We recently passed the milestone of 34,000 live posts on the site. That’s an accomplishment of posting every day since May of 2008 and multiple times per day since 2009. I don’t want to break my arm patting myself on the back but that’s not bad for a one-man band.
Here’s an image of the tag in the original Scorpion uniforms by Crye Associates, now known as Crye Precision.
30 September 2022
The Federal Government has signed a multi-million dollar agreement with a Queensland company to start acquiring and supplying the next generation of small arms for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The contract is part of a $500 million plus commitment to provide Australia’s soldiers, sailors and aviators with enhanced lethality weapon systems.
Head Land Systems, Major General Andrew Bottrell today announced the awarding of the Lethality System Project (LAND 159) Tranche 1 contract to Queensland-based company NIOA, in the lead-up to the Land Forces 2022 Exposition in Brisbane.
Between now and the mid-2020s, NIOA will use a range of sub-contractors to supply new sniper rifles, pistols, shotguns, personal defence weapons, fighting knives, and an assault breaching system to the ADF, with many of the new weapons to be on display at Land Forces.
Major General Bottrell said the contract would include munitions and ancillary equipment including optical and laser systems, torches and suppressors for the new generation of small arms.
“Under the contract, NIOA will be the prime contractor, working with local and international suppliers and weapon manufacturers on the acquisition, integration, delivery and ongoing support of the new weapon systems from 2023.”
“This is a bold step into modern weaponry to quickly improve Australia’s defence preparedness.”
Major General Bottrell said early engagement with industry had proven very successful.
“NIOA has demonstrated a long?term commitment, private investment, and a focus on growing sovereign industrial capability to support Australia’s war fighters.”
“The collaboration between Defence and industry means we will acquire the best available weapon systems for our troops.”
Defence will seek to maximise Australian industry involvement throughout the life of the Lethality System Project, and ensure continuous engagement with industry partners.
New weapons systems to be acquired include:
• Australian manufacturer ZU Bladeworx’s Double-Edged Fighting Knife – selected as the basis of the ADF’s new Hand-to-Hand Fighting System. The black, double-edged fighting knife has a 100mm blade, is machined from a solid billet of A2 steel and features a non-slip handle and retention ring.
• The SIG Sauer P320 XCarry Pro – selected as the platform for the Sidearm Weapon System, which will replace the venerable Browning Mk3 pistol. It will be complemented with reflex sights, and a white light illuminator.
• The Benelli M3A1 – selected as the platform for the Combat Shotgun System. Operable in semi-automatic or pump-action mode, it is complemented with a red dot sight and white light illuminator.
• The SIG Sauer MCX, in .300 Blackout calibre – selected as the platform for the Personal Defence Weapon System, to provide dismounted combatants with a light, modular, and compact weapon system that can be rapidly optimised for specialised roles.
• The Accuracy International AX-SR – selected as the platform for the Long Range Sniper Capability. It will be introduced into ADF service as a multi-calibre system capable of delivering in .338 Lapua Magnum, .300 Norma Magnum and 7.62mm NATO calibres.
• The Sniper Surveillance Capability – selected to provide ADF snipers with a day and night capability utilising the Safran JIM Compact multispectral surveillance device and Steiner laser range-finding binoculars.
• The M107A1 rifle, manufactured by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Incorporated, – selected as the platform for the Anti-Material Sniper Capability. The M107A1 is a lighter, modernised and suppressed derivative of the in-service weapon, and is complemented with precision optics, night vision, and ranger-finding devices.
FORT HOOD, Texas – The 1st and 5th battalions of 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade cased their colors before their upcoming deployment to United States Central Command in front of the brigade’s headquarters here, Sept. 19.
The advisors will deploy to USCENTCOM for six months. The Soldiers will advise, support, liaise and assist nations within their area of responsibility, which includes 21 different countries. The goal is to support and assist allies in the region so they can build capacity and maintain stability.
Security advisor teams increase interoperability and achieve strategic goals by providing experienced leaders from the maneuver, combat engineer, signal support, intelligence, medical and logistics career fields.
“The advisors, of Force Package 23-1 are about as ready as it could possibly be,” said Col. Zachary Miller 3rd SFAB commander. “They’ve trained intensively on individual and collective skills that make them ready to partner in any environment. They built teams where everyone looks out for each other and pushes their fellow advisors to be their best.”
In his remarks to the Soldiers and families gathered for the ceremony, Miller spoke about the 3rd SFAB being a new type of formation in today’s Army and how its mission of enabling combatant commanders to accomplish theater security objectives by training, advising, assisting, accompanying, and enabling allied and partnered security forces. Miller explained that the unit provides an essential capability for the Army and fills a critical need in today’s operational environment.
