By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com July 11, 2008 U.S. troops are having to contend with new improvised weapons known as Improvised Rocket-Assisted Munitions a.k.a. Improvised Rocket Assisted Mortars, or IRAMs for short. IRAMs a.k.a. "aerial IEDs" are configured in linear arrays in the backs of tractor-trailer trucks and are comprised of metal cannisters that contain the 107mm …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com DefenseReview would like to get some operational/combat data, including anecdotal information, about the terminal ballistic performance of the 6.8 SPC (6.8x43mm SPC a.k.a. 6.8mm SPC) in combat. So we’d like to request the assitance of any/all U.S. military Special Operations and law enforcement SWAT/SRT personnel in this endeavor. If you or anyone …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com July 05, 2008 DefenseReview got the chance to test-fire two Israeli combat weapons during the firing demonstration portion of NDIA International Infantry & Joint Services Small Arms Systems Symposium 2008, which was held at the Tac-Pro Shooting Center. The two weapons we fired were the IMI-developed select-fire Negev Commando Version LMG/SAW 5.56mm …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com We here at DefenseReview are big fans of Aimpoint products, particularly the CompM2 – M68/CCO (Close Combat Optic), CompM4 and Micro T-1 red dot combat sights, and the 3XMag magnifying optic. Aimpoint combat optics (optical sights) are combat proven and highly trusted by professional trigger pullers the world over, and for good …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Speaking of sub-Hellfire-yield laser-guided missiles, Thales UK Air Systems Division (ASD) has introduced a new low-cost, lightweight multi-role missile called, appropirately enough, the Lightweight Multirole Missile (a.k.a. Lightweight Multi-role Missile)–or LMM for short–as a follow-on to the Starstreak Self-Propelled High-Velocity Missile (SP HVM) a.k.a. Starstreak Multi-role Missile (surface-to-air/surface-to-surface missile) and Starburst surface-to-air …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com DefenseReview has covered the 6.8 SPC (a.k.a. 6.8 Remington SPC a.k.a. 6.8x43mm SPC a.k.a. 6.8mm Remington SPC a.k.a. 6.8mm SPC) round for quite some time now. We’re a proponent of the cartridge, due to its superior efficacy over 5.56x45mm NATO (5.56mm NATO)/.223 Rem. within its (6.8 SPC) operational envelope of 400-500 yards, …

by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Back in May, DefenseReview learned that Raytheon is teaming with an Abu-Dhabi, UAE-based company called Emirates Advanced Investments (EAI) to create an advanced semi-active-laser-guided 2.75"/70mm Hydra rocket under the moniker "Laser Guided Rocket" (LGR). The concept, of course, is nothing new. Back in September of last year, DefenseReview reported on the sudden …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com DefenseReview has been contacted by a number of journalists (reporters and writers) to get our take on the Northrop Grumman/EADS (Airbus) aerial refueling tanker aircraft contract award and subsequent Boeing protest situation. This is a big-deal situation, since our current fleet of KC-135 tanker aircraft are getting quite long in the tooth, …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Perhaps the single most exciting thing that happened at NDIA International Infantry & Joint Services Small Arms Systems Symposium 2008–away from the firing range, of course–was a confrontation between Jim Battaglini (Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. James R. Battaglini) of Colt Defense and U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Mattes, the director of …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com June 23, 2008 Imagine having a 100% Kevlar high-strength woven aramid ballistic fiber solution with 15% less backface deformation signature (BDS), yielding reduced impact trauma a.k.a. blunt force trauma, along with a 10% reduction in overall (OA) weight. This is the promise of DuPont Kevlar® XP™ woven ballistic aramid fiber for military …

By Roger Charles, DefenseWatch June 12, 2008 Thanks to an Air Force debarment action against Pinnacle Armor, manufacturer of Dragon Skin body armor, documents have been obtained, and witnesses deposed that provide hard evidence that the Army Acquisition capos fraudulently altered test reports to reflect the results desired by this band of criminal knaves. And, they did so knowing full …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Kevin Brittingham from Advanced Armament Corp. (AAC) just sent us a link to AAC’s new blog at www.aacblog.com. The new AAC blog would appear to be the place to go for all the latest news on AAC silencers/sound suppressors and related products. One of the blog entries shows pics of the new …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com June 9, 2008 Paradigm Tactical Products Inc., maker of the FriskerPRO hand-worn metal detector/search device, has reportedly just received an order from U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group a.k.a. 5th Group for its latest discreet metal detector/covert body search device called Stealth Sensor. Looks like the 5th Group operators wanted a more …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Frank Borelli of Borelli Consulting has a product review up on a a weapons-mounted "Advanced Tactical Camera" made by Pacific Concepts ATC/HBD Inc. called the TacCam. While TacCam doesn’t transmit live video and audio, it does store about an hour of it (A/V) on a 2-Gig SD card for after-action analysis of …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com June 2, 2008 For the last 4 months, DefenseReview has been using a Blackhawk! Medium A.L.E.R.T. Bag tactical load out bag for travel to industry trade shows and other destinations, and the verdict is in. We like it! The bag holds a lot of stuff for its size and is exceptionally easy …