http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/ US Army Special Operations Command en Sat, 25 May 2013 09:41:52 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/images/misc/rss.png http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/ http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/34945-SOCOM-Seeks-TALOS-(Tactical-Assault-Light-Operator-Suit)?goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 21:53:23 GMT *SOCOM Seeks TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit)* *http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/socom-seeks-talos-tactical-assault-light-operator-suit/?goback=%2Egde_3061043_member_242395309 *Few Requests for Information (RFIs) are... SOCOM Seeks TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit)


http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/socom-seeks-talos-tactical-assault-light-operator-suit/?goback=%2Egde_3061043_member_242395309

Few Requests for Information (RFIs) are accompanied by the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Senior Enlisted Advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris, almost simultaneously saying, “there is no one industry that can build that.” But that was the case for the RFI solicitation for the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS), released on May 15. SOCOM is seeking technology demonstration submissions from research and development (R&D) organizations, private industry, individuals, government labs, and academia for inclusion in SOCOM experimentation events. According to the RFI, SOCOM sees these experimentation events as part of an effort “to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the SOF warfighter.”



The importance of industry/government collaboration for TALOS was emphasized by Faris at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) SOCOM Senior Enlisted Advisors Panel, where he laid out that TALOS, “might mean that you have to lay out intellectual property on the table next to a competitor.” If industry balks at that proposition, Faris has a message for them: “we’ve got to get over that, because if you can develop the articulated armor, the heads-up display for this, but you can’t develop the power, than how are we going to come up with something truly revolutionary?” The RFI itself is aimed at making industry work together since, “any and all TALOS solutions must include all necessary software and hardware to accomplish the mission.”

The SOCOM demonstrations will take place from July 8-10, 2013 at or near MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla., with two goals in mind. The first goal is the identification of technologies that could be integrated into an initial capability within a year. A secondary goal is to see if the fielding of objective capabilities within three years is a feasible objective. That may seem like a relatively fast timeline, but Faris sees it as part of a larger investment. “If we are going to invest in revolutionary things, we cannot afford this incremental evolutionary thing,” he said.
The RFI, which is available at the Federal Business Opportunities website, suggests that TALOS submissions, “take into consideration ‘lightening the load’ of the operator, mentally and/or physically.” Besides that suggestion, the RFI also includes nine mobility/protective technologies that may be included:

• Advanced Armor: Materials to support next generation full-body ballistic protection

• Mobility/Agility: Enhancement platforms such as powered exoskeletons

• Situational Awareness (SA)

• Light/noise discipline

• Command, Control, Communications & Computers (C4): Such as conformable & wearable antennae and wearable computers

• Individual soldier combat ready displays: Including non-visual means of information display, and potentially utilization of cognitive thoughts and the surrounding environment to display personalized information

• Power generation and management

• Thermal management of suit occupant

• Medical: Embedded monitoring, oxygen systems, wound stasis, electromechanical compensation

Faris was not trying to scare off companies from responding to the TALOS RFI, but rather acknowledging new budget realities. Using the “S word” to make his point, Faris said, “as we look at possible sequestration and things like that and we go to … extend life-cycles of existing things we have today, you guys are going to have to come up with more innovative ways.” He finished his remarks about TALOS by urging attendees “to work together as industry to be the revolutionary partner that we need as we move forward in the future.” ]]> USASOC Sgt.Raven http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/34945-SOCOM-Seeks-TALOS-(Tactical-Assault-Light-Operator-Suit) http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/34685-SOCOM-Seeks-Lighter-Carl-Gustaf?goto=newpost Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:35:32 GMT Image: http://dmn.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Special_Forces_soldier_fires_Carl_Gustaf.jpg *SOCOM Seeks Lighter Carl Gustaf* ...

SOCOM Seeks Lighter Carl Gustaf


http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/socom-seeks-lighter-carl-gustaf/?goback=%2Egde_3061043_member_234627840

Release of a recent “sources sought” announcement has highlighted U.S. interest in obtaining a “lighter” version of the 84mm Carl Gustaf weapon system from Saab Dynamics. Employed for many years by the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment and other elements within United States Special Operations Command as the M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti- Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS), the weapon system began entering broader U.S. Army inventories at the end of 2011.


In late November of that year the company announced the first U.S. Army order for the weapon system, with an initial Army requirement for 126 weapons and 3,000 rounds of ammunition. The 126 weapon total was sufficient to field approximately two brigades’ worth of systems.


In terms of enhanced combat capabilities, Saab representatives noted at the time that U.S. forces were employing shoulder-fired weapons and light machine guns with 500-600 meter capability, but were being engaged by RPGs at ranges out to 900 meters. They pointed to the fact that the Carl Gustaf provided an organic weapon that could immediately return fire at those ranges and beyond, with a high explosive round that will go out to 1300 meters or 1250 meters for airburst capability – the latter capability allowing for the engagement of troops in defilade.


The new tactical capabilities, however, came with at a weight of just over 21 pounds for the weapon, and Saab representatives acknowledged that the company was funding internal weight reduction developments in an effort to decrease that weight burden.


In apparent recognition of those efforts, U.S. Army Contracting Command, on behalf of USSOCOM, released a March 28, 2013 announcement calling for information “to identify potential sources for immediate procurement or rapid development of a kit to lighten the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) M3 Carl Gustaf Rifle,” adding, “The current MAAWS program is the Non-Developmental Item (NDI) acquisition of the Saab Dynamics Carl Gustaf 84mm recoilless rifle system.”


More: http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/socom-seeks-lighter-carl-gustaf/?goback=%2Egde_3061043_member_234627840

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Man, I'm so jelly!
You, guys got to play with some awesome stuff. Bring one to the Sizzler, would ya? [lol]
My "hands-on" xp stopped at RPG-18 (but included timeless, brainless and always faithful RPG-7). ]]> USASOC Sgt.Raven http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/34685-SOCOM-Seeks-Lighter-Carl-Gustaf