11:15. Produced by United States Air Force Photographic and Charting Service. (MATS). 1958.

Posted in History, SERE | Comments Off on USAF SERE Training Film – How To Catch A Fish

Air Force SERE Modernizes Training

June 6th, 2020

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNS) —

The 336th Training Group is streamlining Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training with several possible permanent changes to modernize training which have been under review but are being expedited because of COVID-19.

As a response to COVID-19, SERE training at the group paused for 14 days to implement movement restrictions, which is when healthy individuals with no known exposure or illness monitor their own health status prior to being introduced into a previously healthy population.

“This has been near and dear to my heart for the last 15 months in planning,” said Col. Carlos Brown, 336th Training Group commander. “We are confident this new format of training will be able to get the right Airman, the right training and the right time and make the training process more efficient.”

The changes will involve shifting the SERE training paradigm from a one-size fits all approach to a flexible and more efficient concept that will adequately prepare forces for a high-end conflict, including the incorporation of distance learning into the curriculum.

“These changes will provide more tailored training for our Airmen while delivering them to their combat units more quickly,” said Maj. Gen. Craig Wills, 19th Air Force commander. “This is an exciting development that saves our most valuable resource – our Airmen’s time, while preparing our Air Force to better meet the demands of the 21st century fight.”

Initial SERE training for Airmen at high risk of isolation has been conducted through four courses over a 26-day period. Now, leaders at 336th TRG believe they have found a way to restructure the training requirements, which make it more efficient and ultimately saves time. COVID-19 expedited the need to test these changes, which are proving to be beneficial.

“Reducing the length of the SERE training helps accommodate personnel’s needs, especially through this pandemic,” Brown said. “We are professionalizing our Airmen through continued distance-learning education and getting after some long-term projects to modernize the SERE enterprise.”

The modernization effort, if approved by the Air Force, will provide tailored and targeted training based on an Airman’s AFSC and the level of risk they may face on the battlefield. This custom approach to training targets the right Airman, at the right time, in the right place for training.

“Currently the Air Force is working with every major command in the Air Force to better understand their SERE training needs, and we are confident these changes put into place because of COVID-19 will be in line to meet those requirements,” Brown said.

Story by C Arce, Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

Photo by 1st Lt Kayshel Trudell

Posted in AFSW, Air Force, Guest Post, SERE, Training | 1 Comment »

AWS Inc – Strike Vest

June 6th, 2020

AWS has been around for almost 40 years and one of their most classic products is the Strike Vest, a design worn by some of the nation’s elite for almost as long as they’ve been around. It’s a simple design that has lasted the test of time. Great for wear under outerwear for low-viz.

This single rig can be used to carry:

– 4 ea M-16 30 rnd magazines or

– 8 ea MP-5 9mm mags

– 4 ea 9mm or .45 cal pistol mag

– 2 ea AN/PRC-148s

Available in Black, Coyote and OD.

awsin.com/52998-strike-vest-chest-pouch

Posted in Advertiser, Load Carrying | 2 Comments »

Luminae Chest Rig

June 6th, 2020

The Made in the UK, Luminae Chest Rig combines their Luminae Quad Mag Pouch and Luminae Chest Rig Harness.

The designed Quad Mag Pouch is mase from laser cut laminate and designed to be compatible with the VIRTUS plate carrier. As you can see, it also works with the Luminae Chest Rig Harness. Fits 4 x 5.56 Magazines and features Kydex inserts. Look for additional options, coming soon.

The front of the Chest Rig Harness features 3 levels of height adjustment and 2 D-rings for added versatility. The rear zips can be ordered in either Crye Zip-on panel or PLCE zip-on pouch configuration. The Luminae yoke is also Cummerbund Compatible meaning cummerbunds can be easily attached to the sides.

www.luminae.co.uk/store/Luminae-Chest-Rig

Posted in Load Carrying | 1 Comment »