The Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2013 exhibition was held in the London Docklands ExCeL Exhibition Centre on September 10-13, 2013. It is a bi-annual event, held in the autumn to avoid conflict with the other major international defence exhibitions such as IDEX in Abu Dhabi held earlier in the year and Eurosatory in Paris traditionally held the following year.

Post exhibition statistics showed that 32,169 visitors attended DSEI 2013, a rise of 13% over the same event in 2011. The exhibition featured 1,489 exhibitors, representing 54 countries, and included 40 international pavilions. Ninety-seven official delegations from 56 countries attended.

Colt Canada at the Canadian pavilion.

For those unfamiliar with the venue, the ExCeL centre is comprised of two very large display halls (North & South) on either side of a wide centre-isle. Externally, a large maritime anchorage adjoins the Centre, together with ground displays of aircraft. The display halls/areas are ‘themed’ to concentrate particular types of activity and equipment to enable the visitor to focus on their particular area of interest. Themed areas this year included the:

ATK stand. MK52 7.62mm Chain Gun displayed.

• Land Zone: Over 80 exhibitors were present in the land systems sector with an additional 25 military vehicle OEM’s exhibiting a diverse range of capabilities around the halls. The line-up of major exhibitors included, BAE Systems, General Dynamics Iveco, JCB, Land Rover, Lockheed Martin, Nexter, Oshkosh, Rheinmetall, Renault and Supacat.
• Naval Zone: This zone included regular exhibitors such as Cammel Laird, Lurssen, ThyssenKrupp, Damen, Daewoo and Hyundai Heavy Industries. First time exhibitors included Asmer, Mazagon Dock, Babcok and BAE.
• Visiting Warships: Reportedly, a record number of ships docked alongside ExCeL. They included, for example, the Dutch Holland Class corvette HNLMS Groningen, the German Braunschweig Class corvette FGS Madgeburg, the Swedish Mine Counter Measure vessels HSwMS Vinga and Ulvo. Highlighting the international aspect was the Republic of Korea KDX-2 class Destroyer and Logistic Support Ship Hwa Chun. The Royal Navy was of course represented in this case by the Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland and the River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tyne. These were not just static displays – the opportunity to take part in guided tours of individual vessels was provided.
• Air Zone: Focused on key aerospace requirements, a diverse variety of manufacturers exhibited their product lines, ranging from the prime contractors such as BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Raytheon and Rolls-Royce, together with niche supply chain providers.
• Static Displays: There were both internal and external displays. Externally, the venerable Spitfire was displayed with today’s Eurofighter Typhoon. Elsewhere were displayed rotary elements such as the Wildcat helicopter.
• Unmanned Systems: A number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) platforms were displayed at this zone reflecting a rapidly increasing use of these systems, together with supporting stakeholders such as the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems and Cranfield University.
• UGV Demonstrations: a demonstration area was set aside in the North Hall to allow manufactures to demonstrate their product line.
  Security & Special Forces Zone: First introduced at the previous 2011 DSEI exhibition, this much expanded zone reflected the dynamic nature of this sector. Exhibitors showcased a comprehensive range of security solutions from advanced software analytical tools to prevent fraud to the installation and maintenance of security systems. Prime contractors included API Europe, BAE Systems, Dell CISCO, Emerson, Fujitsu and Telesoft.
• Medical & Disaster Relief Zone: This newly introduced zone reflects the increasing requirements of the medical personnel within the armed forces who are providing greater levels of medical support at the unit level, which is reflected in the decreasing number of preventable deaths resulting from combat related injuries.
• International Pavilions: International Pavilions increased in number from the 20011 show to a record number of 40 pavilions this year. A number of subject specific Pavilions were also provided for those attending with a focused agenda, such as the AOC Electronic Warfare, Cyber and National Electronics Week pavilions.

60mm and 81mm mortar ammunition displayed at the Yugoimport SDPR stand.

The show was very much ‘International’ in scope with virtually all continents and geographical regions represented. Nations making their debut included Chile, Japan and South Korea. Of note was the Mexican X-Arms company debuting their Mendoza submachine gun in standard and compact models. Other manufacturers of individual weapons included all the big names in small arms production such as Arsenal, FN Herstal, Heckler & Koch and US Ordnance. Continuing in a similar vein, ancillary and accessory manufactures were represented by Optix and Opticoelectron of Bulgaria, S C Pro Optics S.A. of Romania and Ring Sights of the United Kingdom to name just a few. Ammunition manufacturers were fully represented from the largest – ATK of the USA to small specialist producers such as the South African, Less-Lethal Africa with their range of in-house developed small arms ammunition.

A range of assault rifles were displayed by Arsenal of Bulgaria.

