COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) Product Center is hosting a hybrid (in-person and virtual) workshop to expedite the development and integration of situational awareness tools Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.
The Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) is a map-based software application that enables coordination among thousands of users with features such as a position data, chat, mission planning and shared overlays. It is compatible with Android, Apple iOS and Windows.
The TAK offsite will offer an opportunity for stakeholders from across the Department of Defense (DoD), federal agencies and industry to exchange information and identify critical needs. The event will offer tracks for programmatic updates and training on the TAK platforms. A separate track for developers will be held virtually later this year.
“While programmatic briefs and demonstrations are important, feedback from previous TAK Offsites has been heavy on the value of hallway discussions and introductions between sessions,” said Mark Roberts, deputy director for the TAK Product Center. “This year’s hybrid event facilitates in-person meetings which are key to building strong, lasting relationships amongst community members while simultaneously enabling virtual participation from TAK users around the globe.”
As the central software development hub for all TAK efforts, including 13 federal programs of record, the TAK Product Center provides core development, software updates, cybersecurity and testing for an enhanced user experience.
To foster innovation, the TAK Product Center approved the public release of a non-military variant for federal and government agencies – known as the Android Team Awareness Kit-Civilian (ATAK-CIV) application – on Google Play and the open-source Standard ATAK Software Development Kit on TAK.gov.
“The crowd-sourced nature of the Team Awareness Kit (TAK) is unique among government materiel development programs. The TAK Product Center has proven that focusing on the user provides optimal solutions and wide adoption,” said Col. Paul Weizer, Program Executive Officer for SOF Digital Applications. “I expect open-source elements of the TAK software development/delivery model will become ubiquitous across government software program offices.”
Registration for the offsite is available at tak.gov/events/2021_Offsite until November 26th. Learn more about the event here:
By USSOCOM PAO
U.S. Army photo by SPC Joshua Cofield
Posted in Guest Post, SOF, Tac Apps | Comments Off on SOCOM-led Tactical Assault Kit Product Center Hosts Hybrid Workshop in Colorado Springs
ADS has moved their Europe Warfighter event to early 2022. The ADS Europe Warfighter is a one-day event held in Germany to provide a forum for the U.S. DoD Warfighter to interact with the world’s leading defense manufacturers. Today’s battlefield is changing rapidly and staying in front of the latest technologies, equipment and acquisition strategies is a daunting task. The ADS Europe Warfighter Expo will help bridge the acquisition gap and allow for direct communication with manufacturers who create innovative solutions for today’s threats and tomorrow’s challenges.
Exhibitors:
ATLANTIC SIGNAL
BREN-TRONICS
COLLINS AEROSPACE
DIX DEFENSE
ESS
HDT
LONDON BRIDGE TRAINING COMPANY
OTIS DEFENSE
PHOKUS RESEARCH GROUP
PRINCETON TEC
SEI INDUSTRIES LTD
SPACESAVER
Held at the Marriott Heidelberg, April 14, 2022 from 09:00 – 14:00 CT.
The Medical Organizer Insert is a rapidly removable, semi-rigid insert that is configurable by the user to fit most common medical supplies. The insert allows the user to remove the IFAK from it’s pouch or pocket and keep the contents secure and neatly organized. The MOI measures 7.75″ Wide and 5″ Tall when folded/inserted.
Features:
• User-Definable Organization
• Bottom Grid for Small Items (NPA, Needle-D, Gloves, Sharpie, etc)
• Unfolds for Ease of Use
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Army researchers are exploring new ways to keep Soldiers’ electronic devices powered during extended missions by using wearable fuel cells for on-the-move battery charging.
As the Army continues to modernize the force with high-tech Soldier-worn and handheld equipment like radios, GPS, night-vision devices and weapons, the energy demand is continually increasing.
Engineers are working on optimizing the power density and efficiency of emerging fuel-cell based power generation technology when operated with packaged fuels as well as commonly available substitutes such as windshield washer fluid.
Army Futures Command (AFC) is leading work on the Soldier Wearable Power Generator (SWPG) that enables on-the-move charging, thus reducing the number of batteries required to be carried.
“We’re aiming to deliver a simple, easy-to-use way for Soldiers to extend battery life and keep moving in the field by developing wearable fuel cells,” said Shailesh Shah, a chemical engineer with the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center — a component of AFC’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM). “Enabling fuel cell operation on windshield washer fluid already in the Army’s supply chain avoids the need to set up a logistics re-supply of custom fuels. The SWPG simultaneously reduces dependence on logistics for battery re-supply.”
The C5ISR Center’s research aligns with the Army’s renewed emphasis and interest in fuel-cell power generation for supplying power to dismounted Soldiers, according to Shah. Technology in the industry has improved significantly in the past 10 years in terms of size, weight, noise, thermal signature reduction, improved modularity and mounting systems.
Adding wearable fuel cells to the Soldier system enables users to charge the currently fielded thin, flexible Conformal Wearable Battery (CWB) worn on vests as a central power source for electronic devices. The fuel-cell research complements the C5ISR Center’s concurrent work to modernize the CWB with advanced materials.
