The Latest Innovations in Homeland Security

Milipol, the 21st Worldwide Exhibition on Internal Security, was held in Paris from November 19 to 22, 2019,  at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre with more than 1,000 exhibitors coming from all over the world. Here are some of the highlights from the exhibition.

LOCATION

Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, Paris, France

WEBSITE en.milipol.com

CONTACT 

NEXT SHOW

Milipol Paris 2021, October 19-22

FOCUS OF SHOW

Milipol Paris is the leading event dedicated to homeland security and safety. The event is organized under the auspices of the French Ministry of Interior in partnership with several governmental bodies. The show focuses on homeland security topics such as data protection-information and communication systems, economic and industrial intelligence, systems integration, risk analysis and management, CBRN, civil defence, law enforcement and forensic science services just to name a few.

STATISTICS

In 2019, the 4-day event welcomed 1,089 exhibitors, 31,185 visitors from 156 countries and 167 official delegations participated in Milipol Paris. 68% of exhibitors and 48% of visitors come from abroad.

DRESS

Business “informal,” meaning jacket and tie, or business casual depending on how you desire to present your company.

HOTEL HINTS

There are many hotels around the exhibition center. Consult travel websites such as expedia.com and tripadvisor.com for suggestions.

POWER & PLUG TYPES

230v 50Hz cycle, 3-prong plugs; may use 220V-240V.

COUNTRY WARNINGS

France is currently Level 2: Exercise increased caution: demonstrations in Paris and other major cities continue in France and are expected to continue in the coming weeks. Property damage, including looting and arson, in populated tourist areas has occurred with reckless disregard for public safety. There are currently travel restrictions due to the coronavirus, COVID-19. Consult the CDC before booking travel.

CULTURAL HINTS

In French culture, it is very important to greet people properly. It’s polite to say “bonjour” or “bonsoir” (good morning/good evening) when encountering someone, even if it’s a stranger. People are generally expected to behave discreetly, although public displays of affection aren’t uncommon. You’re also expected to speak in quiet tones, particularly in restaurants.

TIPPING

Tipping is unnecessary unless you feel you received excellent service; in this case, 10% is appropriate. Be aware that a 15% service charge is added automatically to your bill. Overtipping a server is considered to be somewhat vulgar and showy.

GETTING AROUND

The best way to get around Paris is on foot and by metro. Paris is very large, so you should take the efficient metro to travel long distances. The Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens or RATP system, which runs the metro, also offers several bus routes around the city. Those traveling to Paris by plane can arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), about 22 miles northeast of the city center, or Paris Orly Airport (ORY), about 11 miles south of the city.

MILITARY MUSEUMS

The Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum) is a national military museum located at Les Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The Musée de L’Armée was established in 1905 by merging the Artillery Museum and the Historical Army Museum. It contains 500,000 objects, including weapons, armour, artillery, uniforms, emblems and paintings. It houses the Napoleon’s tomb.

TOURISM

There is no shortage of landmarks to visit in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and the Arc de Triomphe along with the numerous cafes and restaurants should keep one busy.

NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to en.milipol.com for up-to-date information.

Located in Milan, Italy, and held twice a year in May and November is the  terrific Militalia show. The event is held at the Novegro Exhibition Park near the Milan International Airport.

Militalia first opened in 1986, as part of the Exhibition Hobby Model Expo. Since that time, Militalia has evolved into a fabulous 2-day show with events, demonstrations, association meetings and a very large array of military collectibles for all enthusiasts of military collecting.

Of special interest to me personally at the show was the Association of the Decima Flottiglia MAS ( 10^th Assault Vehicle Flotilla). This WWII Italian Commando Frogman Unit was formed in 1939 and were the world’s first Frogmen. Their tactics and methods were later copied by the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy. Their WWII exploits and daring missions are legendary. The show has a large meeting area with lots of reading material and association members and historians who speak English, happy to answer questions and provide historical information.

In addition, there are many historical groups dressed in period costumes and uniforms with static displays of vintage military vehicles and representatives from historical and military museums in Italy and Europe.

One can find a diverse selection of military medals, swords, bayonets, ceremonial daggers, postcards, badges, books, headgear, uniforms and weapons accoutrements. There was a large selection of German, American and British field gear. I found interesting WWII photographs and especially WWII Italian uniforms, helmets and field gear that are rarely seen or found at shows here in the United States.

The U.S. collecting market as you well know is now flooded with reproductions, as many field gear items and uniforms have simply dried up and disappeared into collections; however, the Militalia show had an abundance of original WWII field gear, helmets and uniforms.

There were many deactivated weapons for sale including WWII rifles and pistols as well as German MP40s, Italian Beretta PM38s, PM42s, Russian PPsh-41s, British STEN Guns, German MG34s and MG42s and many others. Several dealers had a huge selection of deactivated ordnance, grenades, rockets and mines. I am not sure how you could bring these back to the United States with TSA rifling through your luggage at the airport. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Get an approved Form 6 to import!)

As a WWII collector I found an abundance of interesting rare items not often found at shows in the U.S. as well as hard-to-find firearms magazines, bayonets, slings and accoutrements at very reasonable prices. I even found some rare 1921 Colt Thompson magazines and a scarce original rigger-modified WWII paratrooper 1910 entrenching tool in nice condition.

I often wondered why the WWII D-Day paratrooper 1910 entrenching tool was so difficult to find in the United States; if you find one, it is more often than not a “fake,” having been modified in recent years and passed on to unknowing collectors as an original.

The reason I found one was simple after speaking with several experienced advanced collectors at the show. They were rigger-modified in England prior to the Invasion of Normandy, and almost all of them were used by paratroopers of the 101^st and 82^nd Divisions on D-Day. So if you want an original, your best bet is to continue your search in Europe, not in the United States.

In the outdoor area there are opportunities for the public to see and experience historical representations of military scenarios of various eras. What continues to make Militalia a unique opportunity is a tradition for those who like to identify themselves in a direct and emotionally engaging way with some of the most important events in history.

The show is increasingly taking on the character of a testimony of Italian national history. Speaking with some Italian attendees at the show, they told me that the political position of those who attended the show in the past was to some degree with embarrassment and concern over the risk of being accused of being “militarists” or worse yet “rehabilitators” of the fascist period of government.

However, the attitude has changed in Italy, and as the WWII generation is about to pass, many want to honor the surviving fighters and the memories of their often dramatic experiences. This does not exclude but rather extends the involvement of historical artifacts and memories of an entire generation in a way that the “militarism” of today constitutes a set of values, ​​regardless of their identification in the becoming of peoples and nations.

I attended the show with Italian friends from years ago while teaching courses in Italy. The food and wine were outstanding; however, the reunion of old friends was the best!

This was my first attendance at Militalia, and although not quite the size of the well-known “Show of Shows” in Louisville, Kentucky, it is certainly a contender. The next show is tentatively scheduled for May 9-10, 2020.

MILITALIA 2020: Show Master Info

Location

Parco Esposizoni Novegro

20090 Segrate MI

Milan, Italy

Website

militalianovegro.com

Contact

+39 02 7020 0022

Tentative Next Shows

May 9-10, 2020

November 2-3, 2020

Focus

Exhibitors come from sectors related to Armed Forces and state bodies, museums and historical military, weapon and veterans’ associations, industry associations and archaeological, historical groups in costume, static models and war games, armories and survival, specialized publications and shows and concerts with a focus on security and defense.

Dress

For civilian attendees, formal business dress is recommended. Military personnel should be in duty uniform.

Hotels

Visit hotel websites for recommendations.

Country Warnings

Due to the Coronavirus, COVID-19, travel restrictions are currently in place. Check the show website to keep up-to-date.

Cultural Hints

Appearance is very important in Italian social etiquette and you should be aware that you will most likely be judged first and foremost on this. When meeting and leaving, Italians (whether friends or strangers) wish each other “good day” or “good evening.” Where there is an existing relationship, Italians greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks (left cheek first). Punctuality is expected in Italy, and it’s customary to shake hands when meeting someone for the first time. It’s advisable that smart business suits are worn by both men and women.

Tipping

Tipping is not required in Italy unless you feel you received exceptional service. A VAT is already included in prices.

Currency Type

The Euro is the currency. The currency code for dollars is EUR, and the currency symbol is €. For current exchange rates, please visit: xe.com.

Getting Around

The bus lines are very efficient. The metro train system offers four color-coded main lines for 2 euros, and tram and bus connections fill in where they leave off. You may also bike or walk through the city. Many streets have restricted access, and parking is difficult to find, so it is best to avoid renting a car.

Things to See

There are many places and things to see in Milan. Visit the Duomo, vineyards, museums, hop-on hop-off bus tours, Sforza Castle, the Scala Theater, Piazza dei Mercanti and even view “The Last Supper,” Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece.

Tourism

Visit italia.it/en/home.html.

NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to militalianovegro.com for up-to-date information.

The 2019 Close Combat Symposium (CCS) was held at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom (UK) over July 9 to11, 2019. Historically, it has its origins in the Small Arms and Cannon Symposium held for many years at the same venue.

The themes of the symposium this year were to “consider trends and developments in small arms, dismounted weapon systems, ammunition, sensors, optics and protective clothing and equipment. The revised theme of 21st Century Infantry also seeks to examine additional opportunities for capability enhancements in the near-term, some of which will require new development.”

