TYR Tactical

Arctic Mobility Sustainment System Tested at Army’s Cold Regions Test Center

April 29th, 2024

FORT GREELY, Alaska — Deployed Soldiers are constantly loaded down with gear, but nowhere more so than when operating in a cold weather environment.

In addition to their conventional weapons, Soldiers need to utilize heavy equipment like space heaters, cooking stoves, fuel and heavy-duty thermal tents to survive operations in the Arctic.

Candidates to serve as the Army’s Arctic Mobility Sustainment System underwent rigorous testing at U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center, or CRTC, this winter with the help of Soldiers from the Army’s 11th Airborne stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Washington.

“When they go out in zone seven operations, this is the new stuff they will be pulling out there with them to set up shelters,” said Danielle Schmidt, assistant test officer. “We went through a lot of changes since the test started up here all based on learning what works and what doesn’t in the cold.”

The system selected as a result of this testing will eventually replace the legacy Ahkio sled and 10-person tent the Army currently uses. Testers expected and coveted extreme cold for the multi-week test, with the interior Alaska winter delivered more than they expected.

“The whole time the test was going it didn’t get above minus 20 Fahrenheit,” said Isaac Howell, senior test officer. “It was good test conditions for what we were doing, but it was difficult on the Soldiers. Sustained movement in the Arctic day in and day out at those temperatures is not easy.”

On a typical day Soldiers would pack the Arctic Mobility Sustainment System sled under test with the tent, a heater and their basic standard issue items for Arctic infantry operations. The Soldiers would then pull the sleds in either nine-Soldier squads or four to five Soldier teams with CRTC’s test personnel led the way. Moving the heavy sleds across CRTC’s hilly tundra and thickly forested areas is challenging in any conditions, but particularly so in the extreme cold and deep snow of winter.

“Our snow is so dry and powdery,” said Howell. “You don’t stand on it at all, whether you are in skis or snowshoes — you don’t go across the top of it, you go through it. You are plowing snow the entire day regardless of whether you are wearing snowshoes or not.”

After a two-and-a-half-hour movement, testers kept track of how long it took the Soldiers to emplace and erect each tent and get the space heaters operating. Following a cold weather Meal Ready to Eat for lunch, the Soldiers disassembled the tent and heater and returned to their day’s starting point following a different route. Following a survey and hot meal, the Soldiers reassembled the tents and heaters and prepared to sleep in the long, cold Arctic nights, which sometimes approached minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

“The Soldiers were instrumented for safety purposes to make sure they didn’t get too cold or hypothermic,” said Schmidt. “If they did get too cold, they could pull themselves. We had noxious gas sensors in the tents where the heaters were operating as another safety precaution.”

Despite the hardships, the participating Soldiers gave high marks to CRTC’s test crew.

“It was pretty cool being able to experience that and see what all the new equipment is like,” said Pvt. 1st Class Tyler Worrell.

By Mark Schauer

Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, Inc. (dba 80 Percent Arms) Settles Legal Dispute With California, Upholding Customer Privacy and Second Amendment Rights

April 28th, 2024

Customer Privacy Upheld
Fort Worth, Texas — Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, Inc. (BMG) has successfully resolved our prolonged legal dispute with the State of California, initiated in August 2021 in San Francisco by Chesa Boudin, the former SF District Attorney who was later ousted by San Francisco voters in a 2022 recall election. The state wrongfully alleged that 80% frames and receivers sold by our company were firearms. This case has now come to a close after intense litigation. Our refusal to disclose customer data, even in the face of substantial legal costs to keep customer data private, underscores our dedication to privacy.

Throughout this challenging period, BMG has consistently upheld its principles, dedicating over 2.5 million dollars toward legal expenses aimed at safeguarding customer information from the State of California. To further ensure our customers’ confidentiality and to end ever-climbing litigation expenses, a settlement of $500,000 was reached to end this abusive litigation.

Resuming California Sales and Advocacy
We are pleased to announce that, following this settlement, we will resume offering products to our customers in California that comply with current state and federal laws. We continue to vigorously defend Second Amendment rights, with our case, VanDerStok et. al. v. Garland, set to be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States this October.

About Blackhawk Manufacturing Group
Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, dba 80 Percent Arms, is a leader in pro-Second Amendment legal actions against overregulation and the preeminent manufacturer of 80% lowers and jigs. We’re committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and service in the industry.

Thank you for standing with us and we look forward to serving the community of builders for years to come.

For further information, please contact:

80 Percent Arms Support at support@80percentarms.com

The Raptor Holster Returns to T.REX ARMS

April 28th, 2024

The Raptor Holster was a T.REX ARMS mainstay from 2015 until its supposed extinction in 2021. Now it’s back, and it has been completely redesigned; upgraded with better clip support, better adjustability, and better ergonomics.

We retired the Raptor holster when we introduced the Raptor Wing for our updated Sidecar: an attachment that allows the Sidecar to function similarly to the old Raptor at 4’oclock or AIWB positions… But it was not exactly the same.

The newly-updated Raptor’s footprint is smaller than the Sidecar, which can make a big difference depending on your priorities and needs. It features built-in grip tuck and weapon tilt for increased concealability, a stable two-clip design with optional DCC Monoblock compatibility, and a lower base price than the more modular Sidecar.

Built on better engineering and manufacturing processes, this is a tremendous entry-level holster for new AIWB carriers, but with enough performance, adjustability, and features for the most professional users.

Like all T.REX ARMS holsters, the Raptor is manufactured entirely in the USA: built to order in our Middle Tennessee facility, subjected to rigorous quality control procedures, and backed by a limited lifetime warranty and our world-class customer support team.

Team Savage’s Matt Alwine Secures Victory at 2024 NRL Manners Elite Hunter

April 28th, 2024

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts – April 26, 2024 – Team Savage, the shooting representative of renowned firearms manufacturer Savage Arms, proudly announces the impressive performance of Matt Alwine in the 2024 NRL Manners Elite Hunter. Alwine secured a first-place victory in the Factory division of the event, showcasing exceptional skill and precision in competitive shooting.

The Manners Elite Hunter took place in Grandfield, Okla. April 12-14. The event was centered around realistic hunting experiences true to Southern Oklahoma, with blind stages that tested competitors across all aspects of shooting and hunting.

“Matt Alwine continues to stand out at NRL competitions in 2024, securing his third league victory in less than 2 months,” said Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms. “Both Savage and Alwine are known for uncompromising precision and accuracy. Our product development team works tirelessly to maintain this reputation in competition and the field, and it is always great to see top results from our Team Savage shooters.”

Alwine secured his victory in the Factory division using a Savage Carbon Tactical chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. This continues Alwine and Team Savage’s strong start to 2024, following his first-place finishes in March at the NRL Hunters Series Match.

For updates on Team Savage and more information on Savage Arms’ extensive line of leading firearms, visit savagearms.com.

Platatac Presents: SASR Battle for the Golden Road (1984)

April 28th, 2024

Our friends at Platatac have posted the full version on YouTube of “Battle for the Golden Road” a 1984 documentary on selection for the Australian Special Air Service.

Assessing the Joint Force: An Inside Look at the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation

April 27th, 2024

Congress requires the independent assessment of the operational effectiveness, suitability, survivability and — where applicable — lethality of Defense Department weapon and business systems by testing production representative systems, used by regular service members who are trained on the systems before a decision on full-rate production is reached.  

This is where the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation comes in.

Established by Congress in 1983, the DOT&E serves as the principal official and adviser to the secretary of defense, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and the secretaries of the military departments on all matters related to both the operational test and evaluation and live-fire test and evaluation of the services and systems acquired by DOD. 

Currently, the DOT&E is independently assessing about 250 systems throughout DOD, with a system being “anything from a business system all the way to space satellites and everything in between,” said Raymond O’Toole Jr., principal deputy director of operational test and evaluation during a recent interview.  

The standard routine for evaluating a system begins with a team from DOT&E partnering with the program office responsible for the acquisition of the system. The team then works with the program office, as well as members of the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, which is responsible for developmental testing, to develop a test and evaluation master plan or a test and evaluation strategy if it’s following a pathway other than the major capability acquisition pathway.

During system testing, DOT&E works to get a credible evaluation of each system’s suitability, survivability, operational effectiveness and — when appropriate — lethality with a goal of enabling the delivery and fielding of proven capabilities to warfighters.  

One key aspect of DOT&E’s testing process is that weapons systems are tested in realistic combat conditions.  

“We’re not restricted or bound by a requirements document with regard to our assessment of the operational effectiveness and suitability of the system,” said Garry Bishop, deputy director of operational test and evaluation for land and expeditionary warfare. 

“We look at it from a realistic combat environment [with] realistic combat conditions,” Bishop continued. “A system may not be required to have certain capabilities against certain threats … but we assess that in that operational environment.” 

As an example of such testing in the operational environment rather than just testing basic system requirements, O’Toole referenced the Army’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

“The Bradley doesn’t go out by itself,” he said. “So, while we do look at the individual Bradley with respect to its survivability against live-fire threats, when we do operational testing, we’re also assessing how it’s used in operations …  as a unit of [fighting vehicles] and not just an individual Bradley.” 

In addition to the independent assessments that DOT&E conducts, the office also assembles an annual report each fiscal year for Congress and the secretary of defense. 

“While we don’t report on all 250 programs, we do report on the programs that have had significant operational and live-fire testing in that fiscal year,” said O’Toole, who holds a doctorate in engineering. He added that the National Defense Authorization Act requires DOD’s service secretaries to document their positions with respect to DOT&E’s report.   

