Air Warrior Col. John W. Thompson - KMI Media Group

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Sp e c i a l Op e r at i O n S te c h n O l O g y VO l u m e 8, iS S u e 9 De c e m b e r 2010 World’s Largest Distributed Special Ops Magazine eDitOrial Editor Dave Ahearn davea@kmimediagroup.com Managing Editor Harrison Donnelly harrisond@kmimediagroup.com Senior Copy Editor Laura Davis laurad@kmimediagroup.com Correspondents Dennis McCafferty • Henry Canaday • Peter Buxbaum ar t & De S i g n Art Director Anna Druzcz anna@kmimediagroup.com Senior Graphic Designer Jittima Saiwongnuan jittimas@kmimediagroup.com Graphic Designers Scott Morris scottm@kmimediagroup.com Jennifer Owers jennifero@kmimediagroup.com Eden Papineau edenp@kmimediagroup.com Kailey Waring kaileyw@kmimediagroup.com aDVertiSing Account Executives James Eget jamese@kmimediagroup.com Laura Pawlowski laurap@kmimediagroup.com kmi me D i a gr O u p Publisher Kirk Brown kirkb@kmimediagroup.com Chief Executive Officer Jack Kerrigan jack@kmimediagroup.com Chief Financial Officer Constance Kerrigan connik@kmimediagroup.com Executive Vice President David Leaf davidl@kmimediagroup.com Editor-In-Chief Jeff McKaughan jeffm@kmimediagroup.com Controller Gigi Castro gcastro@kmimediagroup.com CEO’s Assistant Carol Ann Barnes carolannb@kmimediagroup.com Op e r at i O n S , circulatiOn & pr O D u c t i O n Database Administrator Toye McLean toyem@kmimediagroup.com Call Center Coordinator Duane Ebanks duanee@kmimediagroup.com Data Specialists Wayne Brooks wayneb@kmimediagroup.com Stephine Green stephineg@kmimediagroup.com Sasha Scott sashas@kmimediagroup.com ma r k e t i n g & On l i n e Marketing & Online Director Amy Stark astark@kmimediagroup.com Trade Show Coordinator Holly Foster hollyf@kmimediagroup.com a pr O u D me m b e r O F : Special Operations Technology ISSN 1552-7891 is published nine times a year by KMI Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly forbidden. © Copyright 2010. Special Operations Technology is free to members of the U.S. military, employees of the U.S. government and non-U.S. foreign service based in the U.S. All others: $65 per year. Foreign: $149 per year. Corporate Offices KMI Media Group 15800 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20855-2604 USA Telephone: (301) 670-5700 Fax: (301) 670-5701 Web: www.SOTECH-kmi.com The Department of Defense is in the rare position where fiscal 2012 agency budgets likely will be cut amidst a hot war and many rising threats. While Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wishes to see the cuts he is proposing in the defense budget go to create savings that can be funneled into other military programs he deems essential, some deficit-cutting advisers are urging that the savings from defense program cuts be used instead to lessen budget deficits and government borrowing. We are betting on the latter, rather than the former, outcome. Congress next year will decide just how large those cuts in existing programs will be, but it is clear that the proposed administration budget released in February will call for substantial reductions in many areas, perhaps offset by some increases elsewhere or spending on new initiatives such as personnel or veterans’ needs. Though the department has seen, and survived, major spending cuts before, they typically came in peacetime. For example, the “peace dividend” defense spending cuts came as the Cold War ended decades ago, and the threat of a nuclear exchange receded. Too, at the end of World War II, defense spending plunged as victorious troops returned home to be hailed as heroes. This time, however, there is no treaty signing on the deck of a huge ship, no hated wall being demolished. Rather, hostilities continue. Though sometimes in disarray, terrorists still plot ways to bring devastation to American shores, and to the streets of magnificent cities such as London and Paris. Terrorist leaders are being picked off steadily in U.S. strike missions, but their organizations still persist in launching further attacks with rifles, belt bombs, truck bombs and more. And the enemy is diabolically inventive, eventually countering each U.S. move to defeat improvised explosive devices, bombings and the like. Let us also not forget the rise of near-peer competitors. What all this means is that U.S. commanders cannot say they will do less because their agencies are funded less, especially because allies won’t pick up any slack (their defense budgets are being cut as well). Rather, American forces will have to do more with less, whether it is devising better IED detection devices, improved handheld translators, or other vital improvements. My bet is that both the U.S. military and contractors will rise to the challenge, increasing protections for the nation, its allies, civilians and others. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again. Ot h e r kmi me D i a gr O u p ma g a z i n e S a n D we b S i t e S Military Medical/ CBRN Technology www.MMT-kmi.com U.S. Coast Guard Forum www.CGF-kmi.com Geospatial Intelligence Forum Official Publication of the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation Brig. Gen. Jeffrey C. Horne Deputy Director for Mission Support National Reconnaissance Office Tactical GEOINT ��International Satellites ��Geospatial Standards ��UAV Imagery National Air & Space Intelligence Center www.GIF-kmi.com www.GIF-kmi.com ww .GIF -kmi.co May/June M /J 2009 Volume 7, Issue 3 Military Information Technology Military Logistics Forum www.MLF-kmi.com Military Training Technology Dave Ahearn 301-670-5700 Ext. 140 Ground Combat Technology www.GCT-kmi.com Military Advanced Education www.MIT-kmi.com www.MT2-kmi.com www.MAE-kmi.com