The 3-day symposia has an established format and opened for on-site registration at 0900 hours on the first day, followed by a full day of presentations. On the second day, delegates were able to attend a manufacturers’ outdoor range day, where the opportunity to fire a number of different small arms types and view associated supporting equipment was provided. The final day’s presentations at the Defence Academy location concluded in late afternoon.

The lecture program consisted of short presentations on various aspects of mounted and dismounted close combat together with infantry weapons and ammunition, which provided wide-ranging coverage of a diverse subject matter area to cater to the varied interests of those attending. Over the 3 days, the program offered 19 formal presentations which included panel discussions after each segment and covered the following areas.

Day One

The first day’s presentations included:

• Keynote: The (UK) Close Combat Plan—British Army HQ
• The Future Threat—Defence Intelligence—MoD
• Land Littoral Manoeuvre and Future Commando Force—UK Navy HQ
• Transformation Fund—21st Century Infantry—British Army HQ (Unmanned Aerial Systems, Platoon Robotic Vehicles, Less-than-Lethal)
• Engaging with Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S)—UK MoD (Soldier Systems, Innovation & Experimentation)
• Force Development—Experimentation Opportunities—British Army
• Unmanned Ground Vehicles: A Strong Ally for Dismounted Soldiers—Rheinmetall Canada
• Development in Small Arms—Dan Shea, Phoenix Defence and Editor-in-Chief Small Arms Defense Journal

Day Two

Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd:

The Range Day was again held at the Cranfield Ordnance Test and Evaluation Centre (COTEC), West Lavington, on the northwestern edge of the UK MoD, Salisbury Plain artillery and field-firing range. The Range Day this year, which provided attendees the opportunity to view and fire selected infantry small arms, also included a demonstration by Rheinmetall Defence of their Mission Master Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UMV).

Demonstrations of equipment and opportunities to live-fire weapons were provided by:

• Beechwood Equipment Ltd
• FN Herstal (UK) (Range Day Sponsor)
• Brolis Photonics Solutions Ltd
• Instro Precision Ltd
• Qioptiq
• NHMD Ltd.
• Viking Arms (Defence)
• Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU) & Amvision-FCS13
• Rheinmetall Defence
• Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM)

Breakfast on arrival and a BBQ lunch were provided for all attending. The Range Day was followed that evening by the now traditional formal dinner held at the Swindon STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway. Pre-dinner drinks provided the opportunity for informal networking, the dinner itself being held within the precincts of the museum with musical entertainment during dinner being provided by a local brass ensemble.

Day Three

The presentations covered on the third day included:

• Precision Versus Rate—Cranfield Defence and Security
• Enhancing Dismounted Combatants Lethality Through Fire Control and Training Systems—FN Herstal (UK)
• Fighting in the Street—CR2 Streetfighter—Ultra Electronics/Royal Tank Regiment
• How to Ensure and Maintain Fightability on Close Combat Operations with an Increasingly Technology-Driven Soldier System—Systems Engineering & Assessment (SEA) Ltd
• Reducing the Error Budget—Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU)/Riflecraft
• National Armed Policing Group—Civil Nuclear Constabulary
• When Computers Do the Wrong Thing—Captain W. Shepherd (Ret’d)—USN
• How to Overcome the Problems of Delivering Safe and Reliable Training in Close Quarter Combat (CQB)—Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM)
• Soldier System Integration—Tommy Works—British Army
• Connecting the Dismounted Soldier—Glenair
• UAV Enhanced Digital Networked Mortar Fire Control Systems—KWESST North America (Canada)

SHRIVENHAM 2020: SHOW MASTER INFO

LOCATION

Shrivenham, County of Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Cranfield University, Shrivenham, UK is situated to the west of London off the M4 motorway and easily accessible from the main London airports. The nearest large town to Shrivenham for reference purposes is Swindon. Note: In recent years, the immediate area of and access to the Defence Academy has been via the “Watchfield” entrance off the A420 main road.

WEBSITE symposiaatshrivenham.com

CONTACT

Leanne Lawson, Symposium Organizer, Symposia at Shrivenham, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, Wiltshire near Swindon, SN6 8LA

For symposium details and administration:

Tel: +44 1793 785 648

E-mail: leanne@symposiaatshrivenham.com

NEXT SHOW

Close Combat Symposium, October 20-22, 2020, Shrivenham, UK

FOCUS OF SHOW

This year’s Symposium focused on current UK Infantry-mounted and -dismounted close combat developments and future capabilities and intentions, with opening presentations being delivered by leading members of the UK close combat community. Other presentations focused on infantry weapons, training and support to the UK civil community, supporting the Symposium’s historical Small Arms and Cannon theme.

A concurrent trade show is also held in the adjacent indoor hall that is comfortable for attendees to mix with the vendors. Numerous vendor booths covering broad subject matters related to the themes of the Symposium were available for attendees to meet and talk with industry during coffee and lunch breaks.

STATISTICS

Overall, more than 140 delegates from the UK and the international community took part in the symposia over the 3 days, making this Symposium, again it is believed, the largest of its type in Western Europe.

 DRESS

Business “informal,” meaning jacket and tie, or business casual depending on how you desire to present your company. Military are in duty attire. For the formal dinner, now traditionally held within the confines of the STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway, dress base line for men is a dark suit with tie, ladies’ comfortable evening wear (no jeans or tee-shirts in either case). Symposium staff are  on hand to help with your concerns on this.

HOTEL HINTS

Local hotels are listed with the Symposium information package. Most vendors choose hotels in Swindon or out on the M4 motorway area. There is UK military billeting for those who are eligible.

POWER & PLUG TYPES

220v 50 cycle, British 3-prong plugs

COUNTRY WARNINGS

The Swindon/Shrivenham areas are largely rural with the historic city of Oxford located to the north. The only warnings would be in certain parts of London or other major cities. The Symposium is in a rural area that is very safe. There are currently travel restrictions due to the coronavirus, COVID-19. Consult the CDC before booking travel.

 CULTURAL HINTS

The British are generally very polite, with the exceptions perhaps of rush-hour travel in London and other major cities.

 TIPPING

10% is generally fine in restaurants, less to a taxi. Taxis are either meter fare or pre-booked at an agreed price.

GETTING AROUND

Rental cars will have UK-style right-hand steering, and driving is on the left side of the road. Unless you know how to drive with a left-hand shift, order an automatic. We advise finding the first parking lot in sight after getting your rental car and learning the reverse geometry if you are a European or U.S. driver. Road roundabouts are common and do not pose a problem; always give way to the right, unless the road markings (rarely) advise otherwise. Trains are reliable; however, ticket purchases made on the day of travel can be extortionately expensive, pre-booking is strongly advised. A good guide for the latter is at nationalrail.co.uk. Bus travel is both simple and inexpensive. If driving, the show is within reasonable distance of Heathrow International Airport; travel due west on the M4 motorway to the Swindon exit and look for local directions to Shrivenham. For rail travel from Heathrow or Gatwick International Airports take a direct train service to Swindon.

MILITARY MUSEUMS

The Defence Academy Small Arms teaching collection may be visited by qualified visitors. Inquire with the promoters. In London, the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth and the National Army Museum in Chelsea are worth a visit. To the south of Swindon on the south coast is the Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson Artillery Museum situated in an old Victorian fort (built during the Napoleonic Invasion fears in the 19th century) and overlooking the historic Portsmouth Naval Base. Also within the Portsmouth Naval Base area are the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Further afield is the National Firearms Centre (the former MOD Pattern Room collection of small arms and light infantry weapons) at the Royal Armouries main site located in the northwest of England at Leeds. Admittance to the former is strictly by prior appointment only; although the museum itself is open to the general public.

TOURISM

Shrivenham is located within reasonable driving distances of the university town of Oxford, the Neolithic monument at Stonehenge and Shakespeare’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Try the following websites if planning a pre- or post-Symposium cultural visit: visitbritain.com or visitlondon.com.

 NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to cranfield.ac.uk/events/symposia-at-shrivenham for up-to-date information.

LARGEST LANDPOWER EXPO AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORUM SHOWCASES NEW TECHNOLOGY

There is no better place to see today’s defense technology on display than at the AUSA 2019 Expo, held October 4-6 in the Washington, D.C.-based Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This article provides a categorical sampling of some new noteworthy technologies.

Ammunition and Weapons

Textron, in partnership with Heckler and Koch and Winchester, has developed the next generation of cased-telescoped ammunition (with a focus on the 6.8mm projectile) and the special weapons suite necessary to fire it.

What exactly is cased-telescoped ammunition? Imagine a small semi-transparent polymer tube about 1 1/2 inches in length with a diameter of about 1/2 inch. On the closed bottom end, it has a conventional primer just like metallic-cased ammunition. On the muzzle end it has what looks like a second smaller tube inserted inside the larger outer tube. The smaller tube carries a 6.8mm bullet inside. It’s a very curious-looking ammunition design that doesn’t track with any conventional ammunition shape.

So how does it work? When the gun’s firing pin strikes the primer and ignites it, the cartridge’s powder charge is subsequently ignited, just like a conventional metallic cartridge. As the burning propellant’s gas pressure increases, the inside tube holding the conventional 6.8mm round extends forward, telescoping into the gun’s chamber, in turn, establishing the necessary gas check between the cartridge and firing chamber. As combustion pressure maximizes inside the cartridge case, the round (bullet) releases from its telescoped tube and begins its transit down the gun’s bore just like a conventional bullet.

