For years, food technologists have worked to develop a shelf-stable pizza. The problem has been the different components working against one another to keep everything feeling and tasting fresh.
But now, Bridgford Ready to Eat sandwiches offers a shelf stable Pepperoni Pizza.
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FORT BRAGG, North Carolina — 82nd Airborne Division troopers here are wrapping up testing of the Caster Assisted A-Series Delivery System (CAADS), which involves delivering mission essential supplies and munitions to ground troops.
Soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team teamed up with subject matter experts from the United States Army Advanced Airborne School (USAAS).
Paratroopers from the U.S. Army Advanced Airborne School develop Techniques Tactic and Procedures prior to testing with the U.S. Army Operational Test Command’s Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate. (Photo Credit: Mr. Michael A. Zigmond, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs.)
With the Fort Bragg-based U.S. Army Operational Test Command’s (USAOTC) Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate (ABNSOTD), they successfully rigged, dropped, and recovered the CAADS door bundles during operational testing on Sicily Drop Zone.
The 82nd Airborne Division is part of the XVIII Airborne Corps, and is the Army’s most strategically mobile division.
Capt. Matthew P. Carstensen, (right) Commander, Headquarters & Headquarters Co. 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, conducts a door check prior to exiting the first Caster Assisted A-Series Delivery System from a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft. (Photo Credit: Mr. Michael A. Zigmond, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs.)
82nd Airborne Division Commander, Maj. Gen. Erik Kurilla, said, “The 82nd Airborne Division is the elite Airborne infantry division of the United States Army, specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areas.”
Kurilla wants to be able to deploy three CAADS door bundles per paratroop door. Bundles can weigh up to 500 pounds of cargo and be airdropped from a variety of Department of Defense (DoD) transport aircraft to support the Global Response Force.
Sgt. 1st Class Miguel A. Amadis of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, positions the Caster Assisted A-Series Delivery System in the door of a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft before deployment onto Sicily Drop Zone. (Photo Credit: Mr. Michael A. Zigmond, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs.)
The current door bundle limit without CAADS is two bundles per door per pass.
Currently, there is no standardized aerial delivery system in the Department of Defense (DoD) inventory that employs the dolly-assisted method, but other countries like France employ a similar system.
CAADS is a platform built of plywood, a brake, and six caster wheels which allow the door bundle to roll across the aircraft floor, speeding airdrop deployment.
Testing demonstrated safe deployment of door bundles using CAADS to improve the ability of Soldiers deploying the bundles while reducing exit time. The increased speed allows for additional bundles per pass.
The efficiency of the CAADS concept provides the capability of exiting more door bundles per pass, per aircraft — all increasing the amount of supplies on the ground to the paratroopers during their critical 12 hour initial entry phase.
Sgt. 1st Class Miguel A. Amadis of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team said, “I like the CAADS a lot. It was easy to push, easy to set up at the door, and it will be very useful for the upcoming missions.”
One Airborne unit commander said he liked CAADS’ simplistic design and concept, which can seriously lessen the physical wear and tear on the average paratrooper.
“The castor’s one free axle made the rotation into the door easy, but still kept two axles locked, which maintained control as the container exited the door and entered the slip stream,” said Capt. Matthew P. Carstensen, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
“I felt that the concern of jarring the container in the doorway was safely mitigated by those locked axles,” he added. “Looking at future application, a container of this size and capacity can significantly increase the combat power and lethality delivered onto a hostile drop zone on the first pass.”
According to Sgt. 1st Class Martin L. Ross, ABNSOTD Test NCO, operational testing is OTC’s opportunity to contribute to Army readiness.
“Anything less compromises the Army’s ability to provide the forces that fight and win the Nation’s wars,” he said.
“Operational testing is about Soldiers,” said Col. Bradley F. Mock, Director of the ABNSOTD. “It is about making sure that the systems developed are effective in a Soldier’s hands and suitable for the environments in which Soldiers train and fight. Operational testing is OTCs opportunity to contribute to readiness; anything less compromises the Army’s ability to provide the forces that fight and win the Nation’s wars.”
The ABNSOTD Test Division chief explained how test units incorporate systems under test into their actual missions and training requirements.
“Leaders of units involved in testing have the first look at new systems, which may also drive changes to operations and doctrine,” said Lt. Col. Gregory Oquendo. “Tests are unit-led, which translates into coordinated control under realistic operational environment scenarios.”
Other tests underway at ABNSOTD include the Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources (AMMPS) 30K generator which will replace the relatively short-lived TQG (Tactical Quiet Generator) program and airdrop certification of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25A2) Mobile Protective Firepower (MPF). Highly-instrumented test drops by Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate (ABNSOTD) will help test overall airdrop survivability of the vehicles.
By Mr. James (J.C.) Cochran, Military Test Plans Analyst, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs.
MPA MUT Standard Rifle
Comer, Ga. (February 2018) – MasterPiece Arms (MPA), manufacturers of the MPA BA Rifles and Chassis Systems, is pleased to introduce the MPA Micro Urban Tactical (MUT) 308BA Rifle. This purpose driven rifle was designed to be used when an ultra-compact platform with a minimal stored footprint is required, all while achieving sub ½ MOA accuracy. Watch the video below:
Masterpiece Arms MPA MUT Rifle
The MPA Light Weight Chassis System is machined on MPA’s CNC Horizontal Machining Centers to exacting tolerances from 6061 aluminum. The v-bedding system provides additional clearance for glass bedding action and straight section of the barrel. The chassis also includes a built-in inclinometer, thumb notch, lower mounted Picatinny Rail and is spigot mount ready. The spigot mount is designed to be inserted in the front of the chassis to provide an extended distance between the front bipod and the rear support. A sling stud can replace the Picatinny rail if the customer desires.
The specially designed folding Compact Suppressor Ready (CSR) Buttstock comes with an adjustable length of pull and can store a suppressor up to 1.5″ in diameter (1.570″) and 8.5″ in length. This can take a suppressed rifle measuring up to 48″ in length and reduce the overall length to 23.5″ with the suppressor stored in the buttsock and folded/locked into a short barreled rifle (SBR) configuration.
The MPA MUT 308BA Rifle includes a precision gun drilled, reamed and honed Spencer / MPA rifle barrel made from 416RQ stainless steel. The hand lapped barrel is bore and land inspected on a video borescope. The chamber is indicated within 0.0001″ or less to the bore of the rifle. The Spiral Fluted One Piece Bolt with DLC coating is hand lapped and fitted to each individual action. The rifle is available as an SBR with a barrel length of 12.75″ or as a standard rifle with a barrel length of 16″ or longer.
MPA MUT SBR
MPA MUT 308BA Rifle Specifications:
Caliber: 308 Winchester (other calibers available)
Action: Curtis Custom Axiom Action
Action / Bolt Design: Remington® 700 Type
Bolt: Spiral Fluted One-Piece Bolt with DLC Coating
Chassis: MPA BA Lite Chassis with CSR Buttstock
Chassis Weight: 3.2 lbs.
Rifle Weight: Varies, 8.6 lbs.
Barrel: 416RQ Stainless Steel Spencer / MPA hand lapped barrel
Barrel Twist: 1:10 or 1:8
Barrel Length:12.75″, 16″ or customer supplied
Barrel Muzzle Thread: 5/8-24 TPI
Barrel Profile: #5
Coating: Cerakote®
Length of Pull: 13.5 – 15″
Trigger: Trigger Tech
Trigger Pull: 1 – 3 lbs. (customer choice)
Magazine: AICS Mag Compatible (Five round Accurate/AICS Type magazine included)
MSRP: $3,025.00
The MPA MUT 308BA Rifle is available in the following colors: black, burnt bronze, flat dark earth, gunmetal, marine red, NRA blue, sniper green and tungsten. All chassis are Cerakoted in a multitude of colors. Solid colors are included. Custom Cerakote colors have a $135 upcharge for the chassis body and $65 for the barreled action.
MPA makes every effort to get the product to the customer as quickly as possible. Please allow six to 10 weeks before delivery from date of order as these are hand-built precision instruments and not production components.
For more information on MasterPiece Arms and their product line of rifles, chassis systems and accessories, visit www.masterpiecearms.com.
We’ve all seen the endless talk on social media this week about the issues spinning off the cowardly scumbag’s rampage in Florida. We seem to be spending a lot of time yelling at people who agree with us, on everything from gun control, mental heath and anti-depressants, Trump’s waffling on the 2nd Amendment, to former Deputy Scot Peterson’s refusal to close with and destroy the enemy. While the vomiting of emotion is certainly understandable, especially given that our culture now seems to encourage our belief that others should care what we think, it doesn’t accomplish a damn thing.
