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SOSA Aligned, Cybersecurity-Enabled U-C8500 from Aitech Ideal for High Performing Applications in SWaP-C Environments

July 28th, 2023

Chatsworth, Calif. July 2023 – Aitech Systems, a leading provider of rugged boards and system level solutions for military, aerospace and space applications, has announced that its SOSA aligned U-C8500 3U VPX SBC has successfully passed environmental qualification testing.

Aligned with The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard, Aitech’s U-C8500 is based on Intel’s ground-breaking SWaP-C optimized Tiger Lake UP3(TGL-UP3) SoC, which combines a high-performing CPU with a strong internal GPU and an advanced Image Processing Unit. The SBC also incorporates highly integrated memory technology (LPDDR4X) for better graphics processing performance as well as high-speed PCIe Gen4 and 10 Gbps Ethernet.

The combination of the U-C8500’s high-performing technologies facilitates artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) processing capabilities in a wide range of rugged military and aerospace data-sensitive applications.

Alex Trigoub, Director of Board Level Product Line for Aitech, noted, “AI in military electronics continues to grow in complexity. Developed specifically with faster memory, PCIe and Ethernet connectivity, as well as to optimize SWaP-C and align with DoD MOSA initiatives, the U-C8500 is capable of processing large amounts of data without any loss of performance, while staying within an optimized power envelope. This combination ensures the SBC can meet the demands of military systems today and makes it capable of handling the needs of next-gen military technology tomorrow.”

Designed from the ground up with security in mind, the U-C8500 provides a comprehensive cybersecurity framework – AiSecure, which includes both standard and advanced system protection. The inherent security features enable both firmware and data protection as well as prevent reverse engineering and tampering with system integrity, while allowing secure transmission and storage of sensitive data.

Now that the U-C8500 has completed successful environmental qualification testing, the SBC can be effectively incorporated into several harsh military and aerospace applications that need highly integrated functionality and unique SWaP-C optimization to provide reliable data processing. These environments include unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles (UAV/UGV), cockpit/display and mission computers, digital signal and image processing as well as signal intelligence (SIGNT) and electronic warfare (EW).

The U-C8500 is part of Aitech’s U-C850X series that combines the three pillars of modern data processing on the same board: CPU, iGPU and optional large FPGA. Potential future enhanced variants include the U-C8501 (with PCIe Switch for enhanced Expansion Plane and XMC connectivity), the U-C8502 (with integrated Xilinx MPSoC FPGA) and the U-C8503 (with integrated TSN Endpoint).

For more information please visit bit.ly/U-C850xSeries or e-mail info@aitechsystems.com.

Posted in Digitization, Press Release | Comments Off on SOSA Aligned, Cybersecurity-Enabled U-C8500 from Aitech Ideal for High Performing Applications in SWaP-C Environments

Safariland Launches New Fits for 5” 2011s

July 28th, 2023

Jacksonville, Florida – Safariland®, a brand of The Safariland Group®, a leading global provider of safety products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets and one of Cadre Holdings, Inc.’s (NYSE: CDRE) (“Cadre”) key brands announces new 6000 series fits for leading Staccato, Springfield Armory® and other 2011 firearms.

“Safariland continues to evolve as we deliver new holster offerings and innovative ways to provide protection for our customers,” said Eric Gasvoda, GM of Duty Gear for Safariland. “The collaboration with industry partners and firearm manufacturers remains ongoing to ensure a wide array of fits for the best holsters offered on the market.”

The latest additions to the Safariland 6000 series most notably include fits for the 2011 Staccato XC and Springfield Prodigy™, both featuring a 5-inch barrel. These new fits maximize reliability and performance, catering to law enforcement professionals and everyday carriers’ needs.

Holster models available include both RDS and RDSO options. Safariland RDS holsters are designed for firearms equipped with red dot sights and incorporate the Automatic Locking System (ALS®). Securely locking the firearm from every angle, these holsters provide secure retention and an intuitive draw. For those wanting additional retention capabilities, there are also ALS/SLS combination holsters available, which in addition to the ALS, comes standard with the Self-Locking System (SLS®), pivoting hood. Safariland’s RDSO (Red Dot Sights Open) holster line has an open pocket that protects the optic without the use of a flip-up dust cover.

Safariland’s dedication to innovation and collaboration has once again raised the bar for holster performance. To learn more about Safariland’s holsters and how Safariland is committed to building lifesaving equipment, visit Safariland.com.