About now you’re scratching your head thinking this ammunition seems complicated, maybe even fragile when compared to conventional metallic-cased ammunition. Plus, it requires a specially designed gun to fire it—what’s the advantage in that? And how about heat management? Conventional metallic ammunition extracts about 60% of the combustion-generated heat with each spent cartridge. The remaining 40% sinks into the gun barrel and receiver, and that’s why guns get hot when they’re fired rapidly. Polymer ammunition doesn’t carry (sink) heat, so how is the heat from propellant combustion managed and dissipated from the gun, especially the machine gun variant? Hmmm?

There are some advantages to cased-telescoped ammunition. Round for round, it’s about 40% lighter than metallic cased ammunition. It is approximately two thirds the length of comparative caliber metallic-cased ammunition with a slightly larger diameter—so it’s lighter and takes less overall space. Its ballistics is comparable to conventional ammunition of the same caliber, but its accuracy is touted to be vastly improved, especially at extreme range. However, accuracy is the sum total of several variables like the gun’s barrel quality, twist, caliber, bullet weight and aerodynamic form, sights, terrain, environmental conditions and, perhaps most important, the shooter’s ability. Accuracy, therefore, is not the product of ammunition or firearm alone.

There are some clear disadvantages to cased-telescoped ammunition as well. Cased-telescoped ammunition requires a special family of cased-telescoped weapons to fire it. Conventional weapons cannot be converted to fire cased-telescoped ammunition and vice versa. That means neither the ammunition nor the weapons are NATO interoperable and as such, fall outside the NATO Treaty requiring ammunition interoperability. Further, U.S. law dictates U.S. forces interoperability with our NATO allies. This leaves cased-telescoped weapons and ammunition in the “special use” category, and that in itself is a legal showstopper for its replacement as the DoD main battle rifle and NATO interoperable ammunition.

These concerns need to be addressed, but it appears that Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier is currently in denial. Nonetheless, even though we’re still firing a ballistic projectile downrange like we’ve been doing for centuries (except now it’s 6.8mm), cased-telescoped ammunition and the special weapons that fire it are a step forward in the world of firearms technology, and Textron is leading that charge. For more information see textronsystems.com.

Next Generation Squad Weapons 

On September 3, 2019, SIG SAUER, Inc., Newington, NH, announced the official award of a U.S. Army contract for the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW). The primary objectives set forth by the U.S. Army for the NGSW-AR was a weapon with the firepower and range of a machine gun, coupled with the precision and ergonomics of a rifle. The award encompassed the complete SIG SAUER system consisting of SIG’s unique 6.8mm hybrid ammunition, a lightweight machine gun and rifle (both include suppressors).

Of greatest interest, is SIG’s newly developed, high-pressure, 6.8mm hybrid ammunition that is designed for increased penetration at greater range. SIG’s hybrid ammunition also achieves an important 20% reduction in cartridge weight by bonding a brass cartridge case to a metal base. Yes–a bi-metal cartridge case using dissimilar metals (that otherwise looks like any other off-the-shelf metallic cartridge). In order to prevent metal seam separation resulting from dissimilar metal expansion coefficients when heated and stretched by firing stresses, a lock washer (of sorts) between the two metals prevents case and base separation. The method SIG SAUER is using to manufacture its hybrid ammunition is proprietary, and its guru who knows is not taking calls.

As outlined in the recent award issued by the U.S. Army, SIG SAUER will deliver a complete SIG SAUER system inclusive of the SIG SAUER 6.8mm hybrid ammunition, lightweight machine gun, rifle and suppressors. SIG has historically manufactured quality firearms, and we have no doubt in its ability to continue its stellar track record. See sigsauer.com.

Tactical Rifles 

Otis Defense acquired DRD Tactical on October 1, 2019, and has now become a firearms manufacturer in addition to offering its premier weapons cleaning product line.

DRD Tactical is a market leader in the design and manufacture of innovative modular tactical rifles (takedown guns). Each rifle is designed around three key characteristics: discretion, reliability and precision. They specialize in a patented Quick Takedown rifle that ensures the utmost concealment discretion when operators are traveling on covert missions. These rifles are designed specifically for the military’s SOF and law enforcement elite with a need for discreet carry. DRD will continue design and manufacturing of all its firearms in its Georgia facility while sales, marketing and administrative support will be run out of Otis headquarters in Lyons Falls, NY. Congratulations to Otis and DRD for a great union. We anxiously await your future offerings. See otisdefense.com.