Compiled by KMI Media Group staff Boeing delivered the 40,000th Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) combat search and rescue communications system to U.S. joint services, expanding their ability to reach and rescue isolated pilots or combat personnel. “CSEL provides U.S. forces with a tactical advantage by serving as a Boeing Delivers 40,000th CSAR Comms SureFire Wins Two USSOCOM Contracts SureFire LLC won two contracts from USSO- COM for weapon lights. One pact will provide forces with the VBL-H (Visible Bright Light- Heavy) fire control device for the crew-served weapon systems used by U.S. special operations forces. The $16.6 million contract procures an indefinite quantity of SureFire HellFighter heavygun WeaponLights. In the second deal, USSOCOM will obtain the Visible Bright Light III (VBL-III) in support of the USSOCOM weapons accessories program, under a $14.9 million indefinite quantity agreement. HellFighter has been used in combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan and has proved to be an effective target illuminator and searchlight, as well as a non-lethal escalation-of-force preventer, the company stated. In addition to mounting to the .50 caliber M2HB, M134 Mini- Gun, and M240-variant machine guns, Hell- Fighter can also be hand carried as a searchlight or mounted to a vehicle or watercraft. In the other contract, the company will supply new “V-Series” LED WeaponLights—the M620V Scout Light and M720V RAID light—both of which feature high-output white-light and infrared illumination from the same sealed unit. Unlike incandescent weapon-mounted lights, which require an infrared filter to produce enough infrared illumination for use with night vision devices, V-Series LED lights require no IR filter. To convert from white to IR light (or vice versa), the user need only twist the light’s self-locking selector ring. Work on the contracts will be performed by Sure- Fire at their Southern California facilities and is expected to be completed by September of 2015. The contracts were awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, in Crane, Ind. global emergency-call system for downed personnel,” said Michael Bates, Boeing CSEL program manager. “Rescue forces can quickly locate, authenticate and communicate with isolated personnel for urgent recovery operations.” The CSEL system uses a flexible, modular communications architecture over multiple satellite links for dependable, secure communications. “This network-centric system combines everything downed pilots and combat forces need in one easy-to-use, multifunction radio,” Bates added. “Boeing is currently working with the U.S. Air Force on nextgeneration system improvements.” Remington Upgrades M24 Sniper Weapon The Army awarded Remington Arms Co. Inc. a five-year contract worth up to $28.2 million to upgrade as many as 3,600 M24 sniper weapon systems. That system, now called the M24E1, will be improved by Remington under the firm fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract. The improvement will center on converting from the 7.62 mm NATO caliber, which is the .308 Winchester, to the .300 Winchester Magnum, enhancing both precision and range. Further, the upgrade will involve a new chassis (or stock) assembly, and a folding buttstock for easier transport and greater concealment. Further, the improved weapon will boast a 6.5-20x50 variable power Leupold riflescope with a reticle within the first focal plane, and a .300 Winchester Magnum bulletdrop compensator. Other advancements include a quick attach/detach Advanced Armament Corp. suppressor with muzzle brake, a five-round detachable box magazine and advanced corrosion-resistant coatings. Jason Schauble, Remington Defense Division vice president, explained the goal in the program. “Remington has made significant investments in manufacturing modernization, end-user driven research and development, and complementary technologies to provide a wide range of reliable, durable and maintainable small arms solutions,” he said. Winning in a competition this year that lasted nine months, Winchester received the award from the Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Contracting Center. Executing the program will be the Project Manager Soldier Weapons at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., and its Product Manager Individual Weapons unit. Remington thus far has produced almost 15,000 M24 sniper weapon systems over 22 years. The payoff for combat troops is that the upgraded weapon will be able to chamber a longer and more powerful round, giving soldiers an edge in operations in Southwest Asia. jason.schauble@remington.com www.SOTECH-kmi.com SOTECH 8.9 | 3
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