DroneShield is pleased to share a virtual demo video highlighting a select number of its C-UAS solutions. The video can be viewed here.
For additional details, please visit www.droneshield.com.
DroneShield Releases A Virtual Demo Video
December 7th, 2021Decision Dominance: SCI TOCNET-G4 Vehicular Intercom System Receives New Networking Capability from Persistent System
December 7th, 2021Firmware upgrade for Persistent Systems mobile ad hoc networking devices allows dismounted troops, headquarter staff, to seamlessly communicate with vehicle crews
NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2021 — Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”) a leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET), announced today that its MANET solutions have undergone a firmware upgrade, enabling them to interface with SCI Technology’s TOCNET-G4 unified voice management system for tactical military vehicles.
With this new capability, troops moving in, out of, and around vehicles can use their handheld MPU5 MANET devices to seamlessly connect with vehicle crews via the TOCNET-G4 intercom system, even under the most chaotic battlefield conditions. The result is increased connectivity, improved situational awareness, and improved decision dominance during a military engagement.
“Before this upgrade, you had to deal with crackly audio and messy headset plug-ins, which was not ideal when you’re taking fire. Now everything is smooth, fast, and automatic,” said Nicholas Naioti, VP of Business Development at Persistent. “Anyone on Persistent’s Wave Relay® MANET can communicate on the TOCNET-G4, so now headquarters has a direct line to an individual vehicle driver.”
The TOCNET-G4 is connected to the Persistent Systems Wave Relay® MANET via the GVR5, a dual-band networking radio developed for tracked and wheeled vehicles in conjunction with General Dynamics Mission Systems. Through the GVR5, troops using Persistent’s handheld MPU5 devices can communicate with vehicular crews on the TOCNET-G4 system.
“Everything is ethernet-based,” said Ed Reber, director of the Army C3T business area at General Dynamics Mission Systems. “There is no need for extra cabling, which reduces cost and logistics requirements. With this capability, you can just ‘dial’ a specific crewman or connect with someone who is part of a force operating in a specific location.”
The TOCNET-G4 is currently on, or being tested with, 50-plus military platforms. These include the JLTV, GMV 1.1, Stryker, LAV, and NGCV MET-D.
“The ubiquity of SCI Technology’s TOCNET-G4 unified voice management system means that the firmware upgrade to Persistent’s MANET hardware will benefit a lot of users,” said Shaun Fischer, Director of Portfolio Management at SCI Technology.
WARNORD – USSOCOM Science and Technology Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 22.1 Pre-Release
December 7th, 2021SOFWERX has put out word that the USSOCOM Science and Technology Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 22.1 submissions will open 12 January 2022.
Special Areas of Interest
PHASE I:
SOCOM221-001: Low SWaP Tactical Ultra-Secure Communications System
DIRECT TO PHASE II:
SOCOM221-D002: Ultra-Compact Long Range Machine Gun Optic
SOCOM221-D003: Miniature Aiming Ranging Laser
SOCOM221-D004: Advanced Precision-Variable Power Scope
(Link to all DoD SBIRs www.dodsbirsttr.mil)
SBIR Process Timeline
01 December 2021: Topics and instructions posted
12 January 2022: DoD begins accepting proposals
TBD: Virtual Industry Q&A sessions
10 February 2022: Solicitation closes and proposals evaluations/award starts
By 6 months after award: Phase I complete
For Phase 1 Topics only: If appropriate, an RFP may be provided with a typical 30-day proposal timeline at or around the end of Phase 1
To lean more visit events.sofwerx.org/sbir22.1.
Tenicor Launches The Zero Belt
December 7th, 2021
Tenicor has added the Zero Belt to their lineup. Like their holster, their belt is something different than most of us are used to. The idea was to give you a smooth front of the belt with no buckle to interfere with other gear.
With the Zero Belt, the tail end of the belt tucks behind the rest, instead of outside and across the buckle or through the buckle and back where it came like on a rigger-style belt. This allows for a very low profile loop buckle.
When I got the belt I didn’t think it was going to be very secure, but the tension system works just fine. It’s also plenty rigid.
Make sure you watch this video.
These belts are sewn by Wilderness Tactical Products and are very high quality. The tail end of the Zero Belt is treated with Wilderness Tactical Products’ proprietary polymer, which soaks into the core of the nylon, permanently protecting it from fraying.