GATR Technologies portable inflatable satellite.

PGW Defence of Canada displayed their product line of precision rifles.

ATK stand. MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun displayed.

Nammo displayed their HADES area defence system.

ATK stand. Bushmaster M230LF Chain Gun displayed.

This event is held annually in the last full working week of August at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. It remains the focal point for European infantry weapons and small arms developments and complements the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Joint Armaments conference normally held annually in May in the United States.

The Shrivenham Symposium provides a personal atmosphere, giving a vital opportunity to ‘network’ and the 27th annual Small Arms and Cannon Symposium held in August of 2013 continued to be well attended, even if budgetary constraints prevented some from attending. This year the symposium was again held in the two full day format (changed by attendee’s request in 2011 from two full days over a three day format) and this years’ Symposium was therefore held over the 21-22 August 2013. It is rumored that the 2014 edition of the Small Arms and Cannon Symposium will include an extra event- a live fire exercise where attendees can participate and vendors can have their products on the line for testing. This discussion started many of the industry attendees who did not have booths this year to discuss setting up booths and going to the range- always a hit for everyone involved. Attendees get to try lots of weapons and accessories, vendors get to show the “proof in the pudding” by letting potential buyers try their wares. Fingers are crossed that this will be possible in 2014.

Beechwood Equipment Ltd. are a regular attendee and a major UK company specializing in specialist products for the law enforcement and military markets. They are the UK agent for SIG-Sauer products and a range of optical and night-vision products. www.beechwoodequipment.com

In addition this year, the second edition of a one-day Wound Ballistics Symposium was held immediately prior to the Small Arms & Cannon Symposium to enable delegates who wished to attend both symposia to do so in a single visit.

The programme format consisting of short presentations on various subjects is well established and allows maximum coverage of a large subject matter area to cater for the varied interests of those attending. The programme over the two days offered twenty presentations and the wide-ranging spectrum of the presentations covered the following subjects:

Day One

• How will the British Infantry be Equipped, Train & Fight in the Future? – UK MOD
• Details of Future Themes – UK Army HQ
• Improving Lethality by Non Equipment Means – UK, Small Arms School Corps
• Small Arms as a Last Resort – Independent Consultant, UK
• The Use of Soldier Error Budgets to direct UK Lethality Research – SEA
• Tactical Effectiveness – Nammo, Sweden
• Soldier Integrated Precision Effects Systems (SIPES), An Industry Perspective – Colt Canada
• Automatic Cannon Ammunition 20-57mm: Caliber’s, Applications and Projectile Developments – IHS Jane’s
• Where to Now? – Independent Consultant, USA
• An overview of the Canadian Small Arms Research (FSAR) Program – Defence Research and Development, Canada

Qioptiq remains the largest UK manufacturer of night vision, image-intensified and surveillance optics. The company manufactures the proven Kite image-intensifiers and Vipir uncooled thermal weapon sights with the Maxikite-2 and S Vipir-2S+ being the latest models in the series. The company continues to market its very successful Dragon-C (compact), Dragon SR (short-range), Dragon-LR (long-range) and Dragon-S (sniper) multi-purpose thermal weapons sights. www.qioptiq.co.uk

Day Two

• 12.7mm (.50 cal.) Multipurpose Effectiveness Study – Nammo Raufoss, Norway
• 12.7mm ‘Reduced Ricochet’ Ammunition – ARMAOME Ltd
• MAC Lightweight Polymer Ammunition – Status and Path Forward – MAC LLC
• Grenade Launchers and their Ammunition: An International Survey –HIS Jane’s
• An update on the Canadian Research and the Small Arms Program – National Defence HQ, Canada
• The HALVAR Small Arms Model – TNO, The Netherlands
• Serious Games Herald Increased Interaction and Collaboration in Defence and Security – Serious Games International
• GPMG Rate-of-Fire Considerations – Independent Consultant, Germany

Following on from previous years, subject matter of the presentations reflected an increasingly pragmatic approach to what is achievable in the immediate future, (particularly when set against financial constraints). Again absent were the presentations, or indeed updates, on Future Soldier. While in excess of twenty such programs remain globally on the books, with perhaps the notable exception of Canada, all appear to be moving forward, albeit slowly with the business end of the programme retaining existing small arms and light infantry weapons already in service or somewhat modified to support the primary areas in which such programs are indeed advancing, such as situational awareness, command and control at the unit level and enhanced personal protection levels.

As commented here last year, recent combat operations have fined-tuned the needs of the warfighter in terms of the infantry weapons mix required, which had seen the return of the larger rifle calibre 7.62 x 51mm weapons in general and the ‘Sharpshooter’ or ‘Designated Marksman’ rifle in particular. The low and high-velocity grenade-launcher is clearly here to stay and the user has an increasing variety of options in terms of ammunition types available, including less-lethal options.

