Made by Australia’s Unified Weapons Master, this high-tech suit of armor is made from carbon-fiber, polycarbonate material, and elastomeric foam. It’s said to be both lightweight and pretty flexible, and absorbs much of the impact from any shot it takes. While it could be your new superhero suit, it’s actually made with competition in mind. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built-in, a point-of-view camera, microphone, and 52 pressure sensors that send data to an external computer program, the Lorica suit is aimed at martial artists who wants to go at each other full-throttle, see how they score, and walk away in decent shape.
Posted by Unknown
Friday, 9 January 2015
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A regiment of the naval air force of the North Sea Fleet starts its first flight on Jan. 7, 2015 at an airport in east China's Shandong province. This regiment is the first carrier-based helicopter regiment in the history of the People's Liberation Army. It has successfully executed hundreds of significant tasks including scientific experiment, state visit, military drills and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden. (CNS/Hu Baoliang)
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Thursday, 1 January 2015
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Whether you’re trekking through the frozen woods on a recon mission or just trying to make your way across a packed dance floor, there are plenty of times when you need rugged footwear. The LALO Tactical collection is Navy SEAL tested and approved, so yeah, we’re thinking it can handle New Year’s Eve in Times Square. The LALO line of boots and shoes are all quick drying, ultra-lightweight, and loaded with extra features that you won’t find in any Air Jordans, like titanium cleats and blade-resistant ceramic toe caps. The LALO Shadow has a unique drainage system, a fast-dry component, a puncture-resistant composite plate in the sole, an articulating heel and outsole shape for a stealth approach, and what promises to be the lightest weight materials on the market. [Purchase]
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Monday, 24 November 2014
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The Defense Ministry will start official tests of a new thermal vision scope as part of Russia’s futuristic combat kit later this month, the system’s developer said Thursday. There are currently 160 prototype scopes at an army special forces (spetsnaz) facility near Moscow, said Oleg Yakovlev, advisor to the general director of the Tsiklon scientific research institute. The scope, which can spot a target at a distance of 800-1,200 meters, is an essential component of the much touted cutting-edge Ratnik (Warrior) set and will cost around 1 million rubles ($30,000) per unit, he said. Tests could last from several months to a year and a half, he added.
“We hope the final state tests will be a success and Ratnik’s thermal imaging system will be adopted in 2014,” Yakovlev said. Russian defense officials previously said Ratnik had not been put into service yet due to delays in the fine-tuning of the new set’s light weapons. The Ratnik kit is comprised of more than 40 components, including firearms, body armor and optical, communication and navigation devices, as well as life support and power supply systems. It can be used by regular infantry, rocket launcher operators, machine gunners, drivers and scouts. [via]
The Z.A.P.S. Gear Survival Grenade is the ultimate lightweight, compact personal wilderness survival kit. The Marine-designed waterproofed kit includes an array of survival tools to keep you alive in the wild, such as a steel shackle, compass, wire saw, three wire snares, fire-starter with striker, fish hooks, sinkers, barrel swivels, knife blade, a gallon Ziploc bag, waterproof matches, large needle, duct tape, 20 feet of black thread, water purification tablets, whistle, and more, all wrapped inside of 45-feet of paracord.
Posted by Unknown
Sunday, 23 November 2014
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Even before the Russian armed forces start using Ratnik, a project is underway to develop the latest high-precision weapons for the second generation version of the combat gear. Russian gun makers said they were working on new small weapons with a larger calibre, than those currently in service, for the Ratnik-2 second generation combat gear. This should improve the combat capability of military personnel. The development of new weapons will also entail the development of a new machine gun. Experts are calling this the “weapon of the future.” The original Ratnik combat gear is currently being tested, and by December 2014 it should be used by the Russian Armed Forces. It provides soldiers with all the necessary equipment for survival and the maintenance of a successful battle – ranging from a bullet-proof vest to a water filter, night vision devices, and the latest navigation aids: in all, a total of about 40 pieces of equipment. However, the big question that still remains is which machine gun soldiers will choose for the Ratnik – the Kalashnikov from the AK-12 group or the Degtyarev AEK-971. Both machine guns have their advantages – the “Kalash” is simple and provides hands-on operation, while the Kovrovsky AEK offers greater accuracy and less recoil.
The second generation is on the way While the military selected small arms for combat equipment of the first generation, domestic developers aren’t resting on their laurels. Last week, the head of the Foundation for Advanced Studies Andrei Grigoryev said that a project is already underway to develop the latest high-precision weapons as part of a second generation combat suit under the working title Ratnik-2. Rossiyskaya Gazeta says a qualitatively new small gun is being developed with a brand new larger calibre cartridge. However, according to some military experts, releasing information on the Ratnik-2 is jumping the gun, so to speak. Chief Editor of Natsionalnaya Oborona (National Defence) magazine and independent military expert Igor Korotchenko told RIR in an interview that he considered reports of an increased calibre machine gun for the Ratnik-2 combat suit premature. “At the moment we can only talk about 5.45 and 7.62 mm calibre guns,” he said.
One cartridge only According to a military source familiar with the situation, in modern combat the most important factor is the amount of ammunition a soldier can carry, which will see an inevitable increase in weight in correlation to an increase in calibre, affecting a soldier’s mobility. Also, changing the suit’s ammunition and small arms system will be quite expensive from an economical standpoint, and it will take at least a decade to complete. Different calibres have already been experimented with a lot, but all new weapons are already developed according to the existing cartridge calibres, and this is to a certain degree due to a sort of inertia, which is characteristic of the military industry,” explained the source to RIR.