The only thing you can control is you. The way we solve this problem, other than letting it burn itself out or waiting for the next big problem to divert our controversy-addicted brains, is for each of us to get our own house in order. I’d suggest, as a starting point, taking two simple steps: get your mind right, and improve your skills.
These are two steps you can take right now, today, that you have complete control over. Not only that, but these are the two areas that directly effect your ability to protect yourself and / or fulfill your oath, and no one else can do them for you.
If you’re not already doing so, take some of that social media time and invest it in dry fire, flow drills, range or shoothouse time, or talking to your wife about what to do if you’re killed. Maybe a little time understanding your own weaknesses, whether physical, mental or emotional, and dealing with them head on, would be in order.
Let the politicians argue, the internet trolls participate in meme on meme violence, and the weak complain that others should be “doing something”. Now is not the time for weakness or navel-gazing. Now is the time to get ready for your turn at bat.
You’re the only one in control of you, so focus on that. We may all be counting on you some day.
Stout Hearts
Chappy
John Chapman is a founding partner of Forge Tactical, a full service training firm that focuses on procedural training for law enforcement and responsibly armed citizens. An instructor at EAG Tactical under the mentorship of BCM Gunfighter Pat Rogers for many years, John has been teaching firearms and tactics since 1994.
In the past, John has worked as a private security contractor, servicing training and physical security contracts in the public and private sector, both domestically and internationally. Mr Chapman is also a former police Lieutenant, and a currently serves as a team leader on a SWAT team in the Midwest.
Gunfighter Moment is a feature brought to you by Bravo Company USA. Bravo Company is home of the Gunfighters, and they bring us a different trainer to offer some words of wisdom.
How do we properly scan? We’ve all the seen people on the range that keep their eyes in their sights and move their weapon from left to right as a habit. While it looks good and they are checking the block on performing this critical task, sometimes those people aren’t actually identifying anything and are setting themselves up for failure.
If you keep your eyes in your sight while scanning, you are limiting yourself to what is within that toilet paper tube sized housing. With some sights, this is even smaller. As much as we train to go into broad target focus with the sight in line with our eyes, having it there will inevitably pull you back into what’s only visible from that housing. On top of this, red dot is already on your target.
We put our sights on target thousands of times and pull the trigger. Do you think anything will be different when you have to discriminate between a threat and a non-threat? Your brain has been wired to see a red dot or sights on target and pull the trigger. How about when other good guys have a weapon like a police officer responding to a call? Give yourself the time and space necessary to properly identify those around you in an actual situation. By lowering the weapon slightly so that the sights are not immediately visible and on your target, you are creating the amount of time and space necessary for your brain to identify the target, and potentially tell your firing hand not to pull the trigger if needed. I would want that split second extra to determine if what was in the suspect’s hand was a cell phone, an unidentified person holding a badge, or the shape in the middle of the night was actually my wife who accidently tripped over my gym bag while she was checking on the kiddo. There’s a lot of situations that this could be important, I’m sure you can think of several and add it to the comments below.
A good rule of thumb with a rifle is to be able to turn your chin over your buttstock. With a pistol, lower the gun down to your upper chest or break it back enough to be able to see the torso area of those around you. Hands aren’t always above the shoulder line to determine if they have a gun, and badges aren’t always high on the chest to easily see. When you have your weapon pressed out in your line of sight, you are effectively cutting off the majority or the torso that gives us the ability to identify what we need, get a snapshot of the person, and proceed into our “snapshot… hands, aim, shoot” process of target identification.
Scan with your eyes and actually identify the targets to your left and right of your area. ID target, engage until target begins to go down, gun down, eyes lead gun, and snap onto next target if required. Use your eyes to gather information and determine whether or not you will give commands or engage depending on your situation. You can only shoot as fast as you can see, and you can only make decision as fast as you can process information. Don’t limit yourself on either, or set yourself up for failure.
Drew Estell is the owner of BAER Solutions, and served for a decade in Special Operations. He has been fortunate enough to serve with soldiers and instructors who were invested in his success, and as such have benefited from the years of experience that each of them had. During the course of his multiple combat deployments and experiences, he has learned that no shooter is the same.
In addition to weapons training classes, BAER Solutions offers leadership and team building consultations. BAER Solutions also works with police departments to take lessons learned from SOF deployments and apply them to the specific needs of the local governance and populace. By combining SOF tenets of Village Stability Operations and the concept of Community Policing, they deliver a consulting and training package called Unconventional Policing.