Offered in sizes 28-44. Just buy your pant size.
tenicor.com/products/zero-belt
SIG SAUER Custom Works Commissions 1911 Pistols to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 7th, 2021NEWINGTON, N.H., (December 7, 2021) – In partnership with the Best Defense Foundation, SIG SAUER is honored to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with three one-of-a-kind, custom designed 1911 pistols: the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Pistol, the USS Arizona Commemorative Pistol, and the USS Oklahoma Commemorative Pistol.
“It was truly an honor to create these custom pistols and we are humbled to have the opportunity to partner with the Best Defense Foundation to salute these men and women of the greatest generation,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, SIG SAUER, Inc. “The foundation is providing any World War II veteran that wants a measure of closure the opportunity to return to their battlefield and we hope these pistols will bring recognition to their efforts. From the shores of Normandy to Pearl Harbor, the foundation has made it their mission to honor these veterans’ sacrifice and we are forever thankful for their dedication to that mission.”
The unique distinguishing features of the commemorative 1911 pistols crafted by SIG SAUER Custom Works are:
1911 Pistol: The 1911 pistol was one of the most commonly issued pistols and carried by U.S. forces throughout World War II. Each of the commemorative 1911 Pearl Harbor pistols feature engravings designed in collaboration with Outlaw Ordnance customizations, and a Battleship Gray Cerakote® matte finish on the frame and slide. The pistols are chambered in.45 AUTO with an SAO trigger, Gold Dot Novak™ front sights and Wilson Combat™ serrated rear sights.
Pistol Grips: The custom grips on each of the pistols was designed and manufactured by Chad Schumacher at Allegory Goods, and is crafted from teak decking salvaged from the USS North Carolina. After the Pearl Harbor attack, the USS North Carolina was sent to the pacific to strengthen allied forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign, and was part of the offensive operations supporting the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa.
Pearl Harbor Commemorative Pistol: Engravings commemorate the date and time of the attack: December 7, 1941 at 7:55am where Japanese warplanes descended on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, and the address by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to the U.S. Congress formally requesting a declaration of war between the U.S. and Japan where he began with “A day which will live in infamy.”
USS Arizona (BB-39) Commemorative Pistol: Engravings commemorate the USS Arizona which was hit by Japanese torpedo bombers which detonated in a munitions magazine, which violently exploded and sank the ship, losing 1,177 officers and crewmen. The USS Arizona Memorial at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial was dedicated on May 30th, 1962 to honor all those who died during the attack.
USS Oklahoma (BB-37) Commemorative Pistol: Engravings commemorate the USS Oklahoma which served in World War I and protected allied convoys across the Atlantic. During the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese torpedo bomber airplanes hit the Oklahoma’s hull causing it to capsize. A total of 429 crew died as a result, others jumped to safety, were rescued through hatches or from drilling holes in the side of the hull.
Additionally, SIG SAUER is honored to release a short video to video to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and highlight the detail and distinguishing features of the commemorative pistols.
The commemorative 1911 pistols have been presented to the leadership of the Best Defense Foundation.
A full series of photos of the Pearl Harbor Commemorative 1911 pistols are available for viewing at sigsauer.com.
Raven Concealment Systems Announces Signature Reduction from MATBOCK for Holsters and Accessories
December 7th, 2021Raven Concealment Systems announced today an exciting new partnership with MATBOCK to provide Near-IR compliant signature reduction for the RCS product line.
The result of this partnership is that RCS will now be able to offer their holsters and magazine carriers clad with MATBOCK Skins. The Skins provide significant signature reduction under both visible light and infrared/night vision, while also reducing noise signature of anything that scrapes against the outside of the holster.
MATBOCK introduced the Skins over a year ago, and since that time, they have been used extensively on helmets, dive fins, night vision goggles, and countless other pieces of kit where durable signature reduction was required.
Michael Goerlich, owner of Raven Concealment Systems explains:
“Normally, when we talk about how great our holsters are at ‘concealment,’ we’re talking about how we designed them to hug your body very closely to make it easier to hide them under clothing.
But for some missions, ‘concealment’ means something completely different. Sometimes, the holster needs to blend in with a uniform. Sometimes, it needs to be Near-IR Compliant so that it doesn’t show up as a glowing orb when someone is looking at you through night-vision goggles.