Smart Targets

One of the more interesting technologies showcased at AUSA was Marathon Targets’ T50 autonomous robotic target for outdoor use and the T10 for indoor use. These man-sized robot target platforms are programmed to act with tactical behaviors as they move autonomously about the practice range. The battery-powered wheeled platforms carry a life-size, human-looking mannequin that reacts to being shot, using live fire or sim-ammunition from any direction. When shot, the platform instantly stops and drops the mannequin to a full-flat position. Other platforms involved in the drill will either continue an assault toward the shooter(s) or turn and run for cover, realistically simulating combatant behavior in a firefight. Better yet, should the shot at the mannequin hit the platform control box below the mannequin, the box containing the motor, batteries and computer is armored to survive anything up to and including a .338 hit without penetration.

To add training realism, any number of autonomous units can be employed in any scenario desired, from a few adversaries to a platoon-sized force consisting of dozens. Since they autonomously communicate amongst one another to fill gaps resulting from those shot (killed), or to run for cover when shot at, imagination is the only limit on live-fire training scenarios using these targets. Interestingly, Marathon’s business model is built around renting these targets to the users, both short-term and long-term, rather than selling them. Consequently, you only rent them for the period you need them, and Marathon otherwise mechanically maintains them and keeps the software upgraded. See marathon-targets.com.

Optics and Power Management

Safran Optics 1 located in Bedford, NH, displayed its High Resolution Thermal Viewer (HRTV). The HRTV is the ultimate lightweight observation and targeting device that utilizes three channels: Cooled Thermal, Color Day and Low Light Level. This multiple role viewer additionally offers a 4k-color sensor and global leading laser rangefinder, making it perfect for sniper spotter use, advanced reconnaissance and target ID at greater ranges than previously achievable. This is made possible by its high performance thermal imager, extreme long-range optical observation with an optional lens extender, remote wireless observation, photo/video capture, fall-of-shot ballistic calculator and moving target speed indication. It additionally employs See-Spot Detection that allows the user to view laser designators from JTACs or other aircraft. It runs on CR-123s or the rechargeable Bentronics BT-70915 battery (37 mw) and weighs 4.4 pounds with battery. HRTV’s ruggedized case is both shock- and weather-resistant and designed to work reliably in the extremes of all warfare environments. The HRTV is worthy of close attention. See optics1.com.

Hailing from Newington, NH, Wilcox Industries Corporation showcased its Wilcox “Fusion System.” The Fusion System is a lightweight, integrated, modular power management system that is contained in the M16/M4 assault rifle’s forearm. Its purpose is to bring critical electro-optics and sensors together within a localized Bluetooth-enabled network. This unique system energizes a reflex sight, red visible laser, NIR laser and fixed NIR illuminator as well as a SureFire dual-spectrum head with white and NIR light. The Fusion System’s BlueforceTACTICAL (BTAC) module links into the BTAC mobile command center and provides, among other things, real-time location alignment, shot records and weapon health maintenance. It’s powered by a single CR-123 battery with a second battery chamber for backup. The entire system is designed with the weapon’s center of gravity in mind and so provides a “balanced feel” when aiming, shooting and carrying. See wilcoxind.com.

Aimpoint has created the new standard in pistol reflex sights. FNH was the first manufacturer to produce a pistol with the top of the slide already factory-milled and drilled to accept a top slide-mounted reflex sight. Since the FNP-45 debuted, a number of pistol manufacturers are now offering a factory-ready slide that readily accepts a top-mounted reflex sight. And that brings us to Aimpoint’s ACRO P-1. The ACRO P-1 is a ruggedly built, NVG-compatible, ultra-clear 3.5 MOA red dot sight. It’s submersible (Navy SEALs listen up) to a depth of 82 feet and is shock-tested to survive the recoil stroke of over 20,000 rounds of .40 S&W pistol ammunition. It’s powered by a standard CR-123 3V Lithium battery and only weighs 2.1 ounces. It is the only fully enclosed system in its category and boasts a fully sealed optical channel. Changing the battery is an operator’s dream because it can be easily accomplished without having to remove the ACRO P-1 from the pistol. See aimpoint.com.

B.E. Meyers & Company, Inc., based in Redmond, WA, is known for the advanced photonic systems they develop and manufacture for the defense and aerospace industry. The company’s core competencies include laser solutions for aiming, illumination, targeting and less-than-lethal visual disruption. B.E. Meyers recently added the MAWL®-X1 to the company’s highly successful MAWL® (Modular Advanced Weapon Laser) line of high-powered aiming and illumination laser systems for individual and crew-served weapons. This DoD-specific variant sports a truly modular design comprised of three separate Head, Body and End-Cap components. This modular design allows it to be field maintainable and sustainable at a supply chain level.

The superior ergonomics designed into the MAWL®-X1 provides intuitive operation in the dark, under stress and with gloves on. As an ambidextrous system, it can easily be configured for either right- or left-handed shooters. It features a simple finger-operated switch mechanism with finely balanced power and divergence presets that allow for target transitions from close to long range in under a second. The MAWL®-X1 also features balanced and stacked beams to increase situational awareness and overcome photonic barriers created by external light sources. It additionally delivers unparalleled range and clarity through optimized VCSEL (vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser) technology that vastly increases performance, beam quality, beam clarity and operational efficiency. Even better—it’s made in America by Americans. See bemeyers.com.

Personal Protection

Team Wendy, of Cleveland, OH, is known for its lightweight ballistic helmets and face shield protection. Team Wendy showcased its EXFIL® Ballistic helmet consisting of high-grade components that include a level III-A ballistic shell, a foam impact liner with 16 individual comfort pads in two thicknesses and a boltless-design retaining system with cam-lock sliders for one-hand operation. As helmet systems go, the EXFIL Ballistic helmet provides unequalled protection, comfort and wear-resistance performance. Additionally available in its accessory offering is a fitted helmet cover that provides cable routing slots built into the cover’s loupe-portion. This simplistic solution serves to fully protect power and communications cables and completely eliminate cable snags. Team Wendy’s helmet design and material construction quality speaks for itself—try one, you’ll like it. See teamwendy.com.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

In the world of Class II and Class III UASs , Aeronautics Group based in Yavne, Israel, offers a variety of fixed wing drones with tailorable mission-specific payload capabilities. Of specific note is its Orbiter 4 Small Tactical UAS. With a wingspan of 5.4 meters, a speed of 70kts and a 24-hour endurance capability, this low silhouette, silent flight, non-corrosive composite construction UAS is made for coastal and maritime surveillance. It possesses six autonomous flight modes and autonomously navigates with, or without, GPS or datalink. It is propelled by a spark ignition, internal combustion, multi-fuel engine and is fully operable in harsh weather conditions below the cloud base. Compared to most of the large payload UASs in use today, the Orbiter 4 possesses most of the same surveillance capabilities but in a small, low logistical footprint. This translates to a runway-free tactical UAS that’s easily launched and recovered with a 15-minute turn around cycle. See aeronautics-sys.com.

AI-Controlled Fully Autonomous Robotics

There was an obvious gap in fully autonomous robotic systems on display, save the semi-autonomous (operator-driven) explosive ordnance disposal platforms. It is no secret that AI-controlled fully autonomous robotic land, air, sea surface and underwater platforms are under intense development by numerous international high technology corporations. The U.S. Navy recently let a contract for the purchase of both fully autonomous surface and underwater vessels, and there will be more as computing capabilities continue to advance in speed and other quantum capabilities.

This brings us to considering “Left of Conflict” concepts and future surrogate warfare between AI-controlled robot warriors where AI, and its application, may determine who wins and loses. Another facet of future AI warfare, and a most disturbing one, will be the day that a fully autonomous robot soldier intentionally takes human life. Make no mistake, this scenario is within our technological grasp today, and it will debut in battle at some point in the coming decade.

Currently, the greatest showstopper for fully autonomous robot soldiers is a portable power source with enough energy to sustain operations. Most all-humanoid robots run on rechargeable battery power. Many larger wheeled and tracked robots, including 4-legged robots (mules), carry power generators onboard. But even those are limited by the available fuel quantity carried for their generators.

Battery-powered robots require a recharging capability. A strategy being considered for humanoid solider robots is to intermingle specialized power recharging robots among the soldier robots. The analogy is akin to fighter jets being aerial refueled by specialized tanker aircraft, or the U.S. Navy’s underway replenishment of its warships at sea by resupply ships. Nonetheless, an adequate source for robot power sustainment remains a problem that still needs solving before soldier robots can carry the fight to the enemy and win.

It’s a Wrap

In closing, AUSA never disappoints; however, some years are better than others. “Better” is a relative term applied to a well-attended expo, and/or an expo that just seems to have more new technologies presented. AUSA 2019 was such a show—it was overall well-attended; the active duty military was well-represented; and the defense contractors, technology providers and manufacturers seemed to display more new products than in previous years. This could be a sign of the times and a result of rebuilding of our military, or it could simply be coincidence as the stars align. Either way, AUSA 2019 was a great show. AUSA 2020 is scheduled for October 12–14, 2020, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. See you there.

In an increasingly dangerous world, security is a growth market, and competition lurks around every corner. From surveillance and weapons to equipment and training, defense and security companies are taking a national approach to international trade events, exhibiting as part of their official country pavilions to attract more attention from foreign government, military and private sector buyers around the world.