Researchers are continuing SWPG design modifications to improve performance of the prototypes with an emphasis on size and weight reductions, according to Christopher Hurley, chief of the Center’s Tactical Power Branch. Soldiers on 72-hour missions could save 12 pounds in battery weight under normal power draws with current prototypes.
Additional organizations providing support are the Army’s Project Manager Integrated Visual Augmentation System, DEVCOM Soldier Center, the FBI and the National Defense Center for Energy and Environment.
“A key to enhancing our fuel-cell development is placing different prototypes in the hands of Soldiers during field exercises,” Hurley said. “C5ISR Center engineers have been side-by-side with Soldiers to gain feedback during the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment in 2020 and 2021 with plans for 2022. The Soldier touch points are an invaluable resource in our development process so we can immediately turn around and incorporate their evaluations into our hardware systems.”
By Dan Lafontaine, DEVCOM C5ISR Center Public Affairs
Supercharged, desert-running off-road concept leads roster of eight Chevy trucks and SUVs at annual performance and personalization exposition
LAS VEGAS – Chevrolet drives into the SEMA Show this week led by The Chevy Beast — a concept vision of the ultimate in high-performance desert running.
Conceived to demonstrate the capability of Chevy trucks and Chevrolet Performance components, The Chevy Beast concept is a four-passenger off-roader that’s based on a modified Silverado chassis, wears a customized pickup body and is powered by a Chevrolet Performance LT4 650-horsepower supercharged crate engine.
“The Chevy Beast concept takes the popularity of high-performance off-road trucks to the next level,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports. “It’s a vision for a new dimension of Chevrolet Performance capability from a brand that’s been pioneering performance and supporting customer personalization for more than 50 years.”
Superior capability, control and performance
The Chevy Beast was designed to dominate the desert with capabilities, control and performance rooted in a production-based foundation and off-the-shelf performance enhancements.
Designers and engineers started with the chassis of a Silverado short-bed model and modified it for high-speed desert running. The frame was shortened and a custom-designed, 4130 chromoly tubular safety structure was integrated while the modified chassis was wrapped with a custom, lightweight body.
A concept, long-travel off-road suspension system was also created for the vehicle, including a five-link rear suspension. Along with a widened, 91-inch track, it contributes to more stable handling and optimal driver control during high-speed off-road driving.
“There’s nothing else like The Chevy Beast,” says Jeff Trush, GM program manager, Pace Car and Specialty Show Vehicles. “It delivers a ton of performance and capability, which makes it adept at conquering rough terrain — and it flat-out flies in desert running.”
That high-speed capability is derived from a Chevrolet Performance LT4 crate engine1 — a 6.2L supercharged V-8 that’s rated at 650 hp. It’s backed by a 10L90 10-speed automatic transmission that sends torque to a two-speed transfer case and distributes it to 37-inch-tall off-road tires mounted on 20-inch beadlock wheels. The concept also includes the Chevrolet Performance Big Brake Upgrade System.
The Chevy Beast’s impressive capability is complemented with equally dramatic and purposeful style. Tubular doors and a simple, lightweight clamshell-type front end reflect the functionality and aesthetic of desert running while the rear of the vehicle was intentionally designed with almost no overhang to maximize the angle of attack on steep grades.
A pair of spare tires are mounted in the bed while the rear of the vehicle itself is left open to help extract dust. Additional unique design cues include a custom front grille, front and rear bowtie emblems and powerful off-road lighting from Baja Designs®.
Inside, the customized cab has a minimalist, functional design, featuring a quartet of Recaro® performance seats with four-point harnesses, as well as a pair of 7-inch-diagonal LCD screens that monitor vehicle functions and performance data, including pitch and roll during off-road driving scenarios.
“The Chevy Beast concept sets a new standard for off-road performance,” said Trush.
I posted this last year and I wanted to do it again. Australia is the only country that has fought alongside the U.S. in every major conflicted since WW1. Sorry I didn’t post it last weekend.
The 3rd of November is Kokoda Day or Kokoda Track Day in Australia. The Kokoda Track Campaign was mainly fought between the Australians, and the Japanese, with the Americans helping at first with supplies and then with troops. The Australian troops had to save Port Moresby from being captured by the Japanese because Papua New Guinea would have been a great staging point for Australia’s invasion.
The Australian forces fought exceptionally well in the harsh and unforgiving jungle of the Kokoda Track. More than 600 Allies were killed, and about 75% of the allied troops got sick, with diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in what was then Australian Papua New Guinea. The Australian Army halted the furthermost southward advance by Japanese forces in Papua New Guinea and then pushed the enemy back across the mountains.