General Director of TSNIITOCHMASH Dmitry Semizorov said in June 2014 at the Eurosatory International Exhibition in Paris that “... a multi-calibre system will not be developed for the new Russian combat suit.” This means that in fifteen years the Russian army will have only one-calibre ammo, but further details have not yet been revealed. The question remains open, and the designers will have the last word. Moreover, Russia has already developed the heavy-calibre DB-12 machine gun, which uses the same (different versions) 12.7x55 calibre ammunition used in the large-caliber Vykhlop (Exhaust) sniper rifle. Nor can we forget about the Tula-made OTs-14 Groza (Storm) machine gun, which uses 9x39 cartridges. [via-rbth.com]
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Friday, 21 November 2014
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The "norske forsvarets"('Norwegian Defence') camouflage pattern was introduced around 1980, when the first camouflage version of the jakke, felt M/75 ('field jacket, model 1975') was introduced into service. It is a very basic three-colour camouflage, comprising smooth dark green and light green blobs on a tan background. The pattern is also displayed on the jakke, felt (M/98) ('field jacket, model 1998'). Uniforms in this camouflage pattern were originally issued to soldiers of the Haelig;ren ('army') and Fallskjermjegertroppen (airborne troops). The Luftforsvaret ('air defence') used its own distinctive camouflage pattern until 1996, after which time Luftforsvaret personnel began to receive the camouflaged field jacket used by other arms of the Norwegian defence forces. [via -kamouflage.net]
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Wednesday, 19 November 2014
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The Singapore Army – their new Type 4 Combat Uniform in a pixilated camouflage pattern. Which, whilst it might at first appear to be derived from or inspired as usual by CADPAT/MARPAT, closer inspection reveals that the pattern is actually quite distinctive – and clearly optimised for use in the tropical regions where the SAF expects to conduct operations. explanation from the Singapore Army is that becuase of the advanced surveillance equipment and weapon optics in use today, soldiers face a greater risk of detection in combat. Recognising this, the Singapore Army and the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) jointly developed the new SAF combat uniform with an enhanced camouflage pattern to reduce detection – based on the science of human visual performance and visual biophysics.
Research was done to see how the defined boundary lines in the current camouflage pattern could be replaced to improve the camouflage capability of the combat uniform. Pixels were used to break up boundary lines and to generate a quivering effect. This affects the ability of the eye to see solid lines and the brain to detect recognisable shapes, resulting in a slower detection rate of the pixelised camouflage pattern at short distances (micro-pattern). Viewed at longer distances, the pixelised camouflage works just like the traditional camouflage which comprises pattern shapes (macro-pattern).Further research was done to determine the combination of colour and shades used in the new combat uniform. The research involved capturing images in various operating environments at different distances and lighting conditions, for feature analysis and colour selection.
These images were segmented into pixels to generate the patterns used in the uniform’s design. Field trials were then conducted to fine-tune the design and colour of the camouflage patterns.Finally, it was noted that night vision devices negated the effects of pixelisation by showing all colours in the camouflage pattern as a single tone. To counter detection by night vision devices, the material used in the new SAF combat uniform was given Near Infra-red (NIR) treatment to ensure that every colour in the camouflage pattern reflected a different wavelength. This maintains the pixelised camouflage effect when viewed through night vision devices.The trials involving different terrain and distances in both day and night conditions showed that the new camouflage pattern was significantly more effective than the current one.So, however much it may or may not resemble CADPAT/MARPAT, one thing is for certain – it clearly performs better in the jungle than the “Woodland/Leaf Pattern” combat uniform it is replacing.
But, as soon as you stick a big black rifle/grenade launcher combo out in front of yourself, you do tend to lose a bit of the advantage of that superior camouflage…9Depending on the terrain, viewing range, lighting and climatic conditions, the Singapore Army claims “a 30 to 50 per cent enhancement in the soldier’s camouflage capability.” Improving the soldiers’ comfort was another important design consideration, and to this end the uniform uses a new lighter fabric which is highly permeable and has a high wicking capability. This fabric provides better air flow, which in turn allows faster heat dissapation, and it dries twice as fast as the old uniform when wet. Very important considerations for operating in the hot humid environment of South-East Asia.The new combat uniform is designed to be highly functional as well. It aims to ergonomically integrate with the soldier’s personal equipment by eliminating pressure points on the soldier’s body and protecting it against abrasion from the use of body armour. It also allows for knee and elbow guards to be secured to the uniform and has additional pockets for storage.
Article 9 of the Japanese constitution renounces force as a means to settle international disputes and prohibits the creation of an army, navy, or air force. However, a liberal interpretation of Article 9 allows for the formation of armed forces intended for national defence. Thus the Japan Self-Defence Forces "Japan Self-Defence Forces" JSDF "ja"( jieitai) were created and, their purely domestic roles notwithstanding, various branches of the JSDF use distinctive camouflage uniforms. It is modified from Type II pattern with 50% cotton/50% polyester fabric and the change of front closure, mandarin collar, Velcro cuffs, and trouser's knee pad. This 5-color pattern with grey-dominant is the pixelated of JGSDF Type I camo. It was first seen at the JASDF Annual Review 2008 in Hyakuri Air Base.
