Nov 16, 2011, post by Artur Nowak
Few targets in Afghanistan and Iraq are as inviting to insurgents as fuel convoys.For that reason, military officials hope a new diesel/electric bulldozer tested last week at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme can save lives and money.The Caterpillar D7E would require fewer fuel convoys than what’s required by the thousands of diesel-powered dozers deployed in war zones by the Army and Navy, which could means less time in risky places for military personnel and contractors, they say.
Read more: www.vcstar.com
Nov 16, 2011, post by Artur Nowak
SKYDEX Technologies – the industry leader in developing innovative technologies that mitigate shock, vibration and energy forces for the most demanding applications – announced continued corporate growth and strong revenues from military contracts. Contracts for SKYDEX Convoy Deck and Impact Mitigating Boat Deck (IMBD) products topped $7.9 million in September and October.
“SKYDEX has been very fortunate to be in a position where our products are not only in high demand, but are also in a growing market”
SKYDEX has experienced tremendous growth over the past four quarters, adding engineers, manufacturing and sales support to help manage the increasing demand for its products. Projected revenue from military contracts and commercial applications is expected to continue to grow as the company expands into additional applications.
“SKYDEX has been very fortunate to be in a position where our products are not only in high demand, but are also in a growing market,” said SKYDEX President and CEO Mike Buchen. “Our products are the best performing in the industry and we will continue to design, manufacture and improve products that protect our troops, whether on land or sea.”
The SKYDEX Convoy Deck has already been installed on more than 14,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, including the RG-31, Cougar, and Oshkosh M-ATV. The product is now standard equipment in new Oshkosh and GDLS-C M-ATVs. Earlier this year, both GDLS-C and Oshkosh signed multi-million-dollar agreements with SKYDEX to provide its Convoy Deck for 200 new GDLS-C Stryker vehicles deploying to Afghanistan and for over 1,400 Oshkosh M-ATV vehicles. Independent testing shows the Convoy Deck reduces the chance of injury to crewmembers aboard an armored vehicle exposed to a typical IED blast by 90 percent.
The SKYDEX IMBD is uniquely designed to absorb energy transmitted through boat hulls crashing into waves during high speed maneuvering, protecting occupants on the boat. In a survey of Special Operations craft operators, 62% reported injuries incurred during maneuvering operations. SKYDEX’s patented, geometrically designed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) technology acts as a spring to absorb impacts and vibrations that would normally transfer directly through the boat deck to the occupant’s feet and legs, causing fatigue, discomfort and injury.
SKYDEX Technologies employs its patented, twin-hemisphere design in multiple lines of products to protect warriors from harmful impacts and vibration. Its TPU technology has proven far more effective and far more resilient than foam products in a wide array of applications – from convoy decking to high impact boat decking to combative wall surfaces to vehicle and helicopter seating to ballistic helmet pads and body protection. SKYDEX’s innovations are fulfilling the need to absorb greater amounts of destructive energy in smaller spaces, using thinner, lighter materials to carry out on the battlefield.
For more information, please visit www.skydex.com.
Aug 22, 2011, post by Artur Nowak
BAE Systems has now delivered its 100,000th thermal weapon sight to the U.S. Army in support of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sights are widely used on rifles, machine guns, and mounted weapon systems, providing soldiers with the ability to acquire and engage targets independent of darkness and common battlefield obscurants.
BAE Systems has been producing the sights since 2004 under contracts valued at more than $1 billion.
“This is a very significant delivery milestone,” said Barry Yeadon, program manager for thermal weapon sights at BAE Systems in Lexington, Massachusetts, where the sights are manufactured. “No other supplier has delivered 100,000 thermal weapon sights to the Army. BAE Systems knows that the men and women serving in harm’s way depend on this critical technology, and the company has focused resources to meet contract delivery requirements so that our sights reach soldiers on time, giving them a significant battlefield advantage.”
BAE Systems’ electronics technology allows soldiers to see deep into the battlefield in darkness and through smoke, fog, and other obscurants, enhancing situational awareness. Developed in partnership with the U.S. Army Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier, BAE Systems’ second-generation thermal weapon sights are lighter, smaller, and less expensive than first-generation sights.
