US Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
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Jura The idiot
General
a moment ago I found this point of view:
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
US Army Releases Rifleman Radio RFP
By Joe Gould3:34 p.m. EST January 6, 2015
COMMENTEMAILMORE
WASHINGTON — The US Army has released the final version of its request for proposals for the Rifleman Radio, but the service is not aiming at awarding a contract to a single vendor. Rather, it would create a "radio marketplace" for multiple vendors to compete to fill delivery orders as needed.
The solicitation, posted Monday on a government contracting web site, is intended to allow the Army to choose from numerous technologies, and provide it the flexibility to release a new contract in the future to take advantage of improvements in processor power, weight and battery life.
The Army expects this strategy to cut its procurement costs as it modernizes its tactical communications network amid fiscal constraints, according to a news release. The Rifleman Radio is a software-defined handheld radio system used by dismounted soldiers to push data, text, pictures and videos back and forth via the Army's network.
"The full and open competition gives all vendors the opportunity to participate as we work together to deliver the most technologically-advanced and user-friendly radios for soldiers," Col. James Ross, project manager for tactical radios, said in the release. "Our goal is to field radios that not only consistently improve their capabilities, but also get simpler for Soldiers to operate."
The solicitation is for an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to multiple vendors, with a five-year base ordering period and an optional five-year period. The award would be in 2015, with radios provided the same year for qualification tests. Full rate production would begin in fiscal 2017.
The Army would award contracts to multiple vendors whose radios it would evaluate in lab tests to see if they meet threshold requirements, and — if successful — operational tests in its Network Integration Evaluation.
The acquisition strategy includes on-ramp opportunities for vendors whose technologies mature after the initial competition and operational tests, according to the Army news release.
Through two low-rate initial production orders, the Army has purchased 21,379 Rifleman Radios from General Dynamics C4 Systems and Thales. There have been 19,327 radios delivered to date from these contracts, and the Army's total acquisition objective is 193,276.
Rifleman Radios have been fielded to brigade combat teams in the 10th Mountain Division, 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division and 1st Armored Division. They have been used to support operations in Afghanistan and other unspecified regions both as a stand-alone capability and to provide connectivity to Nett Warrior devices.
The program is also using a similar multivendor acquisition approach for the vehicle-mounted Manpack radio, with plans to release the RFP in the coming months, followed by contract awards and qualification testing. Full-rate production is expected to begin in fiscal 2017.
Email: [email protected] / Twitter:
Cavalry Soldiers wrap up successful Atlantic Resolve rotation
January 9, 2015
By
FORT HOOD, Texas (Jan. 9, 2014) -- Soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, had the opportunity to train alongside more than 13 different nations during multiple international exercises in Eastern Europe, Sept. 15 to Dec. 31.
Approximately 800 Soldiers, mostly drawn from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, participated in the first-of-their-kind, short-notice, multinational exercises as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which included multinational combined arms live fire exercises, military celebrations, and other events.
The deployment challenged the brigade and its planners to effectively transport hundreds of personnel, dozens of heavy vehicles and tons of equipment across the Atlantic, in a limited amount of time.
"We actually got instructions to depart in early August and by Aug. 22, we had all of our equipment at the port," said Col. John DiGiambattista, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. "We had to rail load out of Fort Hood, get our equipment on ships and ship it - a fantastic exercise in terms of the flexibility and deployability of the brigade in being able to respond to that requirement."
Using super cargo container ships, ferries, rails, U.S. Air Force transport aircrafts, buses, and other modes of transportation; the "Ironhorse" Brigade totaled more than 100,000 miles of transport during its move to and from Europe.
Once the unit arrived in Europe, and augmented with a troop of Stryker Soldiers from the Vilseck, Germany-based 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; the brigade set to work, accomplishing many milestones along the way.
Atlantic Resolve marked the first time U.S. Soldiers--in tanks, Bradleys and Strykers; fired rounds in the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact nations bordering Russia.
"We fired the first M1A2 Abrams main gun rounds ever fired in Latvia as well as the first tank rounds ever fired in Poland by U.S. forces, and it was a tremendous opportunity," DiGiambattista said.
"Ironhorse" Soldiers traveled more than 38,400 miles and fired nearly 500 M1 tank rounds, 3,300 25mm rounds, and 200 120mm mortar rounds during their 24 major multinational training events -- the largest, which was Operation Iron Sword in Lithuania.
During Iron Sword, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment trained alongside infantry units from Canada, Estonia, Hungary and the United Kingdom. An air defense unit from the Czech Republic and reconnaissance units from Luxembourg and Germany, conducted hasty defense and attack maneuvers, dismounted patrols, and other missions.
Overall, the Lithuanian Land Forces-hosted NATO exercise, involved nearly 2,500 Soldiers from nine nations.
"I saw for myself, and I heard from my squadron commanders and Soldiers, that working together with you, training together with you, we found this activity extremely beneficial, extremely useful, and that was for us--one more chance to prove our skills and be as best prepared for our real job that we must do," said Maj. Gen. Almantas Leika, commanding general of the Lithuania Land Forces, in a farewell address to the U.S. Soldiers, Dec. 5.
For Soldiers like Sgt. Henry Oforidankwah, a team leader with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, the deployment was a special experience.
"I was awarded a Lithuanian commander's cup for successfully firing a Javelin at a cold target, and for being the first American to fire a Javelin in Lithuania," said Oforidankwah, a native of Kumasi, Ghana. "It was the first time for me to shoot a live AT4 or Javelin."
The deployment provided Soldiers more than just a unique training experience; "Ironhorse" Soldiers also had the opportunity to participate in humanitarian projects.
In Latvia, Scouts from 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, joined with Latvian Soldiers to collect firewood for an orphanage in Vaive, Oct. 28.
"Winters in Latvia are really harsh," said Spc. Jordan Atchley, a scout and gunner with 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. "We are out here cutting and splitting wood for the orphanage and getting to work in the community."
The orphanage provides a home for unwanted and disabled children, as well as abused women, who are not able to gather enough firewood to heat the house.
"Projects like this show not only that we are here, but that we are here to help," Atchley said. "From the everyday things like splitting wood, to bigger projects, to just being here doing what we do."
Having completed their mission, the "Ironhorse" commander feels his unit's involvement in Operation Atlantic Resolve was a success.
Overall, the participation of the Fort Hood troops in Poland and Eastern Europe was significant for the Army, said DiGiambattista.
"It's a significant increase in U.S. presence to bring in an armored force," he said. "The brigade was able to demonstrate the ability to rapidly deploy an armored battalion from the United States to Europe on short notice, and I think that that fulfilled the Chief of Staff's vision of generating a regionally-aligned and globally-engaged Army."
By Joe Gould3:34 p.m. EST January 6, 2015
COMMENTEMAILMORE
WASHINGTON — The US Army has released the final version of its request for proposals for the Rifleman Radio, but the service is not aiming at awarding a contract to a single vendor. Rather, it would create a "radio marketplace" for multiple vendors to compete to fill delivery orders as needed.
The solicitation, posted Monday on a government contracting web site, is intended to allow the Army to choose from numerous technologies, and provide it the flexibility to release a new contract in the future to take advantage of improvements in processor power, weight and battery life.
The Army expects this strategy to cut its procurement costs as it modernizes its tactical communications network amid fiscal constraints, according to a news release. The Rifleman Radio is a software-defined handheld radio system used by dismounted soldiers to push data, text, pictures and videos back and forth via the Army's network.
"The full and open competition gives all vendors the opportunity to participate as we work together to deliver the most technologically-advanced and user-friendly radios for soldiers," Col. James Ross, project manager for tactical radios, said in the release. "Our goal is to field radios that not only consistently improve their capabilities, but also get simpler for Soldiers to operate."
The solicitation is for an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to multiple vendors, with a five-year base ordering period and an optional five-year period. The award would be in 2015, with radios provided the same year for qualification tests. Full rate production would begin in fiscal 2017.
The Army would award contracts to multiple vendors whose radios it would evaluate in lab tests to see if they meet threshold requirements, and — if successful — operational tests in its Network Integration Evaluation.
The acquisition strategy includes on-ramp opportunities for vendors whose technologies mature after the initial competition and operational tests, according to the Army news release.
Through two low-rate initial production orders, the Army has purchased 21,379 Rifleman Radios from General Dynamics C4 Systems and Thales. There have been 19,327 radios delivered to date from these contracts, and the Army's total acquisition objective is 193,276.
Rifleman Radios have been fielded to brigade combat teams in the 10th Mountain Division, 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division and 1st Armored Division. They have been used to support operations in Afghanistan and other unspecified regions both as a stand-alone capability and to provide connectivity to Nett Warrior devices.
The program is also using a similar multivendor acquisition approach for the vehicle-mounted Manpack radio, with plans to release the RFP in the coming months, followed by contract awards and qualification testing. Full-rate production is expected to begin in fiscal 2017.
Email: [email protected] / Twitter:
Cavalry Soldiers wrap up successful Atlantic Resolve rotation
January 9, 2015
By
FORT HOOD, Texas (Jan. 9, 2014) -- Soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, had the opportunity to train alongside more than 13 different nations during multiple international exercises in Eastern Europe, Sept. 15 to Dec. 31.
Approximately 800 Soldiers, mostly drawn from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, participated in the first-of-their-kind, short-notice, multinational exercises as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which included multinational combined arms live fire exercises, military celebrations, and other events.
The deployment challenged the brigade and its planners to effectively transport hundreds of personnel, dozens of heavy vehicles and tons of equipment across the Atlantic, in a limited amount of time.
"We actually got instructions to depart in early August and by Aug. 22, we had all of our equipment at the port," said Col. John DiGiambattista, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. "We had to rail load out of Fort Hood, get our equipment on ships and ship it - a fantastic exercise in terms of the flexibility and deployability of the brigade in being able to respond to that requirement."
Using super cargo container ships, ferries, rails, U.S. Air Force transport aircrafts, buses, and other modes of transportation; the "Ironhorse" Brigade totaled more than 100,000 miles of transport during its move to and from Europe.
Once the unit arrived in Europe, and augmented with a troop of Stryker Soldiers from the Vilseck, Germany-based 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; the brigade set to work, accomplishing many milestones along the way.
Atlantic Resolve marked the first time U.S. Soldiers--in tanks, Bradleys and Strykers; fired rounds in the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact nations bordering Russia.
"We fired the first M1A2 Abrams main gun rounds ever fired in Latvia as well as the first tank rounds ever fired in Poland by U.S. forces, and it was a tremendous opportunity," DiGiambattista said.
"Ironhorse" Soldiers traveled more than 38,400 miles and fired nearly 500 M1 tank rounds, 3,300 25mm rounds, and 200 120mm mortar rounds during their 24 major multinational training events -- the largest, which was Operation Iron Sword in Lithuania.
During Iron Sword, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment trained alongside infantry units from Canada, Estonia, Hungary and the United Kingdom. An air defense unit from the Czech Republic and reconnaissance units from Luxembourg and Germany, conducted hasty defense and attack maneuvers, dismounted patrols, and other missions.
Overall, the Lithuanian Land Forces-hosted NATO exercise, involved nearly 2,500 Soldiers from nine nations.
"I saw for myself, and I heard from my squadron commanders and Soldiers, that working together with you, training together with you, we found this activity extremely beneficial, extremely useful, and that was for us--one more chance to prove our skills and be as best prepared for our real job that we must do," said Maj. Gen. Almantas Leika, commanding general of the Lithuania Land Forces, in a farewell address to the U.S. Soldiers, Dec. 5.
For Soldiers like Sgt. Henry Oforidankwah, a team leader with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, the deployment was a special experience.
"I was awarded a Lithuanian commander's cup for successfully firing a Javelin at a cold target, and for being the first American to fire a Javelin in Lithuania," said Oforidankwah, a native of Kumasi, Ghana. "It was the first time for me to shoot a live AT4 or Javelin."
The deployment provided Soldiers more than just a unique training experience; "Ironhorse" Soldiers also had the opportunity to participate in humanitarian projects.
In Latvia, Scouts from 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, joined with Latvian Soldiers to collect firewood for an orphanage in Vaive, Oct. 28.
"Winters in Latvia are really harsh," said Spc. Jordan Atchley, a scout and gunner with 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. "We are out here cutting and splitting wood for the orphanage and getting to work in the community."
The orphanage provides a home for unwanted and disabled children, as well as abused women, who are not able to gather enough firewood to heat the house.
"Projects like this show not only that we are here, but that we are here to help," Atchley said. "From the everyday things like splitting wood, to bigger projects, to just being here doing what we do."
Having completed their mission, the "Ironhorse" commander feels his unit's involvement in Operation Atlantic Resolve was a success.
Overall, the participation of the Fort Hood troops in Poland and Eastern Europe was significant for the Army, said DiGiambattista.
"It's a significant increase in U.S. presence to bring in an armored force," he said. "The brigade was able to demonstrate the ability to rapidly deploy an armored battalion from the United States to Europe on short notice, and I think that that fulfilled the Chief of Staff's vision of generating a regionally-aligned and globally-engaged Army."
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Bradenton ammunition maker wins $15M in patent suit
BY MATT M. JOHNSON
[email protected] 11, 2015 Updated 11 hours ago
BRADENTON -- A Bradenton manufacturer of lead-free ammunition has won more than $15 million in a patent infringement lawsuit against the federal government.
Liberty Ammunition filed suit against the Department of Defense in 2011, claiming that the Department of the Army used Liberty's trade secrets to produce "enhanced performance rounds" for military rifles that were nearly identical to a bullet Liberty patented. The Army has been using lead-free bullets for several years produced by other manufacturers working under military contract.
U.S. Federal Court of Claims Judge Charles F. Lettow filed a decision Dec. 19 in which he found the federal government had infringed on Liberty's patent for its copper-core, steel-tipped ammunition. Lettow ordered the government to pay two levels of damages, the first being a $15.6 million lump payment. The government
was also ordered to pay a 1.4-cent royalty on every bullet it purchases and receives for use. It will make those payments until Liberty's patent expires in 2027.
Founded by Manatee County resident and inventor P.J. Marx, Liberty Ammunition produces ammunition for the U.S. military and foreign militaries allies and markets personal defense and hunting rounds through a small number of distributors and dealers. It also sells law enforcement ammunition.
Liberty CEO George Phillips welcomed the judge's decision.
"We feel we're totally vindicated that PJ Marx is the inventor of the enhanced performance round and that the court was absolutely clear in its decision," he told the Bradenton Herald.
The government has until Feb. 19 to appeal Lettow's decision.
According to the narrative in court documents, the Army had been working to develop lead-free ammunition since 1995 in an effort to cut down on lead pollution where the Army's bullets are used. Traditional bullets are constructed with lead cores.
The Army and its ammunition developers made several unsuccessful attempts. Lead-free bullets taken into combat in the 1990s failed in many instances to incapacitate opposing combatants, passing through their bodies without fragmenting into shrapnel as designed. Post-combat reports cited in court documents said those combatants were often able to return fire after being shot.
9/11 makes an inventor
Marx, who was aware of the Army's ammunition development effort, began developing his own lead-free bullets after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A designer of guitar pickups who partnered with Gibson Guitars in the 1980s, Marx first presented his ammunition designs to the Army in 2004, according to court documents. He formed Liberty the next year.
Marx worked as a professional musician in the 1990s, eventually moving to the Manatee-Sarasota area to be close to his parents, who lived in Florida. He owned a restaurant in Sarasota in the years leading up to entering the arms and armament business.
His first inclination after 9/11 was to design armor, keying on his experience working with ceramics in the guitar business. Marx, who holds numerous U.S. patents for his inventions, said he later moved into designing ammunition, becoming interested in it while designing products to defend against it.
His success with Liberty is the continuation of a business venture that started when his parents, Philip and Sandra Heintzen, loaned him money at age 13 to buy an ownership share in a music store.
"I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for them," he said.
Lethal against all targets
As the chief of research and development for his company, Marx said his aim from the beginning was to produce a next-generation military bullet that could both penetrate armor and be effective for anti-personnel duty. That it is lead-free was a fortunate coincidence.
"My priority was performance," Marx said.
In addition to meeting with Marx to discuss his ammunition design, Army officials also tested Liberty ammunition, according to court documents. The Army eventually chose to develop its lead-free ammunition in partnership with Minneapolis-based aerospace and defense contractor ATK.
The federal court that decided the trademark infringement case found that the ammunition designed through the partnership derived its advanced characteristics from Liberty's designs. Marx filed for a patent for his ammunition in 2005 and received that patent in 2010.
The military's lead-free ammunition was fielded in Afghanistan in 2010.
The court did not side with Liberty on every point. The company and its legal representatives also accused the government of breaching several non-disclosure agreements. Lettow found that the agreements were signed by officials who lacked the authority to initiate such contracts.
Phillips, who came to Liberty after a career running ground ammunition operations for the U.S. Marine Corps, said he signed on with Marx because he invented the first real innovation in ammunition in decades. The company's military-issue bullet not only works against hard and soft targets, it and all the company's other types of ammunition are lighter and exert less recoil force than traditional ammo.
"I've been looking for the next generation bullet since 1985," he said.
Liberty's civilian market bullets lack the armor penetrating points available in military rounds. They are deep hollow core rounds that fire at velocities of up to 2,000 feet per second, about twice that of heavier, traditional lead-cored ammunition.
Liberty currently holds nine patents on its products and has filed for several more. Marx said his design is scalable to uses outside of handguns and military rifles, including aerial use. The company can be contacted through its website, libertyammunition.com.
Read more here:
BY MATT M. JOHNSON
[email protected] 11, 2015 Updated 11 hours ago
BRADENTON -- A Bradenton manufacturer of lead-free ammunition has won more than $15 million in a patent infringement lawsuit against the federal government.
Liberty Ammunition filed suit against the Department of Defense in 2011, claiming that the Department of the Army used Liberty's trade secrets to produce "enhanced performance rounds" for military rifles that were nearly identical to a bullet Liberty patented. The Army has been using lead-free bullets for several years produced by other manufacturers working under military contract.
U.S. Federal Court of Claims Judge Charles F. Lettow filed a decision Dec. 19 in which he found the federal government had infringed on Liberty's patent for its copper-core, steel-tipped ammunition. Lettow ordered the government to pay two levels of damages, the first being a $15.6 million lump payment. The government
was also ordered to pay a 1.4-cent royalty on every bullet it purchases and receives for use. It will make those payments until Liberty's patent expires in 2027.
Founded by Manatee County resident and inventor P.J. Marx, Liberty Ammunition produces ammunition for the U.S. military and foreign militaries allies and markets personal defense and hunting rounds through a small number of distributors and dealers. It also sells law enforcement ammunition.
Liberty CEO George Phillips welcomed the judge's decision.
"We feel we're totally vindicated that PJ Marx is the inventor of the enhanced performance round and that the court was absolutely clear in its decision," he told the Bradenton Herald.
The government has until Feb. 19 to appeal Lettow's decision.
According to the narrative in court documents, the Army had been working to develop lead-free ammunition since 1995 in an effort to cut down on lead pollution where the Army's bullets are used. Traditional bullets are constructed with lead cores.
The Army and its ammunition developers made several unsuccessful attempts. Lead-free bullets taken into combat in the 1990s failed in many instances to incapacitate opposing combatants, passing through their bodies without fragmenting into shrapnel as designed. Post-combat reports cited in court documents said those combatants were often able to return fire after being shot.
9/11 makes an inventor
Marx, who was aware of the Army's ammunition development effort, began developing his own lead-free bullets after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A designer of guitar pickups who partnered with Gibson Guitars in the 1980s, Marx first presented his ammunition designs to the Army in 2004, according to court documents. He formed Liberty the next year.
Marx worked as a professional musician in the 1990s, eventually moving to the Manatee-Sarasota area to be close to his parents, who lived in Florida. He owned a restaurant in Sarasota in the years leading up to entering the arms and armament business.
His first inclination after 9/11 was to design armor, keying on his experience working with ceramics in the guitar business. Marx, who holds numerous U.S. patents for his inventions, said he later moved into designing ammunition, becoming interested in it while designing products to defend against it.
His success with Liberty is the continuation of a business venture that started when his parents, Philip and Sandra Heintzen, loaned him money at age 13 to buy an ownership share in a music store.
"I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for them," he said.
Lethal against all targets
As the chief of research and development for his company, Marx said his aim from the beginning was to produce a next-generation military bullet that could both penetrate armor and be effective for anti-personnel duty. That it is lead-free was a fortunate coincidence.
"My priority was performance," Marx said.
In addition to meeting with Marx to discuss his ammunition design, Army officials also tested Liberty ammunition, according to court documents. The Army eventually chose to develop its lead-free ammunition in partnership with Minneapolis-based aerospace and defense contractor ATK.
The federal court that decided the trademark infringement case found that the ammunition designed through the partnership derived its advanced characteristics from Liberty's designs. Marx filed for a patent for his ammunition in 2005 and received that patent in 2010.
The military's lead-free ammunition was fielded in Afghanistan in 2010.
The court did not side with Liberty on every point. The company and its legal representatives also accused the government of breaching several non-disclosure agreements. Lettow found that the agreements were signed by officials who lacked the authority to initiate such contracts.
Phillips, who came to Liberty after a career running ground ammunition operations for the U.S. Marine Corps, said he signed on with Marx because he invented the first real innovation in ammunition in decades. The company's military-issue bullet not only works against hard and soft targets, it and all the company's other types of ammunition are lighter and exert less recoil force than traditional ammo.
"I've been looking for the next generation bullet since 1985," he said.
Liberty's civilian market bullets lack the armor penetrating points available in military rounds. They are deep hollow core rounds that fire at velocities of up to 2,000 feet per second, about twice that of heavier, traditional lead-cored ammunition.
Liberty currently holds nine patents on its products and has filed for several more. Marx said his design is scalable to uses outside of handguns and military rifles, including aerial use. The company can be contacted through its website, libertyammunition.com.
Read more here:
Jura The idiot
General
Jura The idiot
General
Jura, please try and include more in your posts than the link and a one liner. It is very vague. The rules indicate that one liner posts are not appropriate.
For example, this article states:
Article said:
This is not about a new philosophy or specific capability at all really.
It is about the US Navy buying more offensive weapons in the future (like the LRASM I am sure) and then distributing them on the warships. They are calling this straight forward requirement "distributed lethality."
But the US Navy has had distributed lethality in the form of 5" and other guns, Haproon missiles, Tomahawk missiles, Standard Missiles, RAM missiles, torpedo launchers, helicopters, aircraft, etc., etc. distributed across its vessels for decades.
Brumby
Major
I think when the concept is reveal we will know on the implications and direction. When I read the contents, it reminded me of a concept that was released by CSBA late last year and in my mind fits well into the overall framework and direction of that concept. I am surprised by the lack of discussion of that because it fundamentally changes the USN surface vessels war fighting doctrine. Essentially, the approach discusses :
(I) The questionable effectiveness and cost of a Shoot Shoot Look Shoot (SSLS) policy in surface missile defence;
(ii) Increasing effectiveness by shifting from multi layered defence to concentrated layer defence
(iii) Rebalancing offensive and defensive capabilities through increasing the latter
(iv) Integrating energy and rail gun platforms into the new philosophy