Posted in Holsters, Press Release | 1 Comment »

The Resource Center / Allied Industries

July 28th, 2023

The Resource Center’s Manufacturing Division, Allied Industries, has been working with local and regional manufacturers supplying issued military products to the U.S. Armed Forces since 1978. The function, quality, and durability of Allied products have been battle tested for decades. Most of our forces have used items from TRC/Allied during their service such as 3-Mag pouch, Entrenching Tool Pouch, Casualty Kits, Tourniquet, Barrel Bags, the list is extensive. Several top tier Tactical Brands currently leverage Allied’s experience for the making of their commercial products.

Whether your company needs to refine an existing product or develop an entirely new one, TRC has the experience and expertise to deliver the solution you need. We specialize in sewing and kitting, allowing us to provide a variety of items to satisfy the requirements of your contracts and/or commercial customers. After four decades, we know how to respond to the demands of the Armed Forces. We understand how quickly the military’s needs can arise and how quickly they can change. Our capabilities include kitting, packaging and assembly. Short-term or permanent. We’ve completed hundreds of jobs for dozens of manufacturers, there’s very few challenges we have not achieved.

Allied Industries is not your typical manufacturer. Yes, we provide labor and product development solutions for our customers. But we also provide education, training and employment opportunities to people with disabilities in Chautauqua County, New York. Our mission is to help people with disabilities achieve maximum independence, contribute to their communities, experience lifelong growth and enjoy a high quality of life.

One of the ways we do that is by helping people—who otherwise wouldn’t have an opportunity to work—secure meaningful employment. We teach them the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. Then we put them to work in one of our manufacturing facilities or help them find competitive jobs in the community.

Allied Industries customizes its solutions to customers’ unique circumstances.

Our competitive advantages are:

Experience and Innovation. Need a prototype for a new product? Looking to enhance an existing one? We leverage our military experience and expertise to develop new products and make improvements to existing ones that meet stringent military guidelines. Taking projects from design to production, including materials research, is our specialty.

Fast Response Times. You can’t always predict when you’ll need a product shipment. Natural disasters, military action and other world events can happen with almost no warning. When they do, you have to respond. And, so can we. We’re accustomed to ramping up production at a moment’s notice without sacrificing quality, so you get the products you need quickly.

Superior Quality. When the products you make are used in life or death situations, there’s no room for error. You’re serious about quality control, and so are we. We’re certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards by American Global Standards Registrar, and our manufacturing process has been approved by the U.S. military for decades.

Made in the U.S.A. These aren’t just buzz words to us. Our employees take pride in creating products the men and women who serve our country use every day. Our items are produced by U.S. workers, using only American-made materials.

Large Workforce. No job is too big. When your workload exceeds your employees’ capacity, and you don’t want to hire temporary workers, we act as an extension of your workforce to get the job done.

Extra Space. With 105,000 square feet of floor space spread across two facilities, we can add additional jobs to our pipeline when your capacity is maxed out.

Creating customized solutions to meet the unique needs of our manufacturing customers is what we do. Let’s start solving your production challenges today.

If TRC/Allied can help support your company product or kitting objectives Please contact TRCGOV@RESOURCECENTER.ORG.

Posted in Guest Post, Industry | Comments Off on The Resource Center / Allied Industries

Sneak Peek – Post Malone Capsule x PRISM

July 28th, 2023

Here’s a peek at a capsule PRISM created for Post Malone which features MultiCam and AOR1 fabrics.

Posted in Clothing | Comments Off on Sneak Peek – Post Malone Capsule x PRISM

FirstSpear Friday Focus – Fast Rope Mitt

July 28th, 2023

Looking for a minimalist glove that won’t burn through your hands during those intense fast rope insertions? Look no further than the Fast Rope Mitt (FRM). Not only does it fold flat for easy transport, but its advanced two finger pattern allows for quick access to your trigger finger as soon as you hit the ground. This fast rope glove puts all other gloves to shame. Don’t believe us? Give it a try and feel the difference in quality American “roper” cow leather and ultra-high performance Kovenex.

Visit FirstSpear to find American Made kit and accessories, Built For The X.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Handwear | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus – Fast Rope Mitt

NIOA Australia CEO Urges Support For Industry In Face Of Cuts

July 28th, 2023

NIOA’s CEO for Australia and New Zealand, Ben James, has called on Defence to rally behind industry in the wake of revelations that thousands of contractors face the axe.

James’s plea was triggered by a recent media report which revealed that Defence is planning to purge contractors in a raft of budgetary measures.

NIOA Australia and New Zealand CEO Ben James, at last night’s AIDN Queensland dinner, has called on Defence to back local industry in challenging times.