Along with testing in realistic combat conditions, another aspect of what makes DOT&E somewhat unique among government organizations is the office’s independence.     

“Under Title 10 [of the U.S. Code], that’s what we owe to Congress: our independent assessment, not filtered by the secretary of defense and not filtered by the services, but [rather] it’s our assessment. The director’s assessment is based upon the data that we provide and the operational testing and live-fire testing that was conducted,” Bishop explained.

“So, … an unbiased, unfiltered assessment is what you get from DOT&E,” he said.   

Though Congress and the secretary of defense are DOT&E’s primary audience, O’Toole sees the organization as being a service to the front-line men and women in uniform.  

“I really believe our customer is the warfighter,” said O’Toole. “Because we are telling the warfighter what the truth is about, what they are getting out in the field.” 

To that end, O’Toole said DOT&E has been working for years to see how the organization can speed up the process of gathering data generated in other fields, in hopes of being able to use that data to satisfy some elements of a system’s operational test and evaluation master plan, thus potentially expediting that system’s delivery.  

“We are constantly looking at the ability to increase the speed of our assessments as a faster way to support the needs of the warfighter,” O’Toole said. 

One way DOT&E is going about that is by working to get away from the linear test model — in which a system has to go through contractor testing and developmental testing before it can get to operational testing — to a more integrated test model. 

“We’re trying to get more of our operational insights earlier in the [system’s] development phase where you can actually affect changes to the design, if needed, and get some insight that determines the scale and scoping of operational testing as you progress through the life cycle of the program,” Bishop said.  

As one example of that, Bishop referenced a recently completed test of the Army’s terrestrial layer system, which is designed to deliver integrated cyber and electronic warfare capabilities to soldiers on the battlefield.

Bishop said that DOT&E was involved from the very early stages of that system’s development, which allowed DOT&E to explain to the system developer what the team was looking for in operational testing. As a result, the developer was able to adjust some of the system’s testing mechanisms to account for how the soldiers were actually using the system out in the field. 

“Testing doesn’t cause delays; the results of testing cause delays if deficiencies are found and the developer chooses to correct them,” said Bishop. “So, the job of testers — both developmental and operational — is to inform the developer. The earlier they can find those deficiencies and vulnerabilities, the earlier the opportunity to fix the system, so that when it’s filtered to our warfighters, they get a credible system.”    

In addition to test and evaluation within the Defense Department, DOT&E also is responsible for the International Test and Evaluation Program. According to DOT&E literature on the program, the ITEP “permits establishment of bilateral and multilateral agreements between the United States and international partners.”   

“We are unique,” O’Toole said. “There is no other organization like DOT&E, in the world that provides independent assessment.” 

Being responsible for international test and evaluation sometimes affords DOT&E leadership the opportunity to interact with members of international defense communities. One example is when O’Toole recently held a briefing at the International  Armoured Vehicles Conference in London in January. 

“During the briefing, the room was very focused, and it’s not because I was the guy standing up there; it’s because of the message I was delivering,” O’Toole said. “And that message was [that] we provide credible assessment, and we’re not afraid to go and say where things are wrong, how to go fix it, and then retest it. We also say what is right or working as intended.” 

Moving forward, O’Toole said that DOT&E will be focusing not just on testing individual systems, but families of interconnected systems. 

“And we’re looking at that not just from a testing standpoint, but from a training standpoint,” he added. 

As an example of that, O’Toole mentioned the Joint Simulation Environment that is used to train pilots of the F-35 Lightning II — the DOD’s premiere, multirole combat aircraft.

“People are saying to me … that they’ve gotten more out of sitting in a JSE cockpit than they ever got when they were on the range and out in the open air because of the threats and capabilities that they were able to actually utilize,” he said, referring to the fact that safety and environmental restrictions on ranges sometimes preclude the testing of certain capabilities and threats.  

O’Toole also said DOT&E is getting more involved with the world of artificial intelligence.

“We’re very involved with the industry, and the best and the brightest [individuals] on how to utilize and test artificial intelligence,” O’Toole said, adding that DOT&E is fully engaged with DOD’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office.  

“We’re thinking ahead, and that’s where we’re going; that’s where we want to be going; and that’s where we need to go for the future.”

By Matthew Olay, DOD News

B.E. Meyers & Co. Hosts SOF Week 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Event (Tampa, FL)

April 27th, 2024

26 April 2024 (Redmond, WA) – B.E. Meyers & Company, Inc., a US defense technology manufacturer in its 50th year, is proud to partner with the US Vietnam War Commemorative Office as a Commemorative Partner.

