DefRev Quick Hits 3 from SHOT Show 2006: And the Hits Keep Comin’

Below are more DefRev "Quick Hits from SHOT Show 2006. DefenseReview will be reporting more in-depth on these technologies, later.

–While we were in the outdoor tent, we ran into Frank and Chris Desomma at the Patriot Ordnance Factory (P.O.F-USA) booth. POF-USA had their new 7.62x51mm/.308 Win., 6.8mm (6.8x43mm), and 6.5 Grendel gas piston upper receivers on hand. DefRev handled a DPMS Panther Arms 7.62mm carbine (at the DPMS Panther Arms booth) that utilizes the P.O.F. gas piston/op rod system. P.O.F-USA has also been busy product-improving the their P-415/416 Gas Piston Rifle (gas piston/op rod-driven). One of the improvements they’ve made is a larger/improved heat sink. P.O.F is also making their own front BUIS.

—MGI also had a booth in the tent. They were showing off their new and improved QCB Upper Receiver System. "QCB" stands for "Quick Change Barrel". The MGI QCB drop-on upper receiver assembly employs two "release levers" to lock-in and release the standard commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) AR-16/M16/M4 barrel. The QCB incorporates a Mil-Std-1913 rail interface system, and will..

–While we were in the tent, DefenseReview also found a really slick immersive and interactive virtual reality tactical training simulator system called the Virtual Interactive Combat Environment (V.I.C.E.). V.I.C.E. is made by Dynamic Animation Systems, Inc. (DAS), and it allows multiple members in a military Special Operations unit or law enforcement SWAT team (or 1st Responder) to train simultaneously (in separate/individual V.I.C.E. Student Stations with untethered "replica M4 weapons") in a dynamic virtual tactical environment that allows the students to choose where they want to go in the virtual environment, which is also controlled to a degree by intructors who monitor the scenarios and can interact with the immersed trainees by exploiting weaknesses that they see. Example: Let’s say a Military Spec-Operator or LE SWAT operator isn’t doing what he’s supposed to be doing during a virtual operation. For instance, he forgets to clear an area or check his six, or whatever. The instructor can see what he’s doing wrong and can control the opposing force in such a way that one of the bad guys sneaks up on the operator from behind and shoots him dead. That’s just one example.

The graphics looked pretty good on the unit we saw, and David Slayton, Senior Vice President at DAS, was nice enoough to record an interview with us, which we’ll be using for a follow-up story on the V.I.C.E. system. By the way, the environment that was playing while we were there was an urban environment, but other environments and scenarios can be programmed. Dynamic Animation Systems, Inc.’s Virtual Interactive Combat Environment, in our opinion, is definitely a product to watch.

–Back in the military/law enforcement (Mil/LE) section in the main pavillion, DefenseReview saw a group of products at the Blackwater USA/Blackwater Security Consulting booth that really blew us away. Hydration Technologies, Inc. (HTI) is the company that makes these rather amazing products. They’ve apparently solved the mobile water purification need/problem that military and private security company (PSC)/private military company (PMC) operators sometimes face when they’re out in the field. HTI’s systems use a process called forward osmosis, where a sugar-based flavoring solution pulls the dirty water through a filtration membrane, turning the dirtiest/nastiest water into purified and thus drinkable water that essentially tasts like mild lemonade. DefRev tried it right there at the booth–HTI has some dirty water on hand–and, after tasting the end product, just had to smile. Tasted pretty good. The two HTI Military products DefRev saw and handled were the HTI X Pack, which is disposable/expendable, and the HTI Hydrowell Expedition, which utilizes HTI’s new Hydrowell Cartridge Design, and is reusable (we think). The Hydrowell Expedition is Camelbak-compatible. Military Special Operations personnel, PSC/PMC operators, and civilian adventurers not already aware of Hydration Technologies, Inc. (HTI) and their products should definitely give their products a look.

–Speaking of Camelbak, they just acquired Southwest Motorsports Enterprises, Inc. (SWMS), and, through that acquisition, have now entered the tactical glove market (tactical shooting gloves). It’s DefRev’s understanding that the Mil/LE feedback on the (now) Camelbak gloves is very positive, but we haven’t tested them yet. Southwest Motorsports’ founder and president, Martina Hutchinson, will be heading up Camelbak’s tactical glove division as VP of protection products. Camelbak recently issued a press release about the new corporate acquisition.

More "Quick Hits" on the way…

Previous "DefRev Quick Hits from SHOT Show 2006" articles:

DefRev Quick Hits 1 from SHOT Show 2006. Quick Hits 2 On the Way…

DefRev Quick Hits 2 from SHOT Show 2006: More ‘Latest and Greatest’

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