The boss of the biggest Australian-owned supplier of munitions to the ADF last night (Eds: Thursday, July 27) told Queensland’s premier defence gathering in Brisbane that Defence’s cost crackdown risked undermining industry engagement and confidence amid a regional environment which he described as “an increasingly rough neighbourhood”.

“Properly harnessed, motivated and engaged industry partners bring market expertise, private capital and investment and superior agility to capability delivery that is beyond the capacity of government agencies acting in isolation,” James told AIDN Queensland gala dinner guests.

“In that sense, there will need to be a degree of calibration and nuance in what the AFR described last month as Defence’s ‘War on Contractors’.

“A vibrant, viable and functional defence industry base is a critical pillar in achieving the strategic depth we seek in an increasingly rough neighbourhood.

“Conversely, a weak, short-sighted and bureaucracy-bound industry base could represent a harbinger for a catastrophic failure of credibility in deterrence.”

With Australian defence and foreign ministers and their American counterparts in Brisbane this week for the annual AUSMIN talks, James seized upon the timing to emphasise the critical role of allied sovereign capability.

Regional defence and security will be high on the agenda when Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin.

“One of the stated aims of this week’s AUSMIN dialogue is to establish a combined logistics, sustainment, and maintenance enterprise to support high?end warfighting and combined military operations in the region,” James said.

“The US is currently pursuing changes to Title 3 of the Defense Production Act which would allow Australian based production and manufacturing to be listed as a US domestic source.

“The Defence Strategic Review itself calls out the need to manufacture munitions in Australia.

“If all of these initiatives are important and central to Australia’s defence posture, I would contend Defence needs to go to war in partnership with industry, rather than declaring a jihad against contractors in the wake of Major Service Provider misconduct and an urgent need for budget savings.”

James’s address resonated with more than 345 stakeholders, including industry leaders and SMEs from throughout Queensland, many of whom were at the same event last year when he warned Australia “is well off the pace” in building a reliable defence industrial base.

The former Brigadier said the defence industry was navigating through challenging times, and the importance of collaboration between government and industry was greater than ever.

“From a Defence industry perspective, the DSR was scathing of CASG, finding ‘the current approach to capability acquisition as unsuitable in our strategic circumstances’,” he said.

“Similarly, the review found that the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) enterprise, established after the Strategic Update in 2020 to ‘support missile and guided weapons manufacturing for use across the Australian Defence Force’, lacks required workforce and is yet to produce a strategy.

“Now, the DSR informs us, the GWEO Enterprise has until quarter two 2024 to determine options for the increase in guided weapons and EO stocks, including the rapid establishment of domestic manufacturing.

“So, four years after the Strategic Update identified the ‘military modernisation faster than we had expected’ in our region, the ‘deployment of new weapons by our adversaries that challenge Australia’s military capability edge’ and ‘greater intensity in major power competition’, we will have options presented to Government to increase EO stocks an rapidly establish domestic manufacturing… without a penny of new money to achieve as much.

“The misalignment between how we see and describe our region and the pace at which we are implementing necessary changes to industry settings are a case of ‘talking the talk’; but not ‘walking the walk’. Our audio is not matching our video.”

Posted in Industry, International, Press Release | Comments Off on NIOA Australia CEO Urges Support For Industry In Face Of Cuts

USARCENT Tests Phone App That Detects Unmanned Aerial Systems

July 28th, 2023

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — U.S. Army Central’s Task Force 39, the team dedicated to developing innovative ideas throughout USARCENT, facilitated a test of CARPE Dronvm at McEntire Joint National Guard Base and Poinsett Range on July 18, 2023.

CARPE Dronvm is a DoD funded application developed by MITRE Corporation that uses crowd-sourced information to detect unmanned aerial systems, or UAS. This test used a version of the application on cell phones to detect a UAS. Maj. Travis Valley, the Task Force 39 operations officer, said the potential for crowd-sourced UAS detection increases force protection capabilities.

“The CARPE Dronvm experiment, or proof of principle, was a huge success for ARCENT.” said Valley. “This was the largest experiment ARCENT has conducted to date. We expanded the experiment footprint, covering 50 kilometers, with multiple individuals in the area using the CARPE Dronvm app. This was all to prove the CARPE Dronvm app works. It did, in fact it exceeded my expectations on the simplicity of use and the program’s drone detection ability. This has the potential as a force protection multiplier, adding another tool to help protect Soldiers in a deployed environment.”

During the test, Soldiers used government provided cellular devices to test the functionality and capability of the application by capturing images of a UAS. The UAS used in the test flew from McEntire JNGB to Poinsett Range to provide the maximum amount of testing space available.

CARPE Dronvm is the result of a U.S. Air Forces Central initiative to develop systems to detect UAS. U.S. Army Central is testing the ability to operate this application at the Soldier level.

“Countering the drone threat in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility is essential to keeping our personnel, aircraft and equipment safe,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Steven Norris, AFCENT counter-UAS cell chief. “Our MITRE partners have been helping make CARPE Dronvm a reality since 2019. Every single warfighter can help sense and warn, creating a comprehensive layered defense that will tie into our existing command and control architecture and increase awareness of threats in the region.”

In recent years, the threat posed by UAS increased as malign regional actors continue to use and experiment with this relatively cheap weapons system. Due to its low cost to entry, it is becoming the weapon of choice for potential adversaries resulting in rapid technology proliferation and increased employment. Lt. Gen. Patrick Frank, the USARCENT commanding general said his command is focused on developing technologies to counter this threat.

“The UAS threat is a shared security challenge for the U.S. and our regional partners,” said Frank. “To combat this threat, CENTCOM and USARCENT will test and field counter-UAS systems. The advanced measures we intend to pursue regarding innovation and experimentation will provide critical, real-time data to inform Army and defense decisions on counter-UAS technologies.”

United States Army Central is the U.S. Army service component command for United States Central Command and is responsible to the Secretary of the Army for the support and administration of more than 12,000 Soldiers, including those assigned to joint task forces and embassies, across the 21 countries in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

Story by CPT Richard Moore

Photos by SFC Michael Behlin, SSG Leo Jenkins, and SGT Amber Cobena

Posted in Army, Digitization, Guest Post, Tac Apps, UAS | Comments Off on USARCENT Tests Phone App That Detects Unmanned Aerial Systems

Griffin Armament Launches M4SD-L : Tubeless GATE-LOK 5.56mm Suppressor

July 27th, 2023

Griffin Armament’s new M4SD-L (LIGHTWEIGHT) sound suppressor is the first tubeless laser welded suppressor to be introduced to Griffin’s versatile Gate-LOKTM lineup. This design makes the M4SD-L lighter than other Gate-LOKTM suppressors. Combining ECO-FLOWTM baffles, Gate-LOKTM mounting system, and Pressure Reduction Cap results in a lightweight, durable, and performance-rich next-generation suppressor.

The M4SD-L features Griffin’s Gate-LOKTM mounting system which allows for rapid installation and removal with the ability to be mounted to most USGI-spec A2 NATO compensators, as well as all Griffin proprietary Gate-LOKTM muzzle device options. The GATE-LOKTM system is faster and easier to use than standard A2 interfaces and ensures a strong, concentrically aligned mount with minimal POI shift and exceptional repeatability.

Each individual baffle in the M4SD-L has been tuned to provide superior sound reduction and incorporates Griffin’s patented ECO-FLOWTM technology that reduces back-pressure and increases flow. This makes the suppressor host firearm operating system more reliable and largely un-affected by the suppressor and provides cleaner breathing air to the operator’s face. Each baffle has been individually tuned and engineered for a specific purpose, unlike a classic stack design. With the M4SD- L, each baffle has an independent function to improve performance.

The patent pending Pressure Reduction Cap features high performance internal and external flash reducing features, as well as optimally tuned gas vents which not only enhance flash reduction even further, but also improve sound performance in conjunction with the ECO-FLOWTM baffles.

When asked about the suppressor, Austin, head of Griffin Armament product development said,

“We manufactured the M4SD-L for demonstration to the military and provided many units to the military for as yet ongoing T&E. This GATE-LOKTM model was intended for experienced end users seeking greater optimization for real world conditions. This suppressor is now available for the consumer and export markets. The M4SD-L combines a wide range of innovative Griffin engineering developments to bring an incredibly well- rounded suppressor to market. The M4SD-L also shows our current customers our continued commitment to the Gate-LOKTM suppressor lineup, and to it’s development and optimization.”

– Austin Green

Key points:

• Laser-welded, tubeless design

• Rapid and versatile GATE-LOKTM mounting system

• Compatible with GATE-LOKTM or most USGI-A2 Spec Compensators

• 17-4 H900 heat-treated stainless steel

• Patent-pending flash reducing, and flow optimized end cap

• Patented ECO-FLOWTM baffle system for improved performance and shooting experience

• GATE-LOKTM Hammer Comp 1/2×28 5.56mm (.22 cal) muzzle device included

• 3?4” wrench flats on muzzle devices

• Suppressor body design patented, H900 heat treated and Hi-temp Cerakoted

• Protected BY Griffin’s Perpetual Lifetime WarrantyTM