Kokoda was one the most significant battles fought by Australians in the Second World War, first because it was fought so close to home, second because it was kind of Australia’s birth as a prominent player on the world stage. The Kokoda campaign saved Australia from possible invasion from the Japanese. Port Moresby held a tactical position, and preventing the Japanese from reaching it was vital. The battle was fought over five months, and the odds were stacked heavily in favor of the Japanese. They outnumbered the Aussies 5-1, had much better equipment, and a lot more of it, and at the time, they were considered by many the best jungle fighters in the world. The astounding feats performed by the diggers soldiers to hold off the Japanese and turn them back lead to the growth of Australia as a nation.
The Kokoda Track started as many small trails used as mail routes and to supply settlements around Kokoda. The military modified it. It became the main route that linked Ower’s Corner, 40 kilometers north-east of Port Moresby, and the small village of Wairopi, on the northern side of the Owen Stanley mountain range. But it was a lot more than 40 kilometers within walking distance because you had to take the jungle into account. The soldiers were challenged by steep, treacherous inclines, deep valleys, dense jungle, a debilitating climate, and drenching rain that frequently turned the ground into that jungle mud that sticks to everything just by looking at it.
CPL ‘Bull’ Allen was born in 1916 in Ballarat, Victoria. Bull spent his early years with his brother and sister in an orphanage. Bull joined the Second Australian Imperial Force in April 1940 as a stretcher bearer assigned to the 2/5th Battalion. Allen saw action in the Western Desert in 1941 and proved to be dependable, although he was sent to the hospital in early April with “anxiety neurosis.” He rejoined his battalion for the Syria-Lebanon Campaign, where he treated wounds all night under fire near Khalde on July 1, 1941, and then walked 10 kilometers the next morning to reach transport.
Bull’s next adversary in the jungles of New Guinea would be the Japanese, after fighting the Italians, French, and Germans. Allen would be officially recognized for his gallant work as a stretcher-bearer in January 1943, while engaged in defensive operations in Wau. He was given the Military Medal after carrying out many of his fellow soldiers under heavy Japanese fire. (A medal comparable to the Bronze Star in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.) Bull Allen would be on Mt Tambu with US troops on the 30th of July 1943 as part of the Wau-Salumua campaign. During the battle, Allen moved forward and transported no less than twelve American soldiers to safety. Bull was eventually given the Silver Star for his actions, with the citation reading, “Private Allen’s bearing and untiring efforts in caring to the injured and assisting with rations and stores were an inspiration.”
According to the contemporary diggers “He returned after a second trip. Get in touch with your pal. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. You believe you’ll be able to return this time. They’re wagering on it. He returned after a second trip. That guy deserved a whole case of medals. He had 12 holes in his shirt, his hat and his shirt and that jerk went in and out of there 12 times.” As of 2013 there have been calls for him to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
The Australians fought against all odds and without the help of Great Britain. It was fought mainly by Militia (reserve) troops or “chocolate soldiers” as the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) called them because they were poorly trained, and it was said, “they would melt in the heat of battle.” At the start of the war, Australia sent its best troops, the AIF, to the middle east to help the brits. So, Australia stood up a Militia Battalions to serve in
Australia, to help protect the homeland. The 39th was only to be used on mainland Australia, but the government used a loophole saying that Papua New Guinea was a territory. Hence, they sent the 39th Militia there to help protect the island. This was one of the hardest fought battles in WW2 by anyone.
I have attached a couple of links so you can read about this.
As many military units are getting back into the jungle, this is full of instrumental lessons learned and is an excellent piece of history that should not be forgotten by any side. Stop for a minute or raise a beer to the diggers and all the people that have made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom everywhere and have gone before us. Long Live the Brotherhood.
The new weathered finish brings that perfectly worn in feel to classic Bianchi designs.
Jacksonville, Florida – Bianchi®, a brand of The Safariland Group, a leading global provider of safety products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets, today announced the availability of a new leather finish for select holster designs. The weathered series line of holsters offers a broken-in look to classic Bianchi holsters.
“For more than 60 years, Bianchi has worked to perfect leather holsters,” said Eric Gasvoda, Vice President and General Manager for the Safariland Group duty gear division. “Bianchi Leather is the benchmark for fit and finish, but these finishes have been limited to a classic tan and glossy black. This new era of Bianchi will continue that never-ending devotion to quality and usher in innovations in design and new options for materials and finishes. The new weathered series is just the beginning.”
The Professional is a comfortable inside-the-waistband design made from full-grain cowhide leather. This classic concealed carry design provides a comfortable shield between the pistol and the body and protects clothing. A heavy-duty spring-steel belt clip securely anchors the holster to the waistband or belts up to 1.75” wide. The Professional now comes in tan, black, and the new weathered tan finish.
The Remedy offers ease of access in an outside-the-waistband design. The Remedy rides high on the belt and is easily concealed. The open-top holster is built for semi-automatics and small frame revolvers. Designed for hip or rear hip carry, the Model 57 is a timeless holster and is available in tan, black, and the new weathered tan finish.
Both holsters are available now in the weathered finish with additional models coming soon to the series. For more information visit the new Bianchi Leather website: bianchileather.com.