Some companies will use hydro-dip to put a Multicam pattern on their holsters. This kinda ‘looks’ like Multicam (if you don’t look too closely) but it doesn’t do anything to reduce noise signature, and it actually makes your gear stand out even more under night-vision than if they had just left it black.
Other companies accomplish signature reduction by gluing Cordura nylon onto their holsters. While that method does help with signature reduction, the MATBOCK Skins provide equal or superior signature reduction while also weighing less and being much more precisely fitted – which means they also happen to look significantly better in daylight, when your friends are admiring your gear.
This is why we are so excited to announce this partnership: MATBOCK now provides our product-line the best Near-IR compliant signature reduction solution available on the market.”
Just in time for the holidays, RCS has released a special bundle of their products featuring MATBOCK Skins. Each bundle includes a Lictor M4 rifle magazine carrier, a Lictor G9 dual pistol magazine carrier, and your choice of either a Glock 19 or a Sig P320C/M18 Perun, all shipped with Multicam MATBOCK Skins factory-installed. These bundles are available here: rcsgear.com/matbock-ir-signature-reducing-government-kit
Infamy – An Indelible Mark In History
December 7th, 2021In·fa·my (noun)
1 the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed.
Infamy is a word forever tied in my mind with the date of December 7th, 1941. Born in the late 60s, I grew up in a culture that spoke about the attack on Pearl Harbor and with a grandfather who fought in the Pacific theater. His generation remembered what had happened and the cost of that war and they weren’t afraid to acknowledge it.
While time has healed many wounds and forged new alliances, I will not forget what that day, 80 years ago means to my nation. It is a mark in time that will forever be etched in history.
Please join me in honoring the 2402 Americans who were lost on that day, along with the hundreds more, who were wounded during the attack. They suffered the opening salvo of a war that would engulf nations around the globe in conflict.
Northern Warfare Training Center Preparing Soldiers to Become Arctic Experts
December 7th, 2021
BLACK RAPIDS TRAINING AREA, Alaska — This past March the Army released its Arctic Strategy which plans to regain Arctic dominance by implementing improvements to increase readiness in the Arctic. One of the keys to that readiness is the Northern Warfare Training Center.
NWTC is where Soldiers go to learn what it takes to not only survive in up to 40 degrees below zero temperatures, operate in four to five feet of snow and endure winds up to 50 to 60 mph, but also how to succeed and thrive to become experts in the Arctic environment.
“An Arctic Expert would be someone, whoever that might be, infantry, armor or artillery in extreme cold weather and make their equipment function as expected and not letting the environment stopping them from finishing the mission,” said Steven Decker, longtime civilian instructor for the Northern Warfare Training Center, also known as “Father Winter” to others at NWTC.
Those trained at the school go back to their units and pass along the lessons learned to enable their Soldiers to survive in the cold environments of Alaska.
“We want noncommissioned officers that have just been stationed up here, we have them go through our train-the-trainer course. We also want squad lead leaders and fire team leaders because they’re the ones who actually train Soldiers,” one instructor said.
The Cold Weather Leaders Course is an 11-day course, with a field exercise that spans six days out in the cold, which pushes Soldiers to extremes they may have never gone through.
“Sometimes they think they’ll do better in the cold than they do. A lot of them learn hard lessons about themselves. Other people learn positive things, like they’re more resilient and tougher than they believed,” said Decker.
The school also makes it possible for Soldiers to become more resilient to the winter months and can improve the quality of life for them.
“Sometimes new people come here, and they’re intimidated or have preconceived notions about the cold, that Alaska doesn’t have the amenities that they are used to in the Lower 48, so this training can open their eyes to something that they may not have experienced before. To where they can take these skills and hike trails, go snow machining, skiing or ice fishing and be less intimidated, more inclined to get out and enjoy Alaska,” Decker said.
The Training Center also assist Army Futures Command in testing and equipping new Arctic Equipment for Soldiers to improve their ability to operate in the Arctic.
“[Army Futures Command] does count our opinion heavily because we are out there constantly, like the clothing we’re testing, there are technological and functional improvements to it, we also have influence on other things like the vehicle that will replace the Small Unit Support Vehicle,” according to Decker.
Teaching how to thrive in the Arctic, improving quality of life by exposing people to what they can do and preparing for the future are how the Northern Warfare Training Center is helping the Army increase our “deterrence capabilities” and regain the Army’s Arctic dominance.
By SGT Christopher Dennis, USARAK Public Affairs NCO
