Berry Aviation to Exhibit at SOFIC
May 12th, 2017Magpul – Spring 2017 Apparel and New Hats Now Shipping
May 12th, 2017Several new Magpul clothing and headwear items are now shipping.
American Defense Mfg Creates Custom Rifle For SOF Select Fundraiser Benefitting SOC-F
May 12th, 2017
11MAY2017 – Wisconsin – American Defense Mfg® will be showing and participating at the inaugural SOF Select Show May 16-18 at the Westin Harbour Island Hotel, in Tampa, Florida. Additionally, on the evening of Tuesday, the 16th, the event will host a social hour and fundraiser for the Special Operations Care Fund (SOC-F) which will include a really special rifle for raffle. In Chief Shadle’s memory, American Defense Mfg® built “Shady Actual” based on the “ShadyMag” working in conjunction with Law Tactical, EOTech®, and Blue Force Gear®. Raffle tickets will only be available for this rifle at SOF Select & at the social.
About Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Brett D. Shadle:
Chief Shadle was born on March 17, 1982 in Harrisburg, PA. He was a 2000 graduate of Upper Dauphin Area High School starring on his basketball and soccer teams. Fulfilling a lifelong dream to become a Navy SEAL, he entered the Navy in July 2000. During his military service he completed many deployments around the world in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Chief Shadle was a highly decorated combat veteran with numerous awards including two Bronze Star Medals with Valor. A superb naval leader, he died in a training accident Thursday, March 28, 2013.
About Special Operations Care Fund (SOC-F):
The Special Operations Care Fund (SOC-F) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, 100% volunteer, charitable organization that generates funds for the families of wounded or killed Special Operations Forces (SOF).
Our mission is to “fill in the gaps” of the care of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community. We raise money via events and unique engagements; linking donors, industry, and SOF end users together. Funds generated from the events support Brain Injury Treatment not covered by Tri-care or the VA, SOF Gold Star Kids Camps, SOF Marriage counseling, and emergency needs as they arise. Once we have covered out internally funded initiatives, we donate like-run charitable organizations that support the Special Operations Community.
We are average American’s who care deeply about the Special Operations Community, and we created SOC-F to make a difference in the lives of the families of those who have given so much.
About American Defense Mfg®:
American Defense Mfg® was founded with an idea and a lot of hard work. What followed was the QD Auto-lock that has become the standard for QD mounting hardware. All American Defense Mfg® products are 100% designed and built in Wisconsin.
All of our products are designed by shooters with one goal in mind – quality.
Moving forward, we have evolved into a premier manufacturer of AR-15 platform rifle, that we consider “The Gentleman’s Work Gun.” With a high level of attention to detail, an eye for style, but a demand for performance, our UIC line of rifles & pistols are serious tools, for serious people.
Visit Pilot Innovations at SOF Select
May 12th, 2017Pilot Innovations will be at SOF Select showcasing their telescoping carbon fiber ladder.
Stop by their booth to learn more about their capabilities, and check them out at www.pilotinnovations.com.
TYR Tactical Canada Participating In 2017 OTAB Ontario Tactical Advisory Board Conference
May 12th, 2017
TYR Tactical Canada™ is proud to announce its participation in the 2017 OTAB Ontario Tactical Advisory Board Conference. Get hands-on with the latest TYR Tactical®, Huron™ and Revere K9™ designs. Following our mantra, Innovate or Die®, these products continue our mission of pushing the standards of today’s tactical equipment, defining modularity and scalability and are custom made for you, The Next Generation Warrior®.
Show Details:
–> Booth#: 25 & 26
–> Learn how TYR Tactical Canada™ integrates DuPont™ Kevlar Brand into not only soft armor but almost every piece of tactical nylon kit.
–> Speak one-on-one with our Team Specialist
Want to speak with an International sales rep or schedule a meeting? Email us at glenn@tyrtactical.com or call 613-591-8666.
Sneak Peek – ARES Multi-comm Push To Talk & In-Ear System from TEA
May 12th, 2017TEA will unveil the new ARES Multi-comm Push To Talk & In-Ear System at next week’s SOFIC.
The new TEA ARES multi-comm PTT and In The Ear solution is capable of interfacing with all current DoD radios, headsets and platforms (LAND-SEA-AIR), phones, tablets and intercom systems. It incorporates a new industry leading “Echo Cancellation” technology that will allow the device to handle full duplex audio on two separate channels and also can accommodate talk group select options when needed. Also compatible with current dual NET radios being used today
Unique Features Include:
New ergonomic design for ease of use even when wearing gloves
Single or multi-comm configurations – including remote PTT/O2 cable for HALO configurations
Compatible with TEA’s complete suite of headsets for both land and maritime use
Newly designed flat “Easy Clean” connectors
IP 68 rated for submersability
Fully repairable
Easy operator/unit level programming or updating if needed (Custom programs available)
Newly designed secure clothing clip
Low Power Consumption for extended periods of use
Superior Protection and Comfort
See the ARES Multi-comm Push To Talk & In-Ear System, along with the entire TEA Headsets line in Booth #1200 at SOFIC.
