FirstSpear TV

AUSA 19 – Textron Systems Unveils Latest Next Generation Squad Weapon – Carbine Candidate

October 14th, 2019

At AUSA, Textron Systems showcased their Next Generation Squad Weapon candidates, along with a historical perspective of weapons developed as part of the Lightweight Small Arms Technology program, which started out life in 5.56mm and then transitioned to 6.5mm. NGSW requires a 6.8mm cartridge which performs similar to 270 WSM. The top left weapon is their belt-fed Automatic Rifle and top right is their Carbine.

Below is the latest version of the Carbine. The carbine in the middle of the photo above has been seen recently. It is a bid sample with a commercial battery pack.

Textron brings almost two decades of Case, Telescoped weapons and ammunition development. This 6.8mm polymer cased ammunition fully encapsulates the projectile into the case. Olin Winchester, who produces over 4 billion wounds of small arms ammunition a year, will manufacture the 6.8mm rounds of the solution is selected by the Army.

LMT developed the suppressor for these weapons which utilized their virtual baffle technology.

Textron reports they will be prepared to deliver test article prototypes this Spring for the Army’s final down select for NGSW.

AUSA 19 – WL Gore & Assoc Showcases New Temperate Weather Boot

October 14th, 2019

The upcoming Terassault GTX from McRae Industies is a temperate boot with improved breathability range thanks to the Extended Comfort membrane from W. L. Gore & Assoc.

It is a very lightweight, low profile design. It offers extreme flexibility and doesn’t impede the design of the boot. In addition to less bulk, it offers at least 30% increased breathability over the Army issue temperate weather boot.

Coming Spring 2020 from McRae Industries.

AUSA 19 – Close Combat Assault Ration

October 14th, 2019

The Close Combat Assault Ration initiative is working to go beyond what even the First Strike Ration has accomplished by reducing the weight and volume of operational rations by 40%.

The prototype above shows current form factor and includes ration components that can be eaten on the go. One area of effort is to increase nutrient stability of performance optimizing food products.

This graphic shows how much smaller the CCAR footprint is for a 10-day operation than the MRE.

Team Wendy Launches Radio Rig For Search And Rescue Community

October 14th, 2019

Chest rig fully compatible with MOLLE / PALS accessories
CLEVELAND, OH (Oct. 14, 2019) – Team Wendy® formally announced today the launch of its Radio Rig, the company’s first ever chest rig. The item is available for immediate purchase.

The chest harness is a first for the Cleveland-based company, a leading provider of exceptional head protection systems worn by thousands across military, law enforcement, search and rescue (SAR), and adventure communities.

“We strive to provide our clients with optimal solutions by identifying gaps and filling unmet needs in the market,” said Team Wendy CEO Jose Rizo-Patron. “Through our ongoing engagement with several domestic and international SAR communities, it was clear to us that they needed a comfortable, purpose-built communications rig that includes a better approach for cable management. Our Radio Rig also serves as a complimentary solution to our widely fielded EXFIL® SAR helmets.”

The skillfully crafted harness offers an abundance of compartmentalization without compromising mobility. It comes with an assortment of three pouch sizes (small, medium, large) to accommodate any size radio or GPS. It features a separate weather-resistant zippered accessory pouch to protect a cell phone or other electronic equipment from the elements.

PALS webbing on the front provides a modular attachment system for the included pouches, as well as any other MOLLE / PALS compatible holsters, bags, etc. Fidlock® magnetic buckles allow for the front section to fold forward providing access to the backside of the front panel, which features a clear touch-screen compatible pocket for electronic devices (phones or tablets), maps, notes, etc.

The front panel features an interior zipper pouch, including two pockets:

·         One pocket is dedicated to cable management with six separate pass throughs for cables to enter from the exterior and be stored inside.

·         The second pocket is for organization, including some webbing to help secure pens, flashlights and multi-tools.

Low-profile rear panel and straps allow for use with other backpacks if needed. That panel has loop for mounting ID patches and PALS webbing for securing any other small pouches.

“This rig was designed with explicit input from the communities we serve,” said Rizo-Patron. “They told us what was missing from the chest rig market and our engineers went to work.”

The Team Wendy Radio Rig retails for $134.95 and is now available for purchase on TeamWendy.com, through authorized Team Wendy dealers, and will be available on Amazon.com in the coming weeks.

Team Wendy has also partnered with Silynx®, a leader in the communications industry, to offer a version of the CLARUS XPR in-ear communications system with a specific wiring configuration that serves as a sound complement to the new Radio Rig, as well as the EXFIL SAR helmet platform. The Silynx system, available for purchase through Team Wendy, consists of an in-ear headset, control box, dual comm splitter, and the option of a Smartphone adapter and one of four radio adapters compatible with 95 percent of radios on the market – including the Motorola APX.

Learn more at www.TeamWendy.com.

