by David Crane
david@defensereview.com
All photos below are the exclusive property of Khyber Interactive Associates, Inc.. Click on photos below to view them full size.
DefenseReview ran into tactical training instructor Wes Doss at International SOF Week 2005/APBI (Advanced Planning Briefing to Industry), a.k.a. the "SOCOM Show", in Tampa FL last month (June 2005). Wes owns and operates Khyber Interactive Associates, Inc., which provides tactical training and conditioning for military, law enforcement, and private security units. We ran into Wes at the Systema Engineering booth. Systema manufactures and markets a highly advanced and realistic AR-15/M16-config airsoft-based select-fire force-on-force training weapon system designed and developed specifically for military and law enforcement end-users. It’s called the Systema Professional Training Weapon System. The Systema training weapons can be configured in SOPMOD M4/M4A1 format with a Mil-Std-1913 rail system, vertical foregrip, and telescoping buttstock. The telescoping stock used on the carbine(s) in the Systema video looks like the LMT SOPMOD buttstock, a.k.a. SOCOM stock, a.k.a. Crane stock.
Khyber Interactive Assiates, Inc. is now the tactical/dynamic force-on-force training arm for Systema Engineering, so they are obviously VERY enthusiastic about the system. The "Systema Professional Training Weapon System" promotional DVD that Wes handed me at the show (SOF Week/SOCOM) features Wes and his Khyber training team conducting an actual…
training session with system. According to Wes, the three primary advantages to the Systema training weapons are:
1) Highly Realistic – The Systema weapons look, feel, handle, load, charge, and field-strip/break down like the real thing, and they operate almost exactly like the real thing (AR-15/M16 rifle and M4/M4A1 Carbine), with the exception of casing ejection and felt-recoil (from 5.56x45mm) when fired. The weapons are also made out of metal, not plastic. According to Doss, "for all intents and purposes, they are and M16". Doss goes on to say "it look, it acts, it responds, it smells like a real weapon."
2) Affordable/Cost Effective Training – The airsoft ammo that the system utilizes is extremely inexpensive. Doss says that "6,000 rounds will cost you about $10-15. It’s a bag of BB’s."
3) Very Safe – It’s impossible to fire 5.56x45mm ammo with the weapon, so the possibility of catastrophic training accidents is virtually eliminated, unless someone somehow accidently brings a real AR-15/M16 based rifle/carbine to class, instead of a Systema weapon, and doesn’t realize it. In that case, that person definitely should not be a military or law enforcement operator, infantryman, or officer.
DefRev plans on interviewing Doss about the Systema force-on-force training weapons, as soon as we have an opportunity. One thing we’re curious about is how the Systema system compares to the Real Action Marker (RAM) system (M4 RAM and MP5 RAM), which is also select-fire, extremely realistic (loading, field-stripping, operation, etc.) and safe, just like the Systema system, and utilizes either paintballs (marking) or rubber balls (non-marking), instead of airsoft BB’s. The RAM’s paintball and rubber ball ammo is larger than airsoft BB’s, and gives you the option of marking or non-marking. It’s also very inexpensive. One realistic aspect that the M4 RAM enjoys over the Systema system is that the M4 RAM paintball and rubber ball ammo is encased inside an aluminum or plastic casing. So, when the Real Action Marker round is fired, the casing is ejected through the ejection port, just like on a real select-fire weapon. This really adds to the realism, and is particularly cool to watch and experience when the M4 RAM or MP5 RAM is fired on full-auto. I should perhaps mention that I actually own a M4/M4A1 CQBR-length subcarbine version of the M4 RAM. The RAM is a viable force-on-force training alternative to Simunition, since it’s much less expensive to operate (ammo is MUCH less expensive), arguably significantly safer, and is very close to Simunition in the realism factor. Needless to say, I’m very impressed with the RAM system. The Real Action Marker (RAM) system is manufactured by Asia Paintball, and marketed and distributed in the United States by Real Action Paintball, a.k.a. RAP4. RAP4 suppplied DefenseReview with our M4 RAM (CQBR-length subcarbine version), and they are a highly professional outfit.
Mario Martinez, owner of and lead instructor for HRT Training Corp, Inc., a.k.a. High Risk Training (HRT), is impressed with the Real Action Marker (RAM) system as well–and Mario knows his stuff (believe me, that’s a tremendous understatement). Mario is HIGHLY respected in his field (high-risk entry/Direct Action training for military and law enforcement personnel). So, when his opinion with regard to tactical weaponry, equipment, and training caries some serious weight.
It will be interesting to see how the two systems (Systema and RAM) stack up against each other. We’ll report, so you can decide.
Click here to visit the Systema Engineering website.
If you’d like to find out more about the Systema Professional Training Weapon System and it’s advantages for force-on-force training right away, you can contact Wes Doss and Khyber Interactive Associates, Inc. by phone at 928-763-4787. You can reach Wes directly via email at khybertraining@progun1.com. The Systema force-on-force training weapons are currently only available to active military and law enforcement personnel.
If you’d like to find out more about the the Real Action Marker (RAM) force-on-force training weapons, you can contact Real Action Painball, LLC, a.k.a. RAP4, by phone at 408-727-3144, or via email at info@rap4.com. Ask for KT Tran.
High Risk Training (HRT), a.k.a. HRT Training Corp, Inc., can be contacted by phone at 813-477-4616. Ask for Mario Martinez.
High Risk Training (HRT), a.k.a. HRT Training Corp, Inc., can be contacted by phone at 813-477-4616. Ask for Mario Martinez.
Here’s a pic of the Systema force-on-force training weapons (by themselves):
Here are a couple of more pics of the Khyber training team conducting a training session with the Systema training weapons: