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James Sudderth Memorial Service

October 7th, 2009

As many of you may already know our industry lost a great Warrior on Sunday, October 4th. James nelson Sudderth, SGM, US Army (Ret) was struck very suddenly by a heart attack. He labored tirelessly and friends have told me that they were working with him as late as Saturday. I met Jim when he assumed the position of the Director of Sales for Source One Distributors but his service goes much further. He served for over 20 years in the US Army rising to the rank of Sergeant Major and serving in the most elite of our forces including 82d Airborne Division, 1st Ranger Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. Jim is featured in the book, “Six Minutes to Freedom” detailing the rescue Kurt Muse rescue.

After his retirement he managed the Counter Terrorism Support Project from his home base in Las Vegas as well as in key management positions with several organizations including Bechtel and the University of Nevada. Unfortunately, Soldier Systems Daily is too small a space to capture a man’s life, his accomplishments, and to truly articulate how he touched other’s lives.

He will be missed.

Jim is survived by his two sons Kenny Sudderth and Riley Sudderth, mother Ann, father James, and brother Asa.

There will be a Memorial Service held Saturday at 4:00 PM, Saturday, October 10th, 2009 at the Palms West Funeral Home. For those wishing to donate in memorial to Jim we suggest one of these two causes:
James Patrick â€œRileyâ€ Sudderth – Education Trust or The American Heart Association.

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Finns Develop Fabric Based Antenna Technology

October 7th, 2009

Patria Aviation Oy has revealed information about their new fabric based antenna system.

The design is formed into a flexible patch made from pliable conductive material that can be affixed to clothing and may lead the way toward more conformal technologies. Intended for use with cellular communications and associated GPS systems, the patch is supposedly able to “maintain a strong radio signal, even when the patch is bent vertically, horizontally or diagonally” and “send location information to a remote user”.

It does have a few drawbacks based on how you look at it. The systems is currently optimized for use with Iridium satellite phones and is incapable of receiving calls, but rather only in placing them. At any rate, the concept works and could be used as-is in several situations, particularly in the realm of sensors.

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Remington Purchases Advanced Armament Corporation

October 6th, 2009

Remington announced yesterday that they have purchased the assets of Advanced Armament Corporation, a firm specializing in suppressor manufacturing. Remington serves as the lead company of the Freedom Group and in turn is owned by Cerberus Capital Management.

Recently, Remington has introduced new tactical products including the Modular Sniper Rifle (MSR) as well as the Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR) licensed from Magpul Industries and co-produced with fellow Freedom Group company Bushmaster. There have also been rumblings of a forthcoming Remington 1911 pistol. Remington has been courting AAC for some time and there has been a great deal of speculation in industry of an impending sale. Access to AAC’s suppressor technology gives the Freedom Group a leg up on much of the competition who must partner with outside companies to integrate such capabilities with their own products. Now, firearms and suppressors will be developed within the same family of companies.

Media reports indicate that Remington/Freedom Group have no intention of replacing AACâ€™s executive staff. Apparently, AAC will report to Remingtonâ€™s Military Products Division, but current leadership will remain in place. On Monday evening AAC posted on their blog that they were excited about the purchase, would be moving to a larger facility soon, and would benefit from increased R&D funding.

AAC can be found on the web at www.advanced-armament.com. Remington is found at www.remington.com.

Tags: AAC, Remington
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Why Marines Don’t Have the PMAG

October 6th, 2009

During last week’s Modern Day Marine trade show at Quantico, I was perusing the items on display at the PM-ICE Marine Enhancement Program table. The program is great. Get new, innovative tools into the hands of Marines quickly without all of the red tape involved in a formal program. There has to be a valid need and the item has to be Government/Commercial Off-The-Shelf. Lastly, it needs to actually work.

Sitting on the table was a PMAG and someone asked the contractor behind the desk of these had been adopted for use by the Corps. “No” came the reply, “They wouldn’t fit in the issue magazine pouches”. Instead, according to the former Marine manning the booth, the Magpul magazine follower (enhanced self-leveling follower) was chosen as a suitable solution for 30 round magazine woes.

