Written by / Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
GCT 2010 Volume: 1 Issue: 2 (August)
Foot Comfort is Key
Altama Footwear has been a manufacturer of boots for the U.S. Department of Defense, supplying to thousands of military personnel worldwide since 1969. Based on extensive knowledge and experience in designing and producing high performance combat footwear, Altama developed the Panamoc collection. These shoes are built for maximum comfort in times when boots aren’t required or for after duty wear. Panamocs are constructed of high quality materials and are built to our usual high standards providing durability, slip resistance, traction and comfort. Therefore, they can be used both recreationally and for light duty where allowed. The high abrasion dual density outsole allows for easy mud release and is non-marking. The lower density polyurethane midsole provides excellent shock attenuation. The reinforced toe and heel areas provide resistance to cuts and damages. The elastic gore openings optimize ease of entry/ exit and enhance the fit and comfort. The upper consists of premium water resisting nubuck leather. These shoes are also completely non-metallic in construction.
Jami McCord: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cutting Edge
The Jumpmaster is an extraordinary knife design developed by Spyderco in close cooperation with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. A jumpmaster is the assigned airbornequalified individual who controls parachutists during airborne operations. His critical duties include supervising parachutists during static-line jumps and resolving emergency situations in which an airborne trooper’s static line fails to deploy his parachute. In these situations, the jumpmaster needs an extremely sharp knife that will instantly cut the static line and a carry system that keeps it available for use at a moment’s notice.
Developed specifically to meet these criteria, the Jumpmaster’s fully-serrated blade is ground from H1 steel, a revolutionary material that provides superior cutting performance while remaining completely impervious to corrosion. Its sheep foot style blade cuts with extreme power while eliminating the danger of a sharp point. A full-tang design, exceptional ergonomics and textured handle scales also support swift, effective use in high-stress conditions.
To ensure immediately accessibility, the Jumpmaster features an injection-molded sheath specifically designed for carry on the lower leg. This ambidextrous sheath locks the knife securely in place with a snap-fit retention system and mounts with a pair of adjustable nylon straps with quick-release buckles.
Ken Hunter: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
See the Light
SureFire LLC, manufacturer of high-end illumination tools and tactical products, has released a new handheld searchlight/spotlight designed and manufactured to meet the needs of the extreme professional or the extreme flashlight aficionado. The new M3LT CombatLight is a dualoutput LED flashlight that generates an overwhelming 400 lumens of light on its high setting—20 times the light of comparably sized two-Dcell flashlight—and 70 lumens of extended-runtime light on low.
The M3LT’s beam is the product of its virtually indestructible, ultrahigh output four-die LED working in conjunction with a special Turbohead Total Internal Reflection (TIR) lens. The large-diameter (2.5 inches) TIR lens gathers virtually all of the LED’s light, shapes it and projects it forward. But not at the cost of a lot of additional weight or bulk—the flashlight weighs only 10.9 ounces, with batteries, and is less than nine inches in length, making it portable and maneuverable enough to carry through the roughest terrain.
Ron Canfield: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Trucks Without Drivers
The Oshkosh TerraMax autonomous vehicle kit utilizes integrated state-of-the-art sensors, artificial intelligence and drive-by-wire technology to function in autonomous, leaderfollower or manual modes. Built in kit form, it can be seamlessly applied to light, medium and heavy tactical wheeled vehicles to ensure the vehicle’s capabilities are maintained while having a minimal impact on the vehicle’s visual signature. Oshkosh continues to refine and develop the technology to help the military achieve a future of unmanned logistics missions and improved situational awareness for vehicle occupants.
Equipped on existing military tactical wheeled vehicles, such as the Oshkosh Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, TerraMax has demonstrated fully autonomous vehicle operations that could be applied to realworld mission scenarios. These demonstrations have included high-speed operation of a TerraMax-equipped vehicle in convoy operations and defeat of victim-operated improvised explosive devices on range roads and in urban terrain.
The TerraMax technology has shown its ability to run a sample mission and conduct route re-planning while also successfully following traffic rules and safe driving behaviors, including vehicle passing and intersection negotiation. It also has demonstrated obstacle detection and avoidance of barriers, vehicles and negative obstacles, such as road dips.
Oshkosh has teamed with technology experts to continue breaking new ground in the field of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). As a result, the Oshkosh TerraMax system incorporates the latest in advanced robotic hardware and software components. It also meets military-grade specifications for handling shock and vibration, and utilizes commercial off-the-shelf computer hardware to ensure the technology remains affordable. Oshkosh first developed its UGV technology in response to a Department of Defense mandate that one-third of military vehicles will be operated autonomously without drivers by 2015.
Body Armor Gets Much Lighter
BAE Systems unveiled its ultra lightweight warrior soldier system with up to 35 percent weight savings. Specifically engineered for the way troops fight, BAE Systems’ Ultra Lightweight Warrior (ULW) system of innovative body armor is designed to offer adaptable protection and dramatic weight savings to the warfighter. BAE Systems showcased the ULW system for the first time at the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris on June 14, 2010.
The ULW system design draws heavily from lessons learned in current global conflicts.
“Real life combat in Afghanistan and Iraq helped to shape ULW’s development,” said Joe Coltman, vice president with BAE Systems’ Security & Survivability business. “Over the years, as new threats have emerged, a soldier’s protection level has likewise had to increase, translating into more and heavier equipment. The ULW system provides the scalable, modular protection that soldiers require, but up to a 35 percent weight savings when measured against comparable soldier equipment,” added Coltman.
ULW focuses on five key product areas including helmet, vest/soft body armor, armor plates, load carrying equipment, and an integrated power supply. While each separate piece of equipment offers distinct features and benefits, such as a rechargeable, integrated power supply strategically designed to be worn within the ballistic vest, and a quick-release mechanism that provides faster actuation and easier assembly, the real value associated with ULW is in how the individual pieces work together for the soldier.
“What ULW provides to the warfighter is options,” said Sean Martin, business development director for BAE Systems’ Personnel Protection Systems business. “ULW is a flexible, modular soldier equipment platform that can be modified a number of ways, providing the warfighter with multiple mission-specific options. Its ergonomic design features new, lighter-weight advanced materials, which provide greater comfort and needed mobility without sacrificing protection.”
Jennifer Robinson:
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