SIG SAUER - Never Settle

Cassidian Wins Big with Euro Future Soldier Programs

March 3rd, 2011

Over the past two days, Cassidian (EADS Defence & Security) has announced two separate awards to deliver Future Soldier technologies to European Armies.

First, they were awarded a 20 million Swiss franc contract by the Swiss defence procurement authority Armasuisse for advanced production engineering of the IMESS programme (Integrated and Modular Engagement System for the Swiss Soldier). Cassidian’s Warrior21â„¢ system has been undergoing testing with Swiss forces since 2007. Interestingly, the contract also calls for the installation of IMESS network into Swiss Duro and Piranha vehicles.

On the 2nd of March, Cassidian announced that they had been commissioned by Germany’s Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) to deliver a further 400 units of the Future Soldier System (Infanterist der Zukunft) in its basic version (IdZ BS) for use by troops heading to Afghanistan as part of ISAF. This new delivery will raise the Bundeswehr’s total number of IdZ BS equipment sets to 2,900.

According to Cassidian:

“An IdZ BS system for equipping an infantry squad (ten soldiers) consists of an identical basic configuration for all soldiers (including modular bullet-proof vest in protection class I to IV, C4I equipment including NaviPad for situational awareness and transmitting messages, target data and images, night vision device, tactical radio) and various special items (such as laser range finder, camera, thermal image sighting device).”

www.cassidian.com

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DIY: Hack the Planet with Sugru

March 3rd, 2011

If you can’t hack the planet at least hack your kit. The Brits refer to making improvements or repairs to items as “hacking” and Sugru is a hacker’s (DIYer’s) dream come true. It is a silicon based compound that allows you to make simple repairs to items or to make modifications that will make your gear work even better for you. It is waterproof, self-adhesive, cures at room temperature and forms a soft silicon rubber-like compound.

The guy who turned us on to this stuff has used it and said, “Suggest you order double what you think you will need to make up for the amount your fire team buddies will mooch off of you once they see it in action.”

We can’t wait to get a hold of some ourselves. If anybody has used Sugru, let us know what you think.

sugru.com

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Posted in DIY | 2 Comments »

Support a Worthy Cause and Get a Tshirt

March 2nd, 2011

Elite Defense is helping some friends raise money for the children of SSG Kevin Pape and SFC Lance Vogeler, from 1/75th Ranger Battalion. All proceeds from Tshirts sold will be given to the families. Shirts are $20 and come in sizes: small, medium, large, & x-large; shipping will be based on flat rate boxes from the post office, so a flat rate of $5 for 1-4 shirts and flat rate of $10 for 4 or more shirts. Make sure you get it in time for Saint Patrick’s Day so order now.

To order your shirt please contact: 31memorialfund@gmail.com

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Infrared Badges from Toye, Kenning & Spencer

March 2nd, 2011

According to SSD reader Malcolm, one of the most astonishing things seen at the recent IDEX show was the Infrared Badges from Toye, Kenning & Spencer. They have a long tradition of providing the finest in heraldry devices but have recently applied some interesting patent pending technology to their badges. Unlike printed IR badges, the IR properties are in the yarn. This means that there no risk of the properties rub off but are are contained in the threads. Additionally, there is nothing that indicates to the naked eye that the badge is IR reflective. There is a lot of potential here.

Infrared Badges from Toye, Kenning & Spencer

www.toye.com

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US Army Launches Soldier Blog App

March 2nd, 2011

The Army launched a new recruiting tool Monday in the form of a free iPhone app which gives users access to over 600 Soldier blogs as well as the usual melange of “Army Strong” photos, stories and videos.

Unfortunately, no one told the Army that the New York Times, just two weeks ago declared that blogging is, yet again dead. Apparently, blogging has been waylayed by Facebook or Twitter, at least for the casual blogger.

However, if you are still interested, feel free to support milblogging and download Army Strong Stories for the Jesus phone.

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Principles of Camouflage

March 2nd, 2011

For those of you didn’t make it to the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort Industry Day last year, we thought we’d share a little tidbit with you that you would have missed. LTC Tim O’Neill, (USA, Ret) presented a briefing entitled “Principles of Camouflage”. Just click on the first page of the briefing below and you will be up to speed on how to create your own camo pattern.

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US Army Camo Improvement Effort Presolicitation

March 1st, 2011

The Army issued a presolicitation yesterday for their Camouflage Improvement Effort. According to the notice, the Army continues to seek out the same things; three patterns, government use of the patterns rights, yada, yada, yada. According to the notice, the actual solicitation will be released 18 March, 2011. Folks in industry were getting itchy so it’s good to see that the Army put something out. Additionally, I am glad they have settled on a term to describe what the are doing although “effort” is somewhat unconventional in the acquisition world. It’s not a full program (although signature management should be) and it’s a bit more than a project at this point. Unfortunately, “effort’ doesn’t exactly instill confidence that it has staying power. I hope once this thing gets some legs under it they get to describe it in more enduring terms.

Read it and weep. www.fbo.gov

Posted in Camo, PEO-Soldier | 7 Comments »

HP White Expands NIJ Testing

March 1st, 2011

HP White, the World’s Largest Independent Body Armor Test Laboratory Gains National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) Accreditation for its Environmental Conditioning Test Facilities in Support of NIJ Body Armor Certification Regimen

NVLAP has awarded HP White accreditation to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 0101.06, Sec. 6 Flexible Armor Conditioning Protocol; fortifying the lab’s existing ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Scope of Accreditation (NVLAP Lab Code: 200825-0). HP White joins a handful of NIJ certified ballistic testing laboratories that can conduct the required environmental conditioning of personal body armor, in addition to the ballistics resistance testing required for NIJ 0101.06 body armor certification.

“Since 1972, HP White has been conducting body armor testing for NIJ and its predecessor the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice,” said Mike Parker, president, HP White. “Through the years HP White continues to evolve its operations with the NIJ programs and customers’ needs. This NVLAP accreditation will provide our customers with more efficient NIJ testing cycles, and faster throughput and market readiness of their products.”

Ok, so now you are saying to yourself, “What does this mean for me?” What it means for you is that HP White is now certified to conduct a protocol “designed to subject test armors to conditions that are intended to provide some indication of the armor’s ability to maintain ballistic performance after being exposed to conditions of heat, moisture, and mechanical wear. This protocol will not predict the service life of the vest nor does it simulate an exact period of time in the field.” This protocol is critical to predicting how well armor will perform in real world conditions. Nobody gets shot in a lab. It’s always in the rain, or bitter cold, or sweltering humidity.

HP White is a household name in the armor world and more testing/certification capacity is good for the market. It means new configurations can be tested more rapidly. This should help shorten the development cycle and encourage competition. Competition in the market place means improved armor and lower costs.

www.hpwhite.com

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Posted in Armor, Industry | 1 Comment »

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