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Princeton Tec Announces the 2023 First Responders Giveaway

October 10th, 2023

Providing Essential Lighting Solutions to Heroes

Pennsauken, NJ, October 10, 2023 — Princeton Tec, manufacturer of headlamps and personal lighting for the outdoor, tactical, and industrial markets for over 40 years, has announced they will be hosting their annual promotion in celebration of National First Responders Day; an initiative aimed at honoring and supporting the tireless efforts of first responders across the nation.

Beginning October 9th, any active or retired first responders can visit the official giveaway page here, for the application. While supplies last, recipients selected will receive an award-winning SNAP RGB Kit.

The SNAP is a headlamp, flashlight, bike light, safety flasher, lantern and magnetic area light all in one. SNAP’s head unit is removable from the headlamp bracket for handheld operation and use with the included accessories, snapping into place with a strong magnet.

With up to 300 lumens and the red, green and blue light options, the SNAP demonstrates Princeton Tec’s commitment to quality and innovation in lighting technology. These headlamps are built to perform in the toughest conditions, making them an invaluable tool for those working in emergency services, search and rescue, law enforcement, and more.

The kit includes:

· SNAP Head Unit

· Headlamp Attachment

· Two Way Carabiner Mount and Clip (to hang on your pack or use as a lantern)

· Handlebar Attachment (mount to your bike or any similar sized pole)

“Members of the first responder community have a mission to protect and serve the lives of those who are placed in harm’s way,” stated Dave Cozzone, Vice President, Princeton Tec. “The immeasurable pressure to remain composed and diplomatic in moments of extreme stress to ensure our safeties doesn’t go unnoticed. This is a small way for us to show our continued support for the men and women who selflessly put themselves into harms way for our safeties.”

Posted in Advertiser, Contest, Lights, Press Release | Comments Off on Princeton Tec Announces the 2023 First Responders Giveaway

AUSA 23 – FN USA’s PGS-001 Precision Grenadier System

October 10th, 2023

FN USA is a phase two finalist for the xTechSoldier Lethality Precision Grenadier System.

According to the Army’s vision for the system, PGS:

The PGS shall be a Soldier portable, flat trajectory, semi-automatic, magazine fed, integrated armament system that enables precision engagements to destroy personnel targets in defilade and in the open with increased lethality and precision compared to legacy grenade launchers. The PGS is anticipated to be deployed as a Soldier’s primary weapon system and provide organic close-quarters combat and counter-defilade capabilities through a family of ammunition, providing overmatch to comparable threat grenade launchers in near-peer formations in future operating environments to include urban, woodland, subterranean, and desert, in day, night, or obscured conditions.

At AUSA FN displayed a 3D model of their PGS-001 candidate which is said to fire 30mm projectiles.

It is a box fed, semiautomatic weapon with fire control.

Posted in AUSA, weapons | 8 Comments »

AUSA 23 – AZAK

October 10th, 2023

Every trade show I see something extraordinary and for AUSA, AZAK is it. This small company has developed an electric drive train which is contained within the wheel. The wheels can be combined with simple frame systems to create vehicles like this self propelled trailer or a bike.

Each wheel weights about 50 lbs with most of the weight below the hub. The next generation will add about 8 lbs to that. That offers a great deal of torque with independant power to each wheel. There’s also room at the top of the inside of the wheel to double the size of the battery. Additionally, they are considering ways to armor the wheel assembly.

It currently uses the Tomahawk Robotics controller for steering inputs and changes the speed of different wheels to facilitate actual steering. Finally, the range is currently about 60 miles at a top speed of 11 mph.

Posted in AUSA, Mobility, Power | 2 Comments »

NDIA Future Forces Conference 23 Poster #12 – The KelTec P50

October 10th, 2023

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.

Posted in NDIA, weapons | 2 Comments »

AUSA 23 – Gentex Asks What’s Next for Army’s Integrated Head Protection System

October 10th, 2023

Gentex 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.

Posted in Army, AUSA, Helmets | 5 Comments »

AUSA 23 – SIG Showcases Robotic Systems

October 10th, 2023

Producer 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

Posted in Advertiser, AUSA, Robotics, weapons | 11 Comments »

Mack Defense To Show Mack AC Model At AUSA 2023

October 10th, 2023

ALLENTOWN, 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.

Posted in AUSA, Mobility, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Second Call-Off from Rheinmetall Framework Contract: Bundeswehr Orders Artillery Ammunition

October 10th, 2023

Rheinmetall 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.

Posted in Ammo, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Second Call-Off from Rheinmetall Framework Contract: Bundeswehr Orders Artillery Ammunition