Primetake Ltd. are the manufacturers of specialist ammunition for both military and law-enforcement applications. www.primetake.co.uk

The current draw-down and pending final withdrawal from Afghanistan of NATO forces has required participants to review their national inventories post-operations. UK MOD briefed on the way ahead in terms of small arms inventories – the L129A1 Designated Marksman Rifle (Sharpshooter) purchased in considerable numbers as an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) is to be taken into the core inventory, the Combat Shotgun (L128A1) will not be. (In this author’s opinion, the militarized shotgun has seen an ad-hoc use over the decades in the British service, primarily in insurgency operations or for use in explosive ordnance disposal, being purchased as needed and is needed). The selection of the Glock 17 as the future handgun (L131A1) in the British service will also see a change in issue strategy – gone will be the issue of a handgun to every combatant as a defence against ‘Blue-on-Blue’ encounters, reverting, as in the past, to one of need or primarily a means of self-protection when either duty or circumstances dictate against carriage of a larger weapon.

Attention continues to be directed at the harmful effects of small arms ammunition discharges, with tests showing that issues can also arise with the new non-toxic types (lead-free) currently being introduced. The operational use of weapon suppressors has also raised the issue of post-operational use as standard under a ‘duty of care’ banner.

Simulation modeling continues to play an important part in predicting current and future weapon effects, covering both bursting munitions and individual small arms fire.

Viking Arms Ltd. is a UK based company offering a full range of Defence Equipment and Accessories. Services provided include, Armourer and Product Training, Design Liaison R&D and Bespoke Equipment. They are also the UK Agent for Brugger & Thomet products and Glock, having been selected to provide the Glock 17 self-loading pistol recently selected by the British armed forces as their next generation pistol. www.vikingarms.com

Additional activities provided as part of the Symposia programme include visits to the on-site DA-CMT Small Arms Facility, which is a teaching and reference collection of infantry weapons. The staff of this facility also provide a live-firing demonstration of selected weapons and accessories to which delegates are invited. The Symposia itself is held in the Defence Capability Centre (DCC – not to be confused with DCC – Dismounted Close Combat) which houses the Defence Academy collection of artillery, armoured vehicles and ammunition, and tours of the various collection can be arranged on request.

A long-established feature of the Shrivenham Small Arms and Cannon symposia has been the formal evening dinner. The venue again this year, after a very successful event last year, was the Steam Railway Museum of the Great Western Railway in the nearby town of Swindon. The museum is situated in the renovated premises of the former Swindon Railway Works and guests were seated among the major and minor historic artifacts of the museum for an excellent four-course dinner, with pre-dinner drinks (with a chance to wander around the museum) and wine in abundance. A good time was again, as the British would say, had by all.

SADJ would like to encourage the small arms community to lend their support to the XXVIII Small Arms & Cannon Symposium to be held in August 2014.

2nd Wound Ballistics Symposium
The Inaugural Wound Ballistics Symposium was held in 2012 with the intention, if successful, that a similar event be held every two years. In the event, however, the considerable number of papers submitted could not be presented over the allotted one-day period and the decision was taken, as all papers were of significant value and relevant to the community’s needs, to present half at the inaugural symposium and the remaining papers the following year. It is expected that the 3rd Wound Ballistics Symposium will be held in 2015, and again for convenience, to run concurrently with the Small Arms and Cannon Symposium to allow delegates to attend both symposia if required.

Shield Firearms & Sights Ltd. is a UK manufacturer of sights and sight mounts. They are also a training provider and firearms distributor, and are the UK agent for Smith &Wesson products. www.sheildpsd.sharepoint.com

Eight papers were presented during a busy day. These are listed by title for the benefit of those professionally involved in the subject matter area as a guide to future attendance:

• The Development of a Skin-Skull-Brain Model for Ballistic Testing.
• Postmortem Alterations on Gunshot Wounds in Ribs Recovered from Marine and Terrestrial Environments.
• The Use of Lethality-Related Terms in the Metropolitan Police Service.
• What’s lethality got to do with it?
• A Comparison of Incapacitation Criteria: Kokinakis and Sperrazza vs Courtney and Courtney.
• The Role of Hydrocode Modeling for the Development of Enhanced Lethality Small Arms Ammunition.
• Evaluation of Bone Surrogates for Wound Ballistics Studies.
• Using Real Data for Validation of 3D Injury Modeling.

It goes without saying that the subject matter of the presentations is not for those of a sensitive nature and those who work in this area must be given credit for continued work that has seen significant advances in recent years in the understanding of the wounding mechanism and concurrent support to the forensic science community.