Recharge at the Magpul Whiskey Locker during SOFIC
May 12th, 2017
Join Magpul, May 16-18, at the Bayside Ballroom in the Embassy Suites during SOFIC, in their Whiskey Locker for a variety of opportunities to recharge your batteries, network, and check out their latest products.
See The Newest Gore ePTFE Fiber Enhanced Fabrics at SOFIC
May 12th, 2017At next week’s Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida, WL Gore & Associates, Inc will exhibit uniforms made from the latest versions of fabrics enhanced with their ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) fiber technology. We first introduced you to the technology during SOFIC 2015.
As reminder, these are the performance enhancements, thanks to the inclusion of ePTFE.
-Low wet pick-up for faster dry time
-Faster dry time with moisture absorption
-High mechanical durability (break & tear strength)
-High strength to weight ratio (weight reduction)
-Low coefficient of friction offers low, wet cling and improved hand
-Tunable with other fiber blends inherent characteristics, like FR
Sounds like a wonder material, doesn’t it? Makes you wonder why they haven’t just made shirts and pants out of pure ePTFE right? Sure, they could make an entire garment from the fiber, but they haven’t gone that far yet. Incremental improvement is always easier to accept, so rather than introducing a radical new technology, they considered how to enhance existing materials by adding ePTFE into weaves with more traditional fibers. “We took the NYCO you wear now and made it even better. That was our starting block,” explained Dave Minor, Fibers Technology Lead at WL Gore & Assoc. Since it’s adoption in the early 90s for military field garments, NYCO is common ground for all of the services and was the perfect place to begin their work.
But, this isn’t Gore’s first go at fibers. You’re most likely familiar with WL Gore’s waterproof/breathable technology, known as GORE-Tex. However, that’s a membrane which is bonded to other face fabrics. WL Gore & Assoc is a worldwide corporation and boasts a wide range of technologies, including a great dental floss. Naturally, it’s strong, self lubricating and inert, meaning it won’t pick up any heebie-jeebies that might cause infections in your mouth. Later, they came up with a Gore thread, with the same properties. Looking back on those two products, you can see that the move to woven textiles was inevitable. However, in this instance, Gore set out to develop fabrics for military use, rather than looking first for commercial customers. The development didn’t happen overnight. Gore had to work with their supply chain to develop processes to weave the material and refine the ePTFE fibers introduced into the process. Few companies would take on the development of a completely new fabric technology without a formal requirement, leaving me very impressed with this investment.
While the fabric is a Gore product, it’s not GORE-Tex, meaning it’s not waterproof. Instead, it absorbs less water than traditional fabrics, due to the ePTFE’s inert nature. It also remains soft against the skin, yet strong. Product Specialist Cheryl Booth, emphasized the material’s attributes saying, “It’s super wicked strong.” Less water absorption doesn’t just equal more comfort, it also means it dries faster. To this end, I’d like to point out, some impressive numbers.
Dry Time Numbers/Increasing Strength When Wet Data
Dry time comparison based on MM-TS-07 test method shows Katana to dry in 20 minutes as compared to NyCo drying in 35 minutes.
Katana fabric will increase 15% in strength when wet. NyCo fabric will lose > 15% in strength when wet.
Although I found the technology remarkable the first time I saw it several years ago, Gore rested on their laurels. They’ve advanced the concept and made improvements from early construction. In addition to enhanced durability, they also improved printability and comfort. Those of you who are familiar with early uniforms made from Katana, may recall that the print looked washed out. To counter this effect, they moved the ePTFE fibers from the surface of the weave further to the rear. Not only did this result in richer printing, but more of the ePTFE is against the skin, resulting in increased comfort. The Saber fabric in the middle of the image below is from the first generation, while the MultiCam fabric to the left is from a recent production run. You can really see the difference the new weave makes.
The Katana fabric has been chosen for use in the Arc’teryx LEAF Assault LT line of hot weather uniforms and has already been adopted for issue by allied units. It’s a No Melt, No Drip material thanks to the NYCO content, but does not offer full FR properties. However, they also have a full Nylon fabric called Saber which is much lighter than Katana, and much softer to the skin. This was developed for customers who don’t require NM/ND. I expect to see this offered in a commercial garment soon as well. As I mentioned earlier, Gore is working on turning other combinations of fibers into fabric. It could be could be any fiber, created specifically to enhance certain characteristics, like full FR. Gore’s team continues to work with customers to identify requirements. Additionally, while ePTFE is white, it can be solution dyed and Gore has demonstrated the use of such ePTFE fibers in a new fabric called Scimitar, seen above next to Katana (L) and Saber (C). A full Scimitar uniform is seen below.
Be sure to see the latest Gore ePTFE Fiber Enhanced Fabrics as well as other technologies at SOFIC in booth #1420.