For more information this topic, create your free account at Greyhive and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch the pistol ready position videos demonstrating this.
Snapshot is a bi-weekly series from Greyhive featuring content written by our Experts. It is our goal to deliver information that prompts you to examine your preparedness from all angles, not just how quickly and accurately you shoot.
The new T4 is coming in June 2018.
The new T4 Tour is coming in August 2018.
22 February 2018. In a move set to revolutionize the light attack and tactical C4ISR aircraft industry, the launch of the BRONCO II aircraft is announced today by newly created Bronco Combat Systems (BCS) USA.
The original Bronco was renowned for its impressive mission capabilities. The BRONCO II, which is based on the AHRLAC aircraft (Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft), is a two-crew C4ISR and precision strike aircraft, capable of carrying a wide range of weapons, sensors and systems in extended airborne mission operations. It is a unique platform that is built for purpose; uses a pusher propeller and has an open system architecture allowing for the rapid incorporation of current and emerging systems, setting a new standard for mission flexibility and adaptability.
Paramount Group International Chairman Ivor Ichikowitz said, “This aircraft is a real game-changer for the warfighter. It is unique in that it has been designed specifically as a light attack and ISR platform from the onset. This is not simply an armed variant of a civilian crop-duster or a modified training aircraft. Every inch of this aircraft is designed for purpose – specifically for the kind of asymmetrical warfare that sophisticated military forces are now being asked to conduct. These missions demand rapidly deployable, hybrid ISR and close air support capabilities for which no other platform has been specifically designed.”
AHRLAC, the platform upon which the BRONCO II is based, is already in production using the latest advanced aerospace manufacturing technologies. The fact that the aircraft is 100% digitally designed makes the ability to industrialize the BRONCO II in its totality in the United States a reality. Work has started on establishing a manufacturing base that will enable the full production of the airframe and mission systems integration in the United States.
Ichikowitz went on to say “BRONCO II was designed with the US market in mind; it contains significant American content and we are now excited to be able to commit to bringing full production of the aircraft home to the USA.”
The BRONCO II’s internal Interchangeable Multi-Mission System Bay (IMSB) allows a single airframe to be easily and rapidly re-configured to perform multiple roles, incorporating high-performance targeting sensors, network communication systems, precision weapons, an electronic self-protection suite, and mission planning systems.
The aircraft is a purpose-built, sophisticated airborne Find/Fix/Finish/Exploit/Analyze (F3EA) system able to operate for extended periods in remote theaters with minimal infrastructure and a small logistics and maintenance footprint. The BRONCO II operates at a fraction of the procurement and lifecycle cost of an aircraft with similar mission applications and capabilities.
Fulcrum Concepts LLC will lead weapons and system integration for BRONCO II. Fulcrum Concepts Co-Owner and President of Engineering Solutions Scott Richman said, “BRONCO II is the ultimate solution to the F3EA capability, a truly multi-role aircraft with real-time C4ISR perfectly suited to the kind of light attack requirements we are seeing coming out of the U.S. military forces and a number of other programs in the U.S. market. We are excited by the opportunity to be one of the lead partners in bringing this innovative capability to the United States.”
Dr. Paul Potgieter, the CEO of the Aerospace Development Corporation which designed the aircraft, stated: “This aircraft is a completely clean-sheet, next-generation design, using the latest CATIA and digital design systems specifically for digital production. Even the factory in which this aircraft is currently being produced embraces the innovative principles of the Fourth Industrial Revolution by emphasizing the use of rapid digital prototyping, laser additive and 3D printing, and a jig-less manufacturing approach.”
Bronco Combat Systems has been established as a US based entity which will bring the aircraft to the US end user. The founding partners are Paramount Group USA, Fulcrum Concepts LLC, and ADC, who designed the AHRLAC platform. Bronco Combat Systems are actively engaging with other domestic U.S. partners to scale the entity in both capability and reach.
“This is a very exciting time for us, our partners and future US customers who will benefit from the rapid fielding of the Bronco II and its unique capabilities. Discussions are underway with highly respected and experienced US suppliers for total supply chain management, mission software, and mission training.” added Ichikowitz.
More information relating to the BRONCO II and the Bronco Combat Systems team will be released in the coming weeks.