“Our advisors’ presence matters in Iraq because we are enabling the Iraqi security forces to contain and defeat ISIS without external assistance,” Miller said. “We deter Iran … (which has) for more than 40 years, aggressively supported terrorism or terrorist organizations,” Miller said. “Our advisor’s presence matters, because it helps deter Iran and its proxies from continuing activities that destabilize not only that region, but global security and commerce.”
With advisors already deployed and present in theater, this force-package deployment of SFAB teams to the CENTCOM area is significant because it will be the first time this many advisors will deploy to the region, Lt. Col. Patrick Caukin, 1st Bn., 3rd SFAB commander, said.
“This is our first deployment as a dual battalion headquarter package with the 1st Battalion and 5th Battalion going out as a team to CENTCOM,” Caukin said. “You know, the teams that are over there, 3rd Squadron, they’ve really set the tone, and the groundwork for us to come in and continue the advising efforts to broaden the U.S. is mission there.”
Miller finished his speech with a quote from Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, who said, “Presence buys you influence, which is built on trust. You can’t surge trust.”
By Eric Franklin, Fort Hood Public Affairs
• State of the art military rebreather supporting O2-CCR and SCR operating modes, both dedicated and underwater switchable. Fail-safe gas switch. Offboard SDV or EBS supplied gas whip OSEL lockable Quick-Connect compatible.
• Front or back-mount, with the same unit; compatible with diveable armour vests incorporating front, back and side plates.
• CE, NORSOK and NEDU standards compliant & certified.
• Functional Safety audited and certified to EN61508 SIL 3: with full disclosure of safety case, all test data, FMECA, HAZOPs etc.
• Rugged with exceptional availability, backed by lifetime warranty on design, parts, materials and safety – significantly reducing whole of life cycle costs to operate.
-Low maintenance, with all servicing and repairs able to be performed in-country: technician courses available.
-Includes a unique whole of life safety warranty where if the Functional Safety performance of the Incursion CMR is found to be lacking or can be improved upon; Open Safety will re-engineer the required component and supply it at their cost.
• Light: 10.3kg to 17.4kg depending on configuration, ready to dive including trim weights, scrubber and gas.
• Compact semi-rigid satchel style (35 x 41 x 16cm) including integral oxygen cylinder
-Non-mag 2L 300bar 904L SS carbon wrapped cylinders; avionic (vacuum) tested for HALO use
• Internal protected counterlungs for HALO deployment or high waterflow DPV use
• Flood tolerant and uniquely flood recoverable whilst dived
• 4+ hour scrubber duration, >6 hour gas duration (CCR/SCR modes)
• Rated for use from 0m through to 100m
• Lowest Work of Breathing in industry at
-0.35 J/L at 10m on Oxygen, 62.5 lpm RMV,
-0.6 J/L at 40m on Air, 40 lpm RMV,
-1.44 J/L at 40msw on Air, 75lpm RMV,
-0.9 J/L at 100msw on Heliox, 75lpm RMV
• Low-Mag as standard and Non-Mag options (to NATO STANAG 2897 Class A, static and dynamic tests)
• Low acoustic signature to NATO STANAG 1158
• FFM compatible
• UW comms compatible (DSV adapter)
• Integrated Bail Out Valve for immediate Open Circuit bailout an option; Open Safety ALVBOV replaces DSV
• Proven with Naval and Special Forces around the world from arctic to tropics
• Manufactured in Scotland, United Kingdom and deliberately NOT BERRY compliant.
Evaluating new rebreathers can be time consuming, expensive and labour intensive. To minimise that overhead, the Incursion rebreather has been the subject of one the most stringent testing regimes ever. The Open Safety Incursion system are the only military rebreather on the market whose full test results, failure analysis, performance measurements and compliance matrices are audited and published for critique by prospective purchasers to validate their procurement requirements.
The Incursion CMR is distributed throughout South East Asia and Oceania by Apollo Military, whom are also a very successful sales agent, for a number of disparate and supporting, maritime tactical products. Apollo Military are an ISO Certified company whom have been in the industry since 1988 and are now one of the premier and most respected maritime tactical operations equipment suppliers in the South East Asian region.
Apollo Military in addition to supplying the best maritime tactical equipment that we can source for our clients; also inhouse design, test and have manufactured to our specification Australian manufactured Titanium COBRA boarding ladders and JEYCO manufactured Fast Ropes; both in service with numerous Tier 1 units globally.
www.facebook.com/Military.Gear.Marine
www.facebook.com/OpenSafetyEquipment
“It is important to highlight the work towards Achieving an Integrated Force as we continue to drive for a stronger, more competitive industry, procuring the right equipment for our people at the right price and at the right time – promoting collaboration between allies and partners as well as supporting British industry to thrive in the international exports market” – Minister for Defence Procurement, The Rt Hon Alec Shelbrooke MP
The overarching theme for the DSEI 2023 event has been announced as ‘Achieving an Integrated Force’. The UK Ministry of Defence and the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, UK Space Command, UK Strategic Command, and UK Defence and Security Exports are working to integrate at all levels and across five operational domains of Air, Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), Land, Sea and Space.
