Helix Tactical is the side of mountaineering equipment manufacturer DMM which supports military and LE customers. At DSEI they showed us the DMM Micro Pulley. It’s stats are 2-6 mm with a strengths of 15 kn mbs and 2 kn working load.
Seen above with a micro carabiner, the Micro Pulley can be used on a standard size carabiner. Additionally, the Micro Pulley can be stacked.
Coming soon from helixtactical.com.
Rocky Boots exhibited an all leather Brown version of their popular S2V boot. Originally created for the US Naval Aviation community, this color makes this 8″ boot a great option for members of the UK military.
In the Brigantes booth we took a look at the Silva Expedition 5 6400/360 Global which is beginning to replace the Militaire with the British military.
The Expedition 5, seen to the left, is a global compass while the Militaire is designed for northern hemisphere use. The baseplate features romers, measurers and magnifying glass but also has an inclinometer, variable declination, and measuring lanyard.
To make it a global compass, Silva magnetized the central gimbal, which rests on a sapphire for the smoothest needle movement possible. The gimbal allows the magnetic elements to point at magnetic north without disturbing the needle and reducing accuracy.
Typhoon manufacturers drysuits, dry bags and accessories.
One of their latest products is the Osprey Dry Bag which has been built specifically for para ops. It incorporates a single pull release and this can be covered when not in use. The bag itself is made of durable trilaminate texturized polyester with stitched and double taped seams and waterproof zippers.
It also features integrated shoulder straps which can be stored behind a zippered flap.
The Osprey has a 120 liter capacity and is available in Black or Drab Green.
So new it doesn’t have a name yet, this new belt made from ULTRAcomp consists of an inner and outer belt. Blue Force Gear tells me it is half the weight of competitor belts.
The outer belt has a break strength of 4000 lbs and features a Cobra buckle as well as two sewn-in front and rear retention loops. It also incorporates three high PALS slots.
The inner and outer belts connect via Velcro. The inner belt is low profile and can be turned inside out of you want to wear it as your only belt.
Coming soon from www.blueforcegear.com.
Yesterday in the Hague Netherlands, the European Patent Office (EPO) once again confirmed that Cleveland-based Team Wendy’s European patent directed to its CAM FIT™ Retention System was valid and entitled to a priority date of at least October 2012. The opposition to Team Wendy’s patent was filed by ABG Intellectual Property Law, S.L. against Team Wendy’s sister company that owns the European Patent, Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC (IPH). Although the identity of ABG’s client was not disclosed during the opposition, evidence submitted by ABG directly pointed to FECSA SL, a Spanish company that has been attacking Team Wendy’s CAM FIT™ Retention System IP for more than two years. The EPO found ABG’s opposition unsuccessful on all grounds and Team Wendy’s patent – European Patent No. 2874512 titled “Helmet Retention System” – shall be maintained as granted.
Team Wendy CEO Jose Rizo-Patron said that Team Wendy invests heavily in unique, innovative products and systems designs and will continue to aggressively defend its intellectual property. “We are very pleased with the ruling coming out of the EPO. It is regrettable that this particular company chose a path forward that the EPO has declared a dead-end in lieu of investing in their own design and development. Our IP is firmly grounded and this attempt to have it invalidated was rejected out of hand by the EPO,” he said. “The CAM FIT™ Retention System has been tremendously successful and remains the gold standard for tactical helmet systems worldwide.”
Team Wendy was represented in the opposition by Dr. Matthew Barton of Forresters in Munich, Germany and Mark W. McDougall of Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP in Cleveland, Ohio.
LONDON, Sept. 11, 2019 (DSEI STAND S-7 310) — L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has been awarded contracts from two European nations totaling more than $100 million for Falcon manpack and handheld tactical radios. Deliveries of the AN/PRC-158, AN/PRC-160, AN/PRC-152A and AN/PRC-117G radios are underway, with completion expected in 2020.
The L3Harris AN/PRC-158 multi-channel manpack radio features a two-channel, software-defined architecture with integrated cross-banding between waveforms – providing new advanced capabilities while maintaining backward interoperability with legacy radios. The AN/PRC-160 is a stand-alone solution that provides data speeds up to 10 times greater than other existing high frequency radios. The AN/PRC-152A is a wideband networking handheld radio that provides simultaneous voice, video and data in a small form-factor, with ad-hoc capabilities. The AN/PRC-117G manpack is software defined, easily upgradeable with new waveforms such as MUOS, and is also NINE Suite B encrypted – allowing users to securely and easily interoperate with U.S., NATO and regional partners.
“Success in coalition operations depends on strong coalition partners and robust information sharing, from mission information down to voice communications,” said Keith Norton, Vice President, L3Harris Communication Systems. “These proven L3Harris radios are part of a series of overlapping European modernization programs to deliver advanced narrowband and wideband networking capabilities with greater interoperability for U.S. and other NATO allies during coalition operations.”
In the infantry toolbox, the versatile 40 mm ammunition pallet closes the gap between hand grenade and mortar. It therefore serves as a veritable combat multiplier for infantry and other dismounted troops. Rheinmetall is one of the world’s leading suppliers of ammunition, weapon systems and fire control systems and therefore acts as a one-stop shop for 40mm systems.
