This poster was presented during NDIA’s recent Future Forces Capabilities Conference in Huntsville. It showcases the KelTec P-50 as a possible weapon for small unmanned ground vehicles.
POC info is on the poster.
NDIA Future Forces Conference 23 Poster #12 – The KelTec P50
October 10th, 2023AUSA 23 – Gentex Asks What’s Next for Army’s Integrated Head Protection System
October 10th, 2023Gentex is one of the current manufacturers for the Integrated Head Protection System. Currently rolling off the line is the Next Gen IHPS which has transitioned to a “holeless” design meaning there are no holes bored into in the helmet’s shell to accept the liner and external accessories.
Instead, there are adhesive receivers for the bolts adhered to the shell with epoxy. The effect is just as strong as the old way and doesn’t compromise the integrity of the ballistic shell.
However, IHPS still has a compromise shape in that it is a mid-cut helmet, making it difficult to wear with hearing protection.
Consequently, Gentex is examining offering a high-cut option and incorporating their tried-and-true ARC rails into IHPS and chin strap.
While no decision has made by the Army, I would suspect we will eventually see something along these lines.
AUSA 23 – SIG Showcases Robotic Systems
October 10th, 2023Producer of the US Army’s Modular Handgun System and Next Generation Weapons SIG SAUER displayed their new robotic systems at the AUSA Annual Meeting this week.
The system consists of three main components: Mule robot, Pitbull Remote Weapon Station, and NG3 Mingun Gatling Gun.
Chambered in 338 Norma Mag, the NG3 Minigun Gatling Gun is from Stone Horse, LLC, a Richmond-based manufacturer. It features four rotating barrels and offers a 2000 rounds-per-minute rate of fire. However, this can be tuned to avoid certain frequencies for aviation applications. The MG3 weighs in at 50 lbs with electrical box.
The Mule and Pitbull are products of General Robotics which was purchased last year by SIG SAUER. We’ve seen Pitbull in the past, which debuted with SIG during the defense products demonstration at this year’s SHOT Show range.
Pitbull weights 85 kg dry and can be configured with a wide variety of weapons and mounted to vehicles, robots and even in static applications as well as on a tripod.
This is the first time we have seen Mule. Equipped with band tracks, it weights 100 lbs with batteries and can be remotely operated or programmed to transit a predetermined route. Additional equipment is available to provide the Mule autonomous capability to assess and negotiate terrain.
SIG’s booth had a couple of other Easter eggs like this pistol equipped quadcopter also from their General Robotics division.
Editor’s Note: I called the Next Generation 3 a “Minigun” because that’s technically what it is, but the M134 is commonly known as a Minigun and this isn’t an M134.
Eric
Mack Defense To Show Mack AC Model At AUSA 2023
October 10th, 2023ALLENTOWN, PA – Mack Defense announced today that it will show a classic Mack® AC at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2023 Annual Meeting and Exposition, Oct. 9 –11, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The Mack AC model is a heavy cargo truck that was used extensively during World War I with the British and American forces. Featuring a chain drive rear axle and an uncommon radiator that sat behind the engine, the AC model earned a reputation for toughness on the battlefields of Europe. Its tenacity earned it the nickname “Bulldog” by the British forces, which ultimately led to Mack adopting the Bulldog as its corporate symbol.
“Mack has a long and storied history as a provider of military vehicles to the U.S. Armed Forces,” said David Hartzell, president of Mack Defense. “The AC model on display in the Mack Defense booth is not only an example of the truck that inspired our Bulldog symbol, but its performance on the battlefield earned the reputation for durability and reliability that we still celebrate more than 100 years later.”
On loan from the Mack Trucks Historical Museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the 1927 Mack AC model featured in the Mack Defense display in Halls D&E, Booth 8333 is a five-ton heavy truck powered by a four-cylinder gasoline engine that delivers 69 horsepower to the rear wheels. The truck was delivered to Ayer & McKinney of New York City on April 30, 1927.
Mack Defense announced earlier this year that it received an additional order for 135 M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks (HDTs), which is part of a firm-fixed price $296 million contract over seven years awarded by the Army in 2018. With that order, 60 HDTs are being purchased by the U.S. Army Reserve, 74 are being funded by the Presidential budget and one is being purchased by the U.S. Navy. With this tranche, a total of 446 HDTs have been ordered to date.
