by David Crane david@defensereview.com July 13, 2006 A private company called CombatBodyArmor (CBA) is currently developing a small, forearm-wearable ballistic shield, or "Battle Shield" (a.k.a. "Combat Shield"), for infantry warfighters. The CBA Mini Battle Shield (a.k.a. Mini Combat Shield) is being developed specifically to protect the warfighter against current enemy rifle-caliber threats (7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, and 7.62x54R) and IED (Improvised Explosive …

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@defensereview.com DefenseReview recently received an updated fact sheet on the AAE Stealth Technology System (STS). The new document focuses on an updated/upgraded version of STS called "Stealth II", which can protect helicopters and ground vehicles from heat-seeking missiles, artillary, and personnel with night vision viewers. AAE claims that Stealth II accomplishes this by cloaking/camuflaging helicopter and ground …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Some folks at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), a.k.a. NAVAIR Weapons Division (China Lake, CA), are currently developing a "man-packable, shoulder-launched guided missile" system for U.S. infantry warfighters called SPIKE. The developmental system is essentially a low-cost, compact, and lightweight man-portable shoulder-fired fire-and-forget missile system that incorporates three separate guidance modes–inertial, laser, and imaging …

by David Crane david at defensereview.com This article has been updated with digital photos (JPEG format), as well as a link to the KAC CQB PDW fact sheet/spec sheet.  Click on the photos below to view them full-size.   Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) has just (formally) introduced a 6x35mm PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) with AR-15/M16 controls for the Mil/LE market (tentatively) called the …

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 …

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 …

by David Crane defrev at gmail.com It’s possible that very soon, U.S. armored vehicles, including infantry fighting vehicles/armored personnel carriers (IFV/APC) and main battle tanks (MBT), will be receiving a new type of anti-RPG/ATGM (Rocket Propelled Grenade/Anti-Tank Guided Missile) active protection system. On March 30, 2006, a Stryker combat vehicle outfitted with the Trophy Active Protection System (APS) a.k.a. Trophy …

by Monica Morales Electronic Systems Center Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. April 05, 2006 13:46 One year after answering the Marine Corps’ call to meet an urgent need, the Force Protection Systems Squadron here is preparing to do it again. It will deploy another Tactical Automated Security System to Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq, this month. "The Marine …