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OKSI Awarded USSOCOM and AFRL Contracts for Precision Guidance Seeker for Munitions

July 23rd, 2024

LOS ANGELES, July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — OKSI has been awarded multiple contracts totaling nearly $6 million from USSOCOM and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for their ARMGDN seeker. ARMGDN is a capability enhancement to BAE Systems’ APKWS® laser-guidance kit, providing passive target acquisition and tracking for precision engagements. APKWS is a guidance kit for the 2.75 inch Hydra-70 rocket. Together, the APKWS with OKSI’s ARMDGN seeker will facilitate rapid engagements of multiple air or ground targets via ripple fire of multiple precision- guided rockets in rapid succession.

BAE Systems’ APKWS® laser-guidance kit integrated with OKSI’s ARMGDN launch during a test demonstration.

OKSI’s ARMGDN provides DoD with a low-cost precision-guided munition designed to defeat small drones and other unmanned systems. Warfare is on the brink of a major paradigm shift where low-cost robotic systems, UXS, and swarm tactics are an imminent threat and will be used to overwhelm and confuse the opposition. ARMGDN enables rapid engagement of multiple threats simultaneously to thin out swarms and protect personnel and equipment.

“The ARMGDN seeker transforms our defense strategy from a costly war of attrition to a cost-effective campaign of precision,” says Chris HolmesParker, CEO, OKSI. “By harnessing existing rocket inventories, it dramatically cuts the expense of countering UAS threats, aligning our expenditures nearly 1:1 with the drones they counter. This shift from deploying prohibitively expensive munitions to utilizing ARMGDN’s affordable capabilities marks a pivotal move towards sustaining our defense without the economic strain.”

OKSI’s ARMGDN seeker is designed to accommodate a variety of warhead configurations for both a standard air to ground armor defeat capability as well as hard kill of UAS threats. OKSI’s advanced seeker technologies brings not only a new, impressive capability to bear, but also keeps the overall system’s cost at or below the cost of the targets it is designed to defeat.

Learn more at www.oksi.ai

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/oksi-ai

Posted in AI / ML, Press Release, weapons | Comments Off on OKSI Awarded USSOCOM and AFRL Contracts for Precision Guidance Seeker for Munitions

Secret Service Seeks Precision Bolt Action Rifle System

July 23rd, 2024

The United State Secret Services (USSS) has issued a solicitation for a Precision Bolt Action Rifle System consisting of a multi-caliber rifle, for use in all environmental conditions. What’s more, the weapons system must be offered in a Right and Left-hand configuration. Additionally, It has to be an off-the-shelf rifle, commercially available and in serial production.

The required calibers are 300 Winchester magnum, 300 Norma Magnum, 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge, and .308 Winchester. The rifle must have a single stage trigger and the metal parts must have a subdued, rust/corrosion resistant finish.

The rifle must be accurate within 1 MOA. It can weigh no heavier than 16 pounds, 0 ounces without accessories (300 Winchester Magnum configuration).

All weapons procured under this contract shall be of new manufacture and offerers have to be the OEM manufacturer. Rebuilt, overhauled, remanufactured, or “seconds” shall not be accepted.

Furthermore, offerers cannot submit more than two (2) specific nomenclature model firearms from each contractor shall be submitted for solicitation testing and considered for contract award. There are no set asides, making this a full and open competition.

Although they are asking for a multi-caliber option, the deliverables for the down select specify a rifle chambered in 300 WIN MAG it must come with one magazine, an extra chassis and a suppressor.

They’ve already selected a suppressor, the Thunder Beast Arms Magnus-SR 30 caliber Suppressor, with secondary retention non-timed brake (SR NTB). Interestingly, if a candidate rifle fails utilizing the requested suppressor a Thunder Beast Arms Ultra 9 shall be installed and tested. If the rifle fails with the Ultra 9 then the submission will be eliminated.

The ammunition used for PHASE II evaluations will be Berger 300 Winchester Magnum 215 gr Hybrid target load or Black Hill Ammunition 300 Winchester Magnum 210 gr Sierra OTM and be supplied by the USSS.

Test firing during the down select will be accomplished by a minimum of four shooters selected from a cross section of USSS end users and all shall be qualified Law Enforcement personnel. So as not to influence the shooters, the weapon manufacturer and model information markings will be obscured from user (via duct tape).

Additionally, during the down select evaluation, the candidate rifles will be mounted with an Nightforce ATACR – 7-35x56mm scope or equivalent.

Details here.

Posted in Contracts, LE, weapons | 2 Comments »

Tactical Tuesday: Save up to 40% on 4 New Sale Items!

July 23rd, 2024

Vertx dropped prices on 4 of their latest Men’s Shirts, giving you up to $37 in savings. These aren’t your average shirts; they feature unique pockets for EDC, high-performance fabrics, and versatile colors. Designed for comfort and functionality in any environment, they’re perfect for tactical problem-solvers like yourself. Check them out before they’re gone!

• Recce Technical Shirt (Short Sleeve) – Now: $55.99 (Was: $92.99)

• Recce Technical Shirt (Long Sleeve) – Now: $64.99 (Was: $97.99)

• Flagstaff Shirt (Short Sleeve) – Now: $64.99 (Was: $92.99)

• Flagstaff Shirt (Long Sleeve) – Now: $69.99 (Was: $99.99)

Once they’re gone, they’re gone – so stock up while supplies last!

Shop now at vertx.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing, Guest Post | Comments Off on Tactical Tuesday: Save up to 40% on 4 New Sale Items!

US Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Battery Debuts in Resolute Hunter Exercise

July 23rd, 2024

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Battery, part of the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, made history by participating in Exercise Resolute Hunter 24-2, a joint, combined exercise on the base from June 25-27, 2024. This exercise marked a significant milestone, as it was the first time the Army’s hypersonic capability was integrated into the bi-annual joint training exercise.

Hosted by the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, Resolute Hunter 24-2 is the Department of Defense’s only dedicated battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance exercise. This year’s event brought together three participating nations and four joint services for a three-week training exercise.

Building on this achievement, Col. Charles Kean, commander of the 1st MDTF, emphasized the importance of this exercise, stating, “these scenarios provide invaluable sets and repetitions that build upon and reinforce the steadfast integration of MDTF capabilities in the broader partnered joint all-domain construct.”

The exercise demonstrated the battery’s ability to integrate with higher joint echelons and sustain operations over an extended period. Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Long Range Fires Battalion), 1MDTF, successfully employed its force package for over 72 hours, showcasing the long-range hypersonic weapon digital kill chain in collaboration with joint partners and providing real-time situational awareness to the joint command post.

Capt. Jennifer Lee, commander of Bravo Battery, highlighted the significance of the exercise, stating, “Exercise Resolute Hunter 24-2 demonstrated the critical role of landpower and the Army’s indispensable contribution to joint operations. I’m proud of our team’s commitment to excellence and their ability to adapt and innovate in a complex and dynamic training scenario.”

The Army’s long-range hypersonic weapon development has been a long-term effort, with Soldiers contributing to the prototyping process since 2019. After receiving the initial hardware delivery in March 2021, the unit initiated new equipment training in September 2021, which consisted of four three-week iterations. The fielding process was completed by the end of fiscal year 2023, enabling Soldiers to train on the equipment, create doctrine, and develop new tactics, techniques and procedures.

In February 2023, the unit deployed the capability more than 3,000 miles away to Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the system’s longest recorded overland movement to date, as part of Exercise Thunderbolt Strike, demonstrating the Army’s ability to rapidly deploy the hypersonic capability.

Since then, the unit has participated in several other named and joint exercises, with Resolute Hunter being the latest.

As a theater-level unit and joint force enabler, assigned to the Indo-Pacific, the 1MDTF plays a vital role in synchronizing long-range precision fires layered with long-range precision effects to create multiple dilemmas and neutralize adversary anti-access and area denial networks. The 1MDTF’s proven innovation, agility and lethality have led the Army to direct five full MDTFs in strategically significant locations worldwide.

By CPT Ryan DeBooy

Posted in Army, Fires, Forces Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on US Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Battery Debuts in Resolute Hunter Exercise

GRIDRASTER Proudly Selected by U.S. Air Force for Strategic Financing (STRATFI) Program

July 22nd, 2024

Program is Integral Part of AFWERX and SpaceWERX vision to forge an innovation ecosystem that delivers disruptive Air and Space capabilities

Mountain View, Calif. – (July 16, 2024) – Grid Raster Inc., a leading provider of AI-enabled cloud-based Extended Reality (XR) platforms that power high-performance and scalable Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR)/Mixed Reality (MR) experiences for enterprises, announced today it has been selected by the U.S. Air Force for its Strategic Financing (STRATFI) program.

The announcement was made at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, made public by AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and powered by the Air Force Research Laboratory, and SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX. The joint entities announced the Program Year 2024 Strategic Funding Increase, a contract award selection from its Phase II eligible applicants.

AFWERX Director and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Department of the Air Force, Col. Elliott Leigh, made the announcement during his keynote speech titled “Chasing Innovation: Lessons Learned,” at Capital Factory, the home of AFWERX’s Austin Hub.

“Our growth stage investment programs, Strategic Funding Increase and Tactical Funding Increase, are an integral part of the AFWERX and SpaceWERX vision to forge an innovation ecosystem that delivers disruptive Air and Space capabilities,” Leigh said. “By deliberately engaging with Space Force Deltas, Air Force Major Commands, Program Executive Offices and Department of the Air Force Senior Acquisition leadership, we are employing dollars at scale, both government and private investment, to accelerate the development of strategic capabilities. I am impressed by the scope and diversity of capabilities submitted in response to the Program Year 24 opportunity and am excited to see the outcome of the continued development of these capabilities over the coming years.”

For the U.S. Air Force, maintaining superior situational awareness is crucial for mission success and ensuring the safety of personnel. GridRaster’s 3D AI extended reality solutions can integrate data from various sensors and sources into a unified augmented reality display, providing pilots and commanders with real-time insights into their operational environment. From advanced threat detection to terrain mapping and navigation assistance, these augmented displays enhance situational awareness and decision-making capabilities in high-stakes scenarios.

GridRaster works extensively with the U.S. Air Force and aerospace manufacturers for high-fidelity modeling, simulation and training, and extended reality (XR) solutions. The company provides a functional, agile, modular, scalable XR technology stack for automation, robotics and digital twins in support of the digital transformation efforts in the industry. GridRaster’s XR platform moves the heavy computation required for immersive and high precision XR experiences to the cloud while using XR HMDs as a collection of sensors and displays, greatly reducing or eliminating many of the limitations of current and forthcoming XR devices and platforms.

STRATFI is both an AFWERX and SpaceWERX effort to help Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, and Small Business Technology Transfer, or STTR, projects overcome the difficult transition between development and full production. This multi-year infusion of funds gives small businesses an opportunity to find the investors they need and the ability to continue research and development as they march toward full-rate capability.

“The integration of 3D AI extended and mixed reality solutions represents a paradigm shift in how the US Air Force and aerospace manufacturers approach training, operations, maintenance, and design processes,” said Rishi Ranjan, CEO fof GridRaster. “By leveraging immersive simulations, augmented maintenance procedures, virtual prototyping, collaborative remote operations, and enhanced situational awareness, these technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance efficiency, safety, and effectiveness across the board. Embracing these transformative technologies will not only drive innovation within the aerospace industry but also ensure the continued readiness and superiority of the US Air Force in an increasingly complex and dynamic global landscape.”

To schedule a demo or to learn more about GridRaster’s technology, please visit gridraster.com.

Posted in Air Force, Press Release | Comments Off on GRIDRASTER Proudly Selected by U.S. Air Force for Strategic Financing (STRATFI) Program

Tacpickel, The Helmet Spike

July 22nd, 2024

Students of military history are likely familiar with the Pickelhaube, the distinctive headgear of the Imperial German Army from mid-1800s until the middle of World War One.

Tacpickel is a polymer version of that famous spike which can be affixed via Velcro to current ballistic helmets (or other headgear like motorcycle helmets) for that throw back look.

Gets yours at www.recon-company.com.

Posted in Helmets | 2 Comments »

Limited Edition B5 Systems Flecktarn Combo Kits

July 22nd, 2024

B5 Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional grade firearms accessories, released it’s in house hydro dippedproducts earlier this year with the launch of the in-line MULTICAM®, MULTICAM ® Black and Woodland dipped skus. For the remainder of July they have added limited edition Flecktarn combo kits, pairing their most popular products together. Additionally, every combo kit includes a FREE B5 Systems Flecktarn hat.

Flecktarn originated in Germany to provide concealment inwooded terrain, consisting of 5 colors in a spot (fleck) typecamouflage (tarn) pattern. While Flecktarn is still in use with the German military, it has developed a strongfollowing among American shooting and outdoor enthusiasts. B5 Systems is proud to pay tribute to an effective and timeless camouflage pattern and have partnered with Edgar Sherman Designs to make this pattern available in firearms accessories.

Combo Kits Available:

• Bravo Stock / P-Grip 22

• Bravo Stock / P-Grip 23

• Enhanced Sopmod Stock / P-Grip 22

• Enhanced Sopmod Stock / P-Grip 23

• Vertical Grip M-LOK® available as an add on

Posted in Advertiser, Press Release, Weapon Accessories | Comments Off on Limited Edition B5 Systems Flecktarn Combo Kits