Widely used today, the Group’s 40 mm x 46 low-velocity ammunition (LV, velocity: 78 m/s) is available in many different versions, including HE/fragmentation, shaped charge with fragmentation jacket (HEDP/high explosive dual purpose) as well a number of other service and practice rounds, together with non-lethal payloads such as kinetic impact munitions or irritant. The range of ammunition is constantly being expanded and new capabilities added. Rheinmetall’s 40mm LV ammunition can be fired from all standard standalone and underslung grenade launchers such as the M79 “Blooper”, the M320, HK269, Milkor launchers, the M203 and the SCAR EGLM/ Mk13 Mod 0.
Rheinmetall is now the leading maker of new 40mm medium-velocity (MV, ca. 100 m/s) ammunition. This product portfolio includes the new generation of 40mm MV ammunition, which has a maximum effective range of 800 metres, doubling the operator’s reach and providing a flatter trajectory for those crucial close-in, accurately placed shots. Rheinmetall’s MV ammunition is currently undergoing NATO qualification. The 40mm MV ammunition family will soon be available in service and practice versions. It can be used with the multi- shot grenade launchers Milkor US M32A1 and AV 140. Furthermore, Rheinmetall’s 40mm Magazine-Fed Grenade Launcher (MFGL) is currently under development.
The Group’s 40 mm x 53 high-velocity ammunition reaches a velocity of 240 m/s and has a maximum effective range of 2,200 metres. Here, too, the Group supplies a wide assortment of different cartridges, including newly developed HE and HEDP airburst ammunition, programmed by an infrared programming unit.
The new multipurpose 40mm HV-HEDP IM ESD (High Velocity-High Explosive Dual Purpose, Insensitive Munition, Electronic Self-Destruct) cartridge is ideal for engaging and defeating lightly armoured and soft targets. It has a newly developed shaped charge cone capable of penetrating 80 millimetres of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) grade K. It is the only 40 mm ammunition on the market today with this kind of penetration performance. A unique nose fuse incorporating an electronic self-destruct (ESD) mechanism is optimized for high-sensitivity detonation against both hard and area targets. This system results in a dud rate significantly below that of a typical pyrotechnic or spin decay self-destruct mechanism.
The excellent accuracy of the Rheinmetall 40mm HV-HEDP cartridge is a result of its patented, proprietary propulsion unit. At extreme temperatures, e.g. resulting from a fuel fire, the RWM 40mm IM’s improved propulsion system prevents separation of the projectile and propulsion unit. The 40 mmx53 HEDP IM ESD is equipped with qualified IM explosives. The 40 mm HV-HEDP IM ESD grenade is suitable for use in all NATO-standard weapon systems, including the HK GMG, as well as the MK19 and the MK47 grenade launchers.
Rheinmetall’s programmable 40 mm x 53 Airburst Munition (ABM) constitutes another important new capability, allowing troops to engage targets (e.g. snipers) taking cover in trenches, behind stonewalls, etc. The Group’s 40 mm x 53 ABM is fully qualified for use by the Bundeswehr and Dutch armed forces. The Bundeswehr has fielded this ammunition under the designation DM131.
Rheinmetall’s family of fire control systems enhances combat effectiveness enormously. It provides users with a broad range of enhanced capabilities, increasing the effectiveness of the gunner while maximizing the potential of the host weapon system and munitions being utilized. The family consists of different fire control solutions, providing increased accuracy and performance: Vingmate FCS 4500 for high-velocity automatic grenade launchers and heavy machine guns, MR-500 and MR-800 for low- and medium-velocity 40mm grenade launchers and Vingmate SL 1000 for shoulder-launched weapons.
The Vingmate FCS 4500 fire control system is one of the world’s leading fire control systems for automatic grenade launchers. It is fitted with a thermal imager, a combined tripod and gun cradle. It is thus suitable for various 40mm automatic grenade launchers such as the MK19 and HK GMG but also for heavy .50 cal. machine guns like the FN M2/ Browning M2, or even 20mm automatic cannon such as the GAM B01. Vingmate FCS 4500 is designed to permit programming of airburst rounds via an infrared laser beam as they leave the barrel.
The MR-800 and MR-500 can also programme airburst rounds via infrared signal. While the MR-800 features an integrated IR programmer, a similar unit can be connected to the MR- 500. The MR-500 is a manually adjusted clip-on aiming system specifically developed for low- and medium-velocity 40mm grenade launchers and shoulder launched rockets (e.g. M72/AT4). Incorporating an infrared target marker, an infrared illuminator and a red dot sight, the device weighs only about 11 ounces (300 grams). It is suitable for both underslung and standalone grenade launchers. The system can also store variable ballistic tables, two of which can be selected using a dedicated selector switch. The MR-500 is suitable for left- handed and right-handed shooters, and is powered by a CR123 battery. If desired, the MR- 500 can communicate with external devices such as Rheinmetall’s newly developed TAC- Ray Ballistic clip-on (rifle-mounted) laser rangefinder. The TAC-Ray Ballistic which is available in different variations is an extremely compact device capable of measuring targets out to 2,000 meters and includes visible and IR laser pointers and illuminators.
Once again, the manually adjustable MR-500, as an extension of the motor-driven MR-800 and Vingmate SL, underscores Rheinmetall’s status as a one-stop shop for 40mm weapons technology, and other shoulder-launched weapons. It joins other fire control units from the Vingmate family such as the Vingmate FCS 4500 for automatic grenade launchers under contract with US SOCOM.
