US Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
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TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Okay there is a lot hitting a reader out of context, so lets sort this out.
the First discussion is the XM25 CDTES, this is a magazine fed, 25mm Semi Auto smart grenade launcher with programmable airburst munitions. the Current magazines are 5 round boxes. The model likely up for building is the 5 generation of the system with weight reduction and a more stream lined sighting system.
Advantage: Using this system a infantry formation can land exploding round into enemy cover on first shot within 600 meters. You can land rounds through a window or down a cave or behind a barrier and have them explode to attack the hidden enemy.
Disadvantage: It's still heavy and low capacity with limitations in close quarters. It's not a replacement for a conventional Carbine. In fact I feel That The US Army should be looking to issue something like a light weight version of the MK18 with it.
Next we get Trackingpoint, but there is a Major disconnect here. The XM25 is a grenade launcher system It includes a Weapon, The Rounds and It's optic fire control system. Trackingpoint is a fire control system that uses a established carbine as it's base. The system consists of the Optic with integrated laser system, Wiring harness and controls wired into the lower receiver / trigger pack and finally the Power pack in the Stock But all assembled into a AR15. The Real Advantage of the Tracking point system is that it could be theoretically modded into any conventional rifle system, Meaning any conventional Infantry rifle could become a Precision weapons system with some modifications.
Trackingpoint is turning some heads. DARPA has been looking at the Computational Weapon Optic which is more or less just a clone of Tracking point that is added to the carbine as opposed to tracking point which is built into the carbine.And now the Army is taking an interest.
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Trackingpoint Itself is into the game with it's latest offerings The M600 and M800 as well as there work to add Light amplification to there systems. Trackingpoint systems are a general Role system It is intended for both regular infantry, Snipers and SF It's meant to Augment Conventional self loading weapons and drag them into the 21st century kicking and Screaming.
Again a wave of disconnect. EXACTO is not for the infantry squad It's a dedicated Sniper round meant to push the Sniper's effective range beyond a mile. It's technical demands restrict it's size to larger rounds like the .50 cal.
Oops Editor needs a slap upside the head. Lets try that one again.
"Precision-guided technologies like TrackingPoint and EXACTO aren’t quite as revolutionary as precision-guided grenades, since even smart bullets can’t bypass cover the way the XM25. "
Well yes and No. Yes in that it's an Amazing tool for the Job, But No, they are all technologies that stand as revolutionary in there own rights. A round that can first hit on target beyond a mile. A Sighting system that makes Shooting around corners accurate and a Weapon that fires past or through barriers and accurately attacks enemy forces under cover. All are changes that take the infantry to the 21st century.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
This PEO Soldier poster shows the Full Body Armor Soldier Protection System (Photo: Courtesy PEO Soldier)
Army to roll out better body armor, combat shirt in 2019
By Kyle Jahner, Army Times5:23 p.m. EST February 23, 2016
In 2019 the Army expects to roll out a new, lighter body armor system. The armor will provide at least as much protection as today's system, but with more comfort, and greater flexibility to adjust based on the mission, Army officials said.
The Torso and Extremities Protection, or TEP, program cleared the engineering and development phases last summer, and will move into a few years of limited production and testing. During that time and beyond, technology advances may be integrated.
Already, improved ballistics materials have allowed the Army to cut the weight of TEP, when compared to the Army’s current heavy-duty option, the Improved Outer Tactical Vest. The IOTV, when loaded with heavy plates, weighs about 31 pounds, while a comparable TEP system checks in at about 23 pounds, or 26 percent lighter.
“That’s the main mantra of this program: to be the next generation of body armor at a lighter weight,” said Lt. Col. Kathy Brown, the program manager for Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment at Program Executive Office Soldier.
Brown said the Army pushed with industry to reduce weight while meeting future threats. In addition, the ability to add and subtract different elements and plate inserts in the vest, is a real "highlight," Brown said. .In addition to TEP, the Army is developing new body armor plates and a new head protection system.
Soldier feedback has already played a major role in development of TEP, Brown said. Trials by soldiers at three different installation, as well as by Marines and special operations units, provided design advice and feedback. Brown said that ultimately helped produce a system earning a 95 percent positive feedback.
“One great aspect of the Soldier Protection System is we really listened to the voice of the customer, the soldier,” Brown said. “Based on feedback from the soldier we were able to make design changes.”
The Army's new Ballistic Combat Shirt was designed to improve comfort. (Photo: Courtesy PEO Soldier)
Ballistic Combat Shirt: Designed to be worn with a ballistic vest, the shirt consists of protection on the upper back, upper chest and neck, while completely covering the arms with ballistic-protective sleeves. The material has a similar feel to the Army combat shirt, but is more comfortable and offers ballistic fragmentation protection, Brown said. It also eliminates the need for the Deltoid Auxiliary Protector, an add-on to the IOTV which has driven soldier complaints for being bulky and obstructive. The shirt is moisture-wicking and has a degree of breathability, Brown said, adding to comfort.
“Soldiers really liked the Ballistic Combat Shirt because they felt they had the full range of motion to be able to get into a shooters stance, and also to be able to fit their weapon in the shoulder area,” said Brown. “The biggest revolutionary change (in the system) is with the Ballistic Combat Shirt which provides the same level of protection as the DAP and the yoke and collar (of the IOTV).”
The Modular Scalable Vest includes a quick-release feature. (Photo: Courtesy PEO Soldier)
Modular Scalable Vest: The Army developed a Plate Carrier System during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to offer a nimbler alternative to IOTV. The MSV is similar to the PCS: old plates will work, as will new plates being developed to offer a variety of levels of protection and fits. It features a quick-release system for easy removal. And again, the MSV’s ballistic material offers similar protection at a lighter weight, as do the various optional plate inserts. In addition, the design is now a fully-government-owned program of record, whereas the PCS was generated by an operational needs statement (a quick fix to address a newly-emerged need). That matters because future technology advancements can be more easily incorporated by the Army as production continues, Brown said.
The Army's new Blast Pelvic Protection will replace two current protective items: an undergarment and an over-garment. (Photo: Courtesy PEO Soldier)
Blast Pelvic Protector: The new protection for the pelvis and femoral arteries will replace two current protective items: an undergarment and an over-garment. Brown said soldiers like how the simplified protector connects to the system and fits the body’s form, and she said feedback also indicated improved mobility.
Load Distribution System: With weight cut by advanced materials, Brown said, the Army managed to add a new element while cutting weight overall – one that distributes remaining weight more comfortably. The LDS consists of a ballistic combat belt that flows underneath the vest and a load-bearing spine that distributes weight to the waist rather than putting it all on the shoulders.
The Amy is rolling out a variety of plates, tailor-able to the mission to be worn with the Modular Scalable Vest. (Photo: Courtesy PEO Soldier)
Plates: The Army is developing new inserts in parallel with TEP, and have also been cleared for development. The hard plates are coming in at about 7 percent lighter than their current protection equivalents, Brown said. The options provide modularity in strength and weight for different missions and fit for different bodies, including two new plates tailored to female body types. As with the ballistic material on the vest and shirt, Brown said the Army didn’t want to get specific on the threshold of munitions that each plate protects against. She did say that, fully loaded, the plates and vest “are able to defeat the most prevalent threats on the battlefield” and compared to IOTV offered “no degradation of performance, only enhancement.”
Integrated Head Protection System: The new helmet the Army has been working on for about three years will not clear the research and development milestone until late 2016. The PEO Soldier portfolio outlines objectives including protection against rifle threats and improved impact/blast protection over the current helmet at a slightly lighter weight. It should also be modular for possible add-ons like night vision, eye and mandibular (jaw) protection and an additional layer of armor for even more blast/ballistic resistance, among other attachments.
Jura The idiot
General
interesting:
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Feb. 19, 2016) Cmdr. Tony "Brick" Wilson takes aircraft CF-05, an F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, into a 45-degree dive during an external GBU-12 weapons separation test. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Michael D. Jackson/Released)
The beat goes on.
The beat goes on.