2019 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition

October 14th, 2019

Join us for our ongoing coverage of the 2019 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting & Exposition.

BE Meyers & Co MAWL-X1 Added to USAF Small Arms & Light Weapons Accessories List

October 14th, 2019

October 14, 2019 (Redmond, WA) – The B.E. Meyers & Co. MAWL®-X1 high-power infrared aiming and illumination laser has been added to the United States Air Force Small Arms and Light Weapons Accessories list. It is now available to Combat Airmen organizations including Special Tactics, Combat Control Teams, Tactical Air Control Party, Combat Rescue, Special Reconnaissance, and Combat Weather Squadrons.  703 MAWL®-X1 units have been procured by the USAF, in addition to those fielded by other U.S. Armed Forces to date.

The MAWL®-X1 will be on exhibit at the 2019 AUSA Annual Meeting (B.E. Meyers & Co. booth #3825) on October 14-16, in Washington D.C.

ABOUT THE MAWL®-X1

Designed for use on individual and crew-served weapons, the MAWL®-X1 is the Department of Defense specific variant of B.E. Meyers & Company’s highly successful Modular Advanced Weapon Laser line. A truly modular system, the MAWL®-X1 is comprised of three interchangeable components (Head, Body, and End-Cap) that can be configured for right or left handed shooters, and individually replaced, or upgraded for increased versatility.

The MAWL®-X1 leverages VCSEL technology to produce unmistakably superior beam quality and clarity. Beams are stacked and balanced, providing increased situational awareness, and the ability to overcome photonic barriers created by external light sources.  Preset divergence and power outputs allow the shooter to quickly switch between Short Range (CQB), Mid-Range, and Long Range pointing and illumination settings in under a second.

Modular, dependable, and deadly, the MAWL®-X1 provides unparalleled performance for the modern night fighter.

Polartec Launches Military Issue Collection

October 14th, 2019

(Andover, Mass.) – October 14, 2019 – Polartec, the premium provider of innovative and sustainable textile solutions, is honored to bring iconic, American-made, military-issue fabric technologies and finished garments a step further than ever before, directly to all Americans.

The foundation of today’s GEN III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (E.C.W.C.S.)––the standard issue cold weather apparel system in the U.S. Army––is the Polartec® Military Issue Collection. This system provides soldiers with a multi-layered, performance driven clothing system that’s designed to be versatile and adaptable to varying operational and environmental conditions.

For more than a decade there have been GEN III E.C.W.C.S. labeled military garment designs for sale online and from select military retail stores. While some of these items are authentic surplus garments, it remains an unregulated gray area. Foreign imitations continue to pop up in their various forms, and even outdoor sporting and hunting brands have adopted military issue garment nomenclature into product descriptions.

Now available directly from the source, these authentic Polartec fabrics and designs are proudly made in America and shipped directly from the same U.S. cut and sew manufacturers that have been creating these garments since 2007. Polartec GEN III E.C.W.C.S. products and the Polartec® Military Issue Collection includes:

E.C.W.C.S. Level I Silkweight Shirt and Pants, the foundation of the modern GEN III E.C.W.C.S. layering system, made of a soft and comfortable Polartec® Silkweight fabric for versatile next-to-skin performance that includes fast wicking action and dry times, high durability and compressibility

E.C.W.C.S. Level II Grid Knit Shirt and Pants, the legendary “waffle” shirt, made of iconic (and patented) Polartec® Power Grid™ bi-component knit fabric, which maximizes warmth, breathability, wicking action, compressibility and versatility, while minimizing dry-times and weight.

E.C.W.C.S. Level III High Loft Jacket, the “smoking jacket,” made primarily of Polartec® High Loft™, the ultra soft and compressible fleece for warmth without weight, with Polartec® Power Grid panels

Micro Fleece Cap, small enough to stash anywhere for critical warmth, made of warm, highly compressible and lightweight Polartec® Micro series fleece in a durable three-panel construction 

“We have long noticed veterans, active military, or even just the tactically-inclined reaching out to us directly, in search of these authentic military grade products,” says Polartec President Steve Layton. “No one should have to roll the dice on a blurry eBay photo or questionable shopping link to get a new pair of their favorite long underwear, “waffle” grid mid-weight top, or favorite “smoking jacket” design.”

polartecmilitary.com/collections/military-issue-collection

General Dynamics at AUSA 2019: Investing Now in the US Army’s Future

October 14th, 2019

Stryker A1 MCWS: The Stryker A1 Medium Caliber Weapon System is the next generation of the Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle Dragoon (ICVD), which is currently in theater with the Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Europe. Featuring a lethal 30mm cannon mounted on a combat-proven Double-V Hull chassis, the Stryker A1 Medium Caliber Weapons Systems was successfully live fired in August 2019. It provides a solution for the Army’s operational need for greater lethality in the Stryker fleet. This low-risk, proven solution is ready to meet the Army’s program timelines.

 See it in Booth #803.