by David Crane david@defensereview.com   KBP Instrument Design Bureau (Tula, Russia) displayed an updated/upgraded version of the of the RPO Shmel Infantry Rocket Flamethrower thermobaric weapon system (a rocket launcher that fires a thermobaric warhead) called the RPO Shmel-M (full designation: RPO Shmel-M PDM-A) at Eurosatory 2006. Adopted by the Russian Army in December 2003, the RPO Shmel-M is billed …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com A company called More Industries, LLC is manufacturing and marketing a remotely-operated weapons system (i.e. remote-controlled weapons system) called HAMMER for use on UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles, a.k.a. ground robots), manned ground vehicles (i.e. HMMWVs/Humvees, APCs/IFVs, and civilan vehicles like flatbed trucks and SUVs/4x4s), and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), turning the latter into UCAVs (Unmanned Combat …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefenseReview has just received exclusive video footage (links below) of an MPS Auto Assault-12 Full-Auto Shotgun (a.k.a. MPS AA-12 Full-Auto Shotgun) successfully firing (and cycling) British FRAG-12 munition (12-gauge grenade) on full-auto at 300 rpm (rounds per minute). The test (AA-12) shotgun sucessfully fired (and cycled) a total of 60 fin-stabilised FRAG-12 grenades/munitions over the course of the full-auto …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com DefenseReview first reported on the M16 Clinic AR-15/M16/M4/M4A1-platform 5.56x45mm subcarbine/SBR (Short-Barreled Rifle) weapons packages back in December, 2004. That first article discussed the select-fire/full-auto,  SOPMOD M4 CQBR (Close Quarters Battle Receiver)-style M16 Viper and M16 Viper-XRP (eXtra-Range/Perimeter) 5.56mm subcarbines/SBRs, which are built specifically for military Special Operations applications, including anti-terrorism/counterterrorism operations. These weapons would appear to …

by David Crane david at defensereview.com Back in March, DefenseReview reported on the Stealth Technology System (STS) being developed at Advanced American Enterprise (AAE) in our article titled Is Cloaking Technology for U.S. Infantry Warfighters Finally Possible? STS utilizes a form of electro-optical camouflage (referred to also as optical camouflage, adaptive camouflage, active camouflage, chameleonic camouflage, and cloaking technology). Advanced …

Warning: This article contains graphic images of animial necropsies being conducted after live animal tests (ballistic tests) were performed with Le Mas BMT ammunition.  "BMT" stands for "Blended Metal Technology", which is a trademark, not a description of bullet composition.  Click on photos (below) to view them full-size.  The following is a DefenseReview exclusive: The study of wound ballistics is based on …

by Frank Borelli, Borelli Consulting frank at borelliconsulting.com with thanks to John Giduck Not long ago I read through the book, Terror At Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America’s Schools by John Giduck (review of the book here). The book so convinced me that we in law enforcement are training for the wrong threat (Active Shooter) that I …

by Frank Borelli, Borelli Consulting frank at borelliconsulting.com May 1, 2006 While I was at SHOT Show (2006), I ran into a gentleman who was presenting information about a "new gun bag". Okay… I have to admit that at first I wasn’t interested. I mean, it’s SHOT Show. Everyone has something new to show and the large majority of them …

The following is a Camelbak Products, LLC press release. NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: April 26, 2006 PRESS CONTACT: Matt Gersib, Swanson Russell Associates, (402) 437-6428 or mattg@sramarketing.com. CamelBak Launches New Tactical Hydration Systems and Accessories Designed using concepts provided by active US military personnel and police officers PETALUMA, Calif., April 21, 2006 – CamelBak Products, LLC, the world …

by David Crane david at defensereview.com Last year, DefenseReview received some interesting (and disturbing) video footage of an Edinburgh Risk and Security Management (ERSM) PSD/Security Operator team getting ambushed by Iraqi insurgents/terrorists in Baghdad, Iraq, while conducting Operation APOLLO.  The contact occurred on the morning of April 20, 2005 (4/20/2005) on the infamous BIAP Road. This was a small arms contact.  The enemy was …