On Tuesday, 07 May 2024 from 5pm to 6pm, B.E. Meyers & Co. will host the SOF Week 50th Anniversary Recognition of Vietnam Veterans at the Sail Outdoor Pavilion next to the Tampa Convention Center,141 E Brorein St, Tampa, FL 33602. Please join us in this special event to recognize and honor the Vietnam Veterans in the Tampa area. Help us make it a memorable occasion by showing your gratitude and support for these remarkable individuals who have served our country with valor and raise a glass in their honor.

Remarks and pinning ceremony for Vietnam Veterans in attendance with MG Edward J. Chrystal, Jr., Director, The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration.

Vietnam Veterans who plan to attend and wish to be honored at the event, please contact us with your service and contact details at: events@bemeyers.com or 425-320-9912.

For all others attendees, please RSVP at www.eventcreate.com/e/sofweekvietnam50th

(Click on photo to download brochure.)
Special Thanks to the Global SOF Foundation and American Legion Post 138.

10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade Hosts Innovative Technology Symposium

April 27th, 2024

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — The 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade hosted the Innovative Technology Symposium on April 15, 2024 to discuss how the Army is augmenting warfighting capabilities with emerging technologies.

“The intent of this symposium is essentially for us to bring in some of the new technology to Fort Drum and highlight how we can work with different agency partners to get this into the hands of our Soldiers,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edilma Cruz, 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Bridge strategic mobility officer.

Representatives from U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Lab and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute briefed attendees on technological developments through the Pathfinder and Accelerating FORCE programs.

“The Pathfinder program’s primary mission is to collect whole problem sets from Soldiers at the tactical level,” said Cody Clevenger, Pathfinder program manager. “And we either pair them with academia — from one of our partner schools we work with — if that level of research is needed to execute a solution, or the other way is with our DIRT labs.”

Clevenger briefed three Design, Innovation, Research and Technology, or DIRT, projects funded by the Army Research Lab, including an updated design for the M-80TR anti-personnel landmine used for training.

He said a 2nd Brigade Combat Team Soldier contributed feedback on the assistant gunner bag and the limited options for attaching it to the rucksack. From this, a prototype was developed to improve operational functionality and optimize weight distribution.

“We want to have Soldiers involved throughout the development of a solution,” Clevenger said. “Soldiers love to talk about the problems they have in the field, and we’re trying to give them an avenue where they can do that directly with us.”

The 10th Mountain Division will have their own problem-solving capabilities when the Mountain Innovation Systems Integration Lab becomes operational at Fort Drum by late summer.

Maj. Michael Fitzgerald, 10th Mountain Division (LI) G-3 knowledge management officer, said the innovation lab is a facility where any Soldier can bring creative ideas to solve problems they encounter through training or on deployments, and they will receive engineering support and guidance.

“Soldiers will have access to equipment such as laser cutters and 3D printers, all at no cost to them because the lab is funded and manned by the Civil-Military Innovation Institute,” he said. “Our partnership with CMI2 will allow us to receive engineering support and collaboration with outside agencies for technologies.”

Fitzgerald said an initial focus will be on projects to further the division’s alpine planning efforts.

“But the sky’s the limit on what problems we can solve, and we encourage everyone here to spread the word on what a great opportunity and resource this will be for Soldiers,” he said.

Recently, 10th Mountain Division Soldiers trained on the TRV-150 Tactical Resupply Vehicle and field-tested the drone during the Mountain Peak exercise on post.

The TRV-150 can travel up to 60 miles per hour and can transport up to 150 pounds of cargo, moving in areas that may be inaccessible or too dangerous for vehicles or personnel to conduct resupply missions.

First Lt. Robert Willet, support operations transportation officer with 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, provided feedback as one of the TRV-150 operators. He said seven resupply missions were conducted over four days and they experimented with different payloads to test the drone’s capabilities.

“When used correctly, it’s the fastest method of resupply inside of its radius,” Willet said. “It also had the lowest threat to Soldiers than any other resupply method.”

Willet also noted they experienced high-wind conditions that prevented them from flying one day.

“The TRV-150 is close to getting into Soldiers’ hands, but there is additional experimentation that DEVCOM is making to meet the Army’s intent,” Cruz said.

A Civil-Military Innovation Institute team will further examine the TRV-150 in action when 1st Brigade Combat Team conducts a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, in May.

“They will be there the whole time collecting data,” said Dennis Day, Army Research Lab’s Accelerating FORCE deputy program manager. ‘And it’s not just system data, but [tactics, techniques and procedures] and [concepts of operations] that go beyond the ones and zeroes.”

Day said experimenting with emerging technologies in realistic training environments helps to identify problems and improves the final product.

“What we can do is provide a capability,” he said. “But if the Soldier is experimenting with it, providing us feedback, then we can enhance it and get the best product to the Soldier as fast as possible.”

By Mike Strasser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs