New for 2020 is the Elite Assault Boot from Oakley.
The AR 670-1 compliant boot features the Vibram Litebase Outsole along with a Vibram SPE Midsole, 8″ Cordura upper and their low profile Lace-Lock system which creates a locked-in fit.
The Elite Assault Boot is I’m told, the first in a complete refresh of their boot line with more models coming in the future.
Gerber launched a LOT of new knives during SHOT Show but the one that stuck out of the crowd is the Doubledown. The overall length is just over 15″ with a 7″ 430HC blade with a glass filled nylon handle.
This Made in USA folding machete features a butterfly design. It’s a beefy, utility blade meant to chop, cut and split wood.
It features a recurved blade, overstrike guard, and stability bar to keep the blade closed during use.
If that wasn’t enough, there’s another fail-safe. Here you can see the Quad-Lock system which not only must be activated to open and close the blade, but automatically locks into place at 45 degrees to prevent injury during closure.
The Doubledown will come with a MOLLE and belt compatible sheath. Available this summer in Flat Sage Green/Stonewash, Black/Stonewash, and Black/Black.
On the wall of the Eagle Industries booth was this 3-Day Assault Pack which apparently is a prototype. As you can see, it integrates laser cut laminate which offers a low profile alternative to PALS webbing.
Space, Cyber Space and EMS/C4ISR Subject Matter Experts Needed !
On 10-12 March, SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM’s Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T), will host the Fifth Innovation Foundry Event (IF5) focused on Space, Cyber Space and the Electro-Magnetic Spectrum (EMS). This event will bring together Special Forces Operators and Subject Matter Experts to assist USSOCOM in discerning future capability areas for tech exploration in Unconventional Warfare (UW).?
Request to Attend NLT 12 February 11:59 PM EST U.S. Citizens Only
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.—In December 2019, the Program Manager for Light Armored Vehicles at Marine Corps Systems Command approved the initial procurement of the TOCNET-G4 Intercom System—or G4 ICS—for use in the Family of LAVs.
The G4 ICS is the LAV communication management system that allows Marines to easily communicate, both internally and externally, improving communication and situational awareness on the battlefield.
“We’re providing a communication capability that offers tremendous utility for Marines,” said Dan O’Conner, the project lead for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance payloads and capabilities for PM LAV.
The G4 ICS is an easy-to-use tactical communication system comprising a user interface that adapts well to the operational environment of the LAV. The equipment provides enhanced audio quality and performance, said O’Conner.
The intercom also controls the entire
communication suite within the LAV. The G4
ICS gives Marines a single point-of-control for
radios, GPS systems and other technologies rather than having to independently manage each system.
“Not only is it simple to use, [G4 ICS] is interoperable with the existing communication suite within the Marine Corps platform,” said Kim Bowen, deputy program manager for LAV. “It also has the ability to easily add a wireless capability.”
In 2017, the Light Armored Reconnaissance Operational Advisory Group identified upgrading the LAV intercom system as their top priority after receiving complaints from Marines about the legacy ICS. A frequent criticism was the older-generation ICS experienced shutdowns causing a loss of communication and lengthy reboot times.
The G4 ICS is a modern ICS that is more fault-tolerant to LAV electrical fluctuations that cause ICS shutdowns and subsequent reboots. In the unlikely event that the G4 ICS does reboot, the G4 ICS will reboot in a few seconds, said O’Conner.
Stakeholder involvement
PM LAV incorporated Marine Corps stakeholders into the evaluation, assessment and selection process of the new ICS to ensure all parties participated in the selection of the system. The acquisition approach focused on assessing the technology’s value and utility for end users, and strategically conducting test and evaluation trials early in the process to better inform decisions, said O’Conner.
“By doing this, we can deliver an improved ICS to the fleet approximately a year earlier than if we followed traditional acquisition methods,” said O’Conner.
In June 2018, PM LAV conducted market research seeking viable candidates for a replacement intercom system. In April 2019, Marines representing all Light Armored Reconnaissance battalions assessed three candidate systems in a Systems Integration Lab during a user evaluation to provide feedback on performance, utility and usability.
After narrowing the search to two systems, a Limited User Evaluation took place in Twentynine Palms, California, and finished at Camp Pendleton, California, in August 2019.
In November 2019, Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity—who helped plan the LUE and managed the conduct of the evaluation—provided an independent System Assessment Report, which provided data to support the selection of the G4 ICS. The SAR provided data that clearly showed the G4 ICS performed superior to its competitor.
“We wanted a reliable and easy-to-maintain system that would meet the current and future needs of the user.” said Steve Myers, MCSC’s program manager for LAV. “That is why [Marines] were involved in every step of the process.”
Initial Operational Capability for the new ICS is scheduled for fiscal year 2021, and Full Operational Capability is slated for fiscal year 2022.
By Matt Gonzales, MCSC Office of Public Affairs and Communication | Marine Corps Systems Command
USMC photo by LCpl Nathaniel Q. Hamilton
The SIRT 20 and SIRT 20C have the functional features of the SIG P320 and P320 Carry. These are inert pistols which simulate
The Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger (SIRT) Training Pistol is available with Red or Green laser.
You get:
• 1 SIRT Training Pistol
• 1 Training Magazine
• Trigger Adjustment Tool
• Laser Windage and Elevation Adjustment Tool
Additionally, the 110 Model has functional features of the Glock 17/22 and the 107 Model has functional features of the Smith & Wesson M&P.
nextleveltraining.com/product/sirt-20
At the end of December 2019, the German Bundeswehr ordered a thousand logistic vehicles from Rheinmetall worth €382 million, including valued added tax. The order is the third call-off from a framework contract signed in July 2017 encompassing over 2,200 state-of-the-art military trucks, which the Bundeswehr is purchasing as part of its “Unprotected Transport Vehicles” project. Of the thousand vehicles just ordered, 675 have a five-ton payload, while the remaining 325 have a load-carrying capacity of 15 tons. Starting in January 2020, the trucks will be built at the Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (RMMV) plant in Vienna, with delivery to be complete by the end of the year.
Featuring a basic military configuration, these robust, off-road-capable vehicles will be available to support the Bundeswehr’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) 2023 mission.
Awarded by the Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) on 5 July 2017, the framework contract, which runs for a period of seven years, encompasses a total of 2,271 vehicles from RMMV’s HX family. As a first step, 558 vehicles were ordered right away. A further call-off of 252 vehicles followed in May 2019, and another 60 in November 2019.
Serving the twin modern imperatives of mobility and security, the Düsseldorf-based technology group is thus playing a key role in the project to modernize the Bundeswehr’s fleet of trucks, which includes thousands of vehicles. Most of the principal components – the engines, axles, transmissions and build-ons – are made in Germany. The vehicles are assembled at the RMMV plant in Vienna.
Particularly when it comes to multinational operations, the global presence of RMMV vehicles offers major advantages with regard to interoperability and logistics. Among others, current user countries include the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark. Norway and Sweden have also placed substantial truck orders with Rheinmetall.
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — With the arrival of a new year, part of a new command vision will soon take place in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) footprint.
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command initiated a plan to reinvigorate the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum. As a result, the museum is temporarily closed to the public while a complete historical inventory is conducted to identify and catalogue items. This will ensure a better understanding of the state of artifacts available to students and Soldiers, and to identify gaps in the history of Special Forces (SF), Civil Affairs (CA) and Psychological Operations (PSYOP).
Upon reopening, tentatively at the end of February, the former U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum will be renamed as the U.S. Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) Museum. It will still provide support to the Special Warfare Center and Schools as well as all of the subordinate commands and units under the USASOC umbrella.
“The former SWCS Museum, now the ARSOF Museum, has been reorganized under USASOC to fully represent all of USASOC’s equities,” said Dr. Michael Krivdo, U.S. Special Army Operations Command Historian.
The idea of the reorganization is to take ownership of ARSOF’s proud history and to get artifacts into the hands of Soldiers by intellectually engaging students and Soldiers in areas where they congregate. It is intended to keep artifacts on display engaging, relevant, and fresh.
“Where the ‘old’ museum construct focused only on artifacts and displays at one fixed location, and only featured SF, CA, and PSYOP, the ‘new’ reorganized museum provides museum support for all the subordinate units which fall within the whole ARSOF enterprise,” Krivdo added.
“The ARSOF Museum will expand to include artifacts and exhibits of the Ranger Regiment and the Army Special Operations Aviation Command, which were previously not included in the current museum as it was tied to the regiments that are assessed, trained and educated at SWCS; these are the Green Berets, PSYOP and CA Soldiers,” said Janice Burton, a spokesperson for the Special Warfare Center and School.
Staff Sgt. Keren Solano, a spokesperson for the Special Warfare Center and School said, “It also serves to illustrate the unique and specialized part played by all aspects of the Army Special Operations community both in conflict and during crucial roles in peacetime. The museum has also proven itself to be a valuable recruiting catalyst.”
The updated look and feel of the U.S. Army Special Operations Forces Museum will leverage technology by making displays hands-on and ideally, three dimensional. Active duty students and Soldiers are the ‘center of the bullseye’ as the target audience. The content will focus on informing and educating them about the dynamic history of Army Special Operations.
“This would not only include students, Soldiers assigned to operational units, and support units, but their families and retirees as well,” she added.
With the museum set to have a new name and broader scope of information, U.S. Army Special Operations Command is setting the stage for the implementation of a vision of immersing Soldiers and students in the organizational heritage and history.
By SGT Larry Barnhill, USASOC Public Affairs Office