In addition, Mack Defense is one of four finalists for the U.S. Army’s Common Tactical Truck (CTT) program and will be delivering three prototype vehicles by January 2024. The prototypes will be tested and evaluated to determine the final requirements for the next generation of trucks to ultimately begin modernization and replacement of the Army’s fleet of approximately 35,000 heavy tactical trucks, which perform a wide range of combat logistics and support missions.
Second Call-Off from Rheinmetall Framework Contract: Bundeswehr Orders Artillery Ammunition
October 10th, 2023Rheinmetall has booked a major order for 155mm artillery ammunition following a second call-off under an existing framework order with the German government. The latter has contracted with the Düsseldorf-based tech group to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with tens of thousands of L15 rounds as well as conventional 155mm Assegai shells for the German military. The order is worth a figure in the lower three-digit million-euro range. Delivery is scheduled to take place in 2024.
As recently as July 2023, Rheinmetall announced the signing of a new framework agreement for artillery ammunition with the Bundeswehr and the expansion of an existing agreement. The contracts encompass the delivery of several hundred thousand shells, fuses and propelling charges.
The war in Ukraine has compelled the armed forces of numerous nations to replenish their ammunition stocks. In this context, Rheinmetall has already booked several large orders for artillery ammunition.
The recently concluded framework agreement for 155mm artillery ammunition runs until 2029 and represents gross potential order volume of around €1.2 billion. The first orders of service and practice ammunition came directly after the contract was signed.
Among other products, Rheinmetall’s family of artillery ammunition includes the high-explosive DM121 shell, the DM125 smoke/obscurant projectile and (jointly developed with Diehl) the DM702 SMArt sensor fuse munition, plus the RH68 practice round and the range-optimized RH1901 an RH1902 smoke/obscurant projectiles.
The Group’s portfolio also includes the versatile 155mm Assegai family from Rheinmetall Denel Munition, which encompasses insensitive ammunition and conventional HE shells as well as smoke/obscurant, illumination, infrared illumination and other projectiles. All Assegai artillery ammunition types have a maximum range of approximately 40 kilometres. Under the latest framework agreement, the tried-and-tested Assegai ammunition family will now be entering service with the Bundeswehr.
TrueTimber Camo to Serve as Primary Sponsor on Jack Wood’s No. 51 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ride at Talladega
October 9th, 2023INMAN, S.C. – TrueTimber is proud to announce a partnership with Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) naming TrueTimber as the primary sponsor on Jack Wood’s No. 51 Silverado for Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Wood’s Chevrolet will also carry associate sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, and Zariz, a fast-growing intermodal drayage company specializing in transporting containers form the ports, for the event.
“We are really excited to partner with KBM and Jack for this race,” said TrueTimber CEO Rusty Sellars. “Talladega is such an iconic track, and it will be awesome to see the number 51 truck sporting TrueTimber camo. We had Jack over to the warehouse last week and it was great to meet and spend some time with him to show him all about what we do here at TrueTimber. We wish him and the entire KBM team the best of luck this weekend.”
Saturday will mark Wood’s 11th Truck Series start of his debut season with KBM. The California native has qualified inside the top 10 in half of his starts in 2023 and has produced two top-10 finishes, include a career-best ninth place result at Texas Motor Speedway in April. In addition to his part-time schedule for KBM, he has produced two top-five, and six top-10 finishes across eight ARCA Menards Series starts for Rev Racing this season, including a sixth-place finish at Talladega in April.
“It’s exciting to have TrueTimber on the truck as well as our associate sponsors Bass Pro Shops and Zariz Transport,” said Wood. “It’s great having everyone come together to help us get out to the track. This is probably one of my favorite paint schemes I’ve ever had on a race car—it turned out pretty sweet. Thankful to Rusty and all the people at TrueTimber that helped back this. I had the opportunity to go down to their plant near Spartanburg, South Carolina and had the opportunity to meet a lot of the people and check out what they do there. It will be fun to have them at the racetrack, especially at a cool place like Talladega.”
To learn more about the entire TrueTimber product line and see all available patterns, visit TrueTimber.com.
EAA/Girsan Now Shipping Witness2311
October 9th, 2023(Cocoa, Florida) – European American Amory Corporation (EAA Corp) is proud to announce that the Witness2311® by Girsan is now shipping to distributors for dealers nationwide.