Building on the DSEI 2021 theme of ‘Integrated Response to Future Threats’, it is evident that an integrated force can only occur through culture, a trained workforce, data and technology. In UK Strategic Command, the Digital Backbone strategy seeks to provide the authority and capacity to act as Defence’s integrator and enable multi-domain and multi-nation integration.
To achieve an integrated force, supply-chains need to be understood and strengthened, thus creating an unbreakable cohesion between military and industry. This can be accomplished by utilising the expert knowledge of the civil and private sectors to take full advantage of cutting-edge technology and skills. All of this, combined, will lead to a strategic defence force that can transition from large, centralised, unhardened infrastructure to smaller, dispersed, resilient and adaptive modules that can include both passive and active defences.
The current and future operating environment will be characterised by increasing challenges below the threshold of traditional warfare. Changing battle narratives and the increasing use of non-lethal means to influence or secure objectives mean that coercive warfare has come of age. It is a new era where challenge will be in the real, virtual and cognitive worlds; partners and allies must be prepared.
Speaking to this theme, a video exclusive featuring the highest levels of MOD and military stakeholders has been launched.
Listen here to General Patrick Sanders (Chief of the General Staff, British Army) Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton (Deputy Commander Capability, RAF) Vice Admiral Martin Connell (Second Sea Lord, Royal Navy), Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes (Deputy Commander, UK Strategic Command).
Minister for Defence Procurement, The Rt Hon Alec Shelbrooke MP, said:
“In an age of increasing global competition, DSEI 2023 will bring the key players together to ensure that we’re constantly moving forward alongside our Armed Forces and industry partners.
“It is important to highlight the work towards Achieving an Integrated Force as we continue to drive for a stronger, more competitive industry, procuring the right equipment for our people at the right price and at the right time – promoting collaboration between allies and partners as well as supporting British industry to thrive in the international exports market.”
Grant Burgham, DSEI Director, said:
“Having the theme announced for DSEI 2023 is a significant step as we look forward to the show only twelve months away. DSEI is the premier event of its kind and is crucial in bringing together the UK Government, armed forces and industry.
“For 2023, we fully expect to be back at pre-pandemic levels of attendees, with contribution from over 2,800 DSEI & DSEI Connect defence and security suppliers, and 31 international pavilions across the exhibition space. We are immensely proud of the platform we provide the international defence and security industry, enabling it to demonstrate its expertise and capabilities across a live and digital audience.”
Held biennially, DSEI connects governments, national armed forces, industry thought leaders and the global defence and security supply chain on an unrivalled scale. The event is curated to consistently support both the prime contractors as well as small and medium-sized enterprises while, crucially, giving UK exports a significant boost.
DSEI will take place at ExCeL London 12-15 September 2023.
OSI will be attending the Future Forces Forum from October 19-21, 2022, in Prague, Czech Republic. We will be showing Multicam®, CURV® Tactical and CORDURA® Brands during this event! To set up a meeting or for more information please contact Peter Raneri at peter@osinnovate.com. Visit us at osinnovate.com.
Available in 10,” 13.5”, and 15,” the new and improved EXD Free Float M-LOK® Rail System is designed with the modern shooter in mind.
Horsham, Pa. (September 2022) – Mission First Tactical, LLC (MFT™), a leader in USA-made rifle/carbine accessories and holsters, is pleased to introduce its new EXD Free Float M-LOK® Rail System available in 10”, 13.5”, and 15”. Boasting multiple improvements, the new system is designed with the modern shooter in mind. Streamlined and user-friendly, the updated design allows shooters more time to send rounds down range and less time making field adjustments or modifications.
The upgraded upper receiver attachment system increases shooter stability and also minimizes the inner diameter, providing a more streamlined appearance. Updated modern wall thickness addresses the flimsiness of other rail systems by providing the strength needed to attach a variety of M-LOK accessories.
Other features of the updated EXD Free Float M-LOK Rail System include:
• Seven sides of M-LOK – multiple locations to mount accessories
• Anti-rotation technology – zero rotation under extreme use
• IR anti-reflective coating – reduces reflection from 36 percent to 1 percent
• Steel non-timing barrel nut – secured with four set screws
The EXD Rail System is easily attached by two set screws (not Delta rings) on each side with anti-rotation tabs on top. Steel barrel nut included easily installs using a standard wrench. MSRP $149.99.
Mission First Tactical EXD Free Float M-LOK Rail System comes with a Lifetime Warranty. For more information on Mission First Tactical, visit www.missionfirsttactical.com.