Oddly enough, rumor has it that the PMAG was recently granted an NSN and is being local purchased by the bushel by deploying Army units. The PMAG was also fielded as part of the lightweight equipment demonstration currently wrapping up in Afghanistan. Apparently they fit in Army magazine pouches. Who knew? Maybe the Marines could get in on that mag pouch action. No wait, they did, but then they…oh never mind.

Tags: Magpul
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Gore’s Developmental Tent Fabric

October 5th, 2009

WL Gore displayed numerous new military fabrics at last week’s Modern Day Marine but the one that really caught my eye was the demonstrator for a new shelter fabric.

The demonstrator in this case is a prototype US Marine Corps 2-man Combat Tent designed in response to a Marine Corps RFI issued earlier this year. Traditionally, Gore works with finished good manufacturers to develop new products with their fabrics but in this instance that may change. According a Product Development Engineer at WL Gore, they haven’t decided how they might proceed with this technology. The material may be produced and sold to manufacturers, the shelter design may be licensed to others if it proves effective, or Gore may manufacture it themselves.

The Alternative Laminate Construction material is oxygen permeable as well as opaque so you can sit inside of it all night without having to vent and you can use a light to prepare your equipment or conduct other administrative tasks from within the shelter without giving your position away. Additionally, the new fabric makes the shelter 44% lighter than the current issue model. Naturally, it is also flame resistant. A prototype bivy bag has also been produced from a lighter version of the fabric. It too is lighter than the current issue model and is also breathable.

The new prototype shelter is slated to be trialled at the Mountain Warfare Training Center this Winter.

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Modern Day Marine Round Up

October 5th, 2009

There were a lot of great products at last week’s Modern Day Marine expo at Quantico, Virginia.

Wilcox Industries showed their new interface for the Ops-Core mount.

Speaking of Ops-Core, they debuted several new products available in early 2010. This eye shield was actually developed a couple of years ago but placed on hold while they refined the FAST technology for a military customer. The lens slides up and down on a track located inside the shell. It will replace the front brow pad inside the helmet as a unit and is ready to go awaiting production of the actual clear shield which will be manufactured by Oakley.

The Smith Optics Elite Division crew was on hand.

Australian firm Global Safety Solutions & Management PTY LTD exhibited their new wet weather laminate material. It is used in the current Australian issue foul weather clothing system.

Inert Products, LLC displayed a wide variety of training aids including the M4 “rubber duck” as well as other inert training aids.

Benchmade Knives showed a set of their HK signature knives packed inside a pistol case. The combo pack includes a 20-Tools-in-One mutli-tool, LED light, and Ally knife.

Tags: Modern Day Marine, Ops-Core
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Oh the Irony…

October 4th, 2009

Last week the Army awarded Colt Defense, LLC., West Hartford, Conn. a $32,143,048 firm-fixed-price contract for M240B machine guns. The guns will be manufactured in Hartford, Conn., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2015. Bid solicitation was open to firms in the U.S. and Canada with two bids received. TACOM-RI, CCTA-AR-SA, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0175).

So now to the irony part. Almost 20 years ago FNH USA, US subsidiary of the manufacturer of the MAG-58 (aka M240) was given a contract to produce the M16A2 which had been the solid purview of Colt since the end of the Viet Nam war. Now, Colt will be producing the M240 based on a venerable Belgian FN design dating back to the 1950s. In fact just the day before the M240 announcement, the Army awarded FNH yet another $9,933,440 firm-fixed-price contract for a quantity of 15,521 M16A4 rifles.

I guess turn-about is fair play.

Tags: Colt Defense LLC
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New Chest Rigs

October 4th, 2009

VTac has just released two new chest rigs.

The variants include a PALS compatible platform to accommodate modularity as well as a rig with fixed pouches which include 4 built in M-4 magazine pouches, 2 Radio Pouches, 2 Pistol Magazine Pouches, and two General Purpose pouches. Both chest rigs are Made in the USA and available in MultiCam. The MOLLE rig is also offered in Coyote and features 4 single magazine pouches behind a PALS grid that is 7 channels wide.

See them online.

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