The new Witness2311® is a double-stacked 1911 built to compete with the highest quality double-stack 1911s on the market while keeping an affordable price. This state-of-the-art semi-automatic pistol boasts a sleek design with ergonomic space age grips, optic ready slide, accessory rail, multiple barrel lengths, calibers, and model configurations. In an industry where quality often comes at a premium, the Witness2311® stands out as a true game-changer. EAA and Girsan understand the importance of providing high-quality firearms accessible to a wider audience, and that’s why the Witness2311® is priced competitively without compromising on its quality.
The EAA/Girsan Witness2311® will come in seven different variations, with more to follow. The first 3,000 units will ship with a free EAA FAR-DOT optic as an added value.
Keith Bernkrant, President of EAA, stated: “We do not rush our products to market like some of our competition. I am proud to say the Witness2311® is one of the finest products we have ever distributed. Many have said we must be “out of our minds!” at the retail price of $999 including optics for the first 3,000 optic ready units.”
4.25” Commander Optic Ready, 9MM |SKU: 395030| SRP: $999
5” Government Optic Ready, 9MM |SKU: 395020| SRP: $999
4.25” Commander Optic Ready, 10MM |SKU: 395010| SRP: $1,029
5” Government Optic Ready, 10MM|SKU: 395000| SRP: $1,029
6” Hunter, Supersight, 10MM |SKU: 395070| SRP: $1,029
4.25” Commander Optic Ready, 45ACP |SKU: 395050| SRP: $999
5” Government Optic Ready, 45ACP |SKU: 395040| SRP: $999
EAA and Girsan earning your respect, one gun at a time.
For more information on the Witness2311®, please visit: EAACorp.com/Witness2311
Spectra Group’s Award-Winning SlingShot Satcom System Selected for Project Capstone 4
October 9th, 2023
Spectra Group, a specialist provider of secure voice, data and satellite communications systems, in partnership with Inmarsat, has been selected to support Project Capstone 4 (Army Futures Command’s premier integration and experimentation exercise in 2024) with their award-winning SlingShot satellite communications system. Spectra Group has a strong pedigree of successfully supporting previous command and control innovation and integration demonstrations for the USDOD and USSOCOM, the Army Maneuver Battle Lab (AEWE 2019) and the Fires Battle Lab (MFIX 2022).
SlingShot is a compact and user-friendly tactical radio range extension system designed to enhance Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) Communications On The Move (COTM) C2 (Command and Control) communications. This innovative system effortlessly enables in-service Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) radios to utilise L-Band satellite frequencies, extending their reach over thousands of kilometers. A standout feature of SlingShot is its intuitive plug-and-play capability, making it a reliable choice for both stationary and mobile setups. It serves as a direct augmentation to existing tactical radios. When paired with the Inmarsat L-TAC service, SlingShot significantly expands its user base and coverage, enabling the immediate transmission of voice, data and specialized military applications, such as artillery coordination and situational awareness, across vast distances.
Project Capstone leads the integration of all the domains that the US Army is dependent on — air, land, sea, space, cyberspace adopting a truly multi-domain/multi-national approach, while at the same time looking at concepts for the future. The Network Cross Functional Team (N-CFT) acknowledges that as national armies operate in multinational coalitions during future expeditionary operations, integration and interoperability of communications is paramount to ensuring battlefield success. Therefore, the N-CFT hosts foreign liaison officers from the armies of two close allies, the U.K. and Australia, to help shepherd information interoperability initiatives, concepts and goals and Spectra Group from the UK has been selected to support this project.
SlingShot plays a pivotal role in advancing interoperability among forces. By bridging communication gaps and ensuring seamless integration between different communication systems and networks, SlingShot fosters collaboration and coordination among diverse military units and allies. For broader connectivity, SlingShot can adeptly link the L-TAC networks to major, distant headquarters worldwide using cutting-edge digital RF-Over-IP technology. With a commendable track record, marked by over 7,000 units actively utilised by both specialised and regular forces globally, SlingShot has proven its mettle in the most challenging environments and diverse locales.
Pat Gallagher, General Manager Spectra Group (US) said: “SlingShot has a fantastic operational record with USSOCOM and is the perfect system to support AFC’s communication innovation and integration experiments as it can be added to any existing or future capability. When combined with the Inmarsat L-TAC service, SlingShot delivers the ultimate interoperability for secure voice, data and applications at scale for operations anywhere in the world.”