The current wave of interest in international sales is a textbook business response to four primary market factors:

• globalization and easier access to international markets.
• regional economic growth and prosperity, particularly in emerging markets.
• an uptrend in modernization, capitalizing on new technologies and innovation to ensure effectiveness and interoperability.
• fast-changing defense and security requirements to address shifting threats within and across national borders.

Around the world, trade events are the proven face-to-face marketplace. The practice of packing an exhibit hall in a “destination” location with the industry’s most competitive companies and inviting qualified buyers to come “kick the tires” is a tried-and-true model for international marketing and sales.

The national pavilion amps up the action, wrapping participating exhibitors in their country’s flag as a symbol of greater, more purposeful long-term business relationships.

“National pavilions are a patriotic expression of collective industry pride, presented in the spirit of global partnership,” said Tom Kallman, president and CEO of Kallman Worldwide, organizer of the USA and Canada Partnership Pavilions at well-established global trade events including Defense & Security (Bangkok), Expodefensa (Bogota), Defence Services Asia (Kuala Lumpur), Land Forces (Australia) and the three-show Milipol series (Paris, Qatar and Asia-Pacific), as well as newer homeland security events such as Australia’s CIVSEC and the NATSEC companion to DSA.

“From nation to nation, the national pavilion is an invitation,” said Kallman. “Come see the best our country has to offer, and let’s work together for mutual long-term success.”

As the world’s leading aerospace, defense and security supplier, the United States is often the largest national presence at international industry events (excepting the host country’s home-field advantage), amplifying America’s year-round presence and interests in the region.

For example, the collective participation of more than 40 major American manufacturers, technology innovators and a wide scope of supply-chain leaders exhibiting at DSA 2018 was a strong indication of how important Malaysia and the Indo-Asia-Pacific region are to the United States, and that buyers and influencers throughout the region are likewise looking to the U.S. for innovative solutions and partners to help ensure their long-term economic and homeland security.

“DSA is an opportunity to strengthen the already excellent relationship between the U.S. military and the Malaysian Armed Forces, and it presents opportunities for all visiting military delegations seeking best-in-class capabilities,” said Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, at the beginning of last year’s show. “The United States believes in the importance of building long-lasting partnerships that promote security and prosperity, including through global trade.”

National pavilions are prominent, and also practical. They give participating exhibitors — especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — instant equity and scale on the show floor. That’s the reason Rick Fox, President of Waypoint Counter Surveillance of Whitby, Ontario says he decided to exhibit with Kallman in the Canada Partnership Pavilion at the upcoming Milipol Paris 2019.

“The Canada Partnership Pavilion positions Canada as a global player, and that perception extends to us as a Pavilion exhibitor,” said Fox. “Exhibiting in the Canada Partnership Pavilion at Milipol Paris this year will make it easier for visitors to find our company at the show. And thanks to the added confidence we get from working with Kallman Worldwide — from producing and installing our graphics to arranging for delegations to visit our booth — it will be easier for us to focus on meeting customers.”

The same goes for individual Canadian provinces or American states whose economic development agencies often host their own branded pavilions featuring smaller co-exhibitors within the larger USA Partnership Pavilion space. Their goal is to generate new business and create jobs back home by growing regional exports, helping exhibitors expand overseas through production or distribution partnerships, and/or recruiting international partners to establish or participate in state-based operations.

The shared services or co-op model makes it more cost-effective for small companies to test the waters in an overseas market before diving in.

“We want people to know that Idaho is more than potatoes, and we’re doing a lot to market and promote our state’s aerospace, advanced manufacturing, technology and innovation leadership, but nobody goes to an international aerospace, defense or security show looking first for Idaho,” said Sarah Massie, Senior International Trade Specialist for the Idaho Department of Commerce. “They do look for the United States, because they equate the USA with high quality and innovation. By hosting our Idaho pavilion within the USA Partnership Pavilion we’re able to capitalize on America’s international reputation for quality to expand Idaho’s footprint around the world and bring added value to our state-based co-exhibitors on-site and our communities back home.”

Of course, there is no substitute for the prestige of presenting a big name brand in a national pavilion on the international exhibit floor. For example, amplifying a legacy of leadership and innovation that spans three centuries, a SIG SAUER spokesperson says the manufacturer gains an extra market advantage by exhibiting in the USA Partnership Pavilion at global defense and security events.

“It’s important for SIG SAUER to have a strong presence at international tradeshows to showcase our innovative products that are used by elite forces worldwide, and to introduce our latest developments in next generation weapons to the international marketplace,” said Samantha Piatt, Manager, Communications & Media Relations at SIG SAUER, Inc. “Our participation in the USA Partnership Pavilion provides a full-service business-to-business experience and expands our visibility at international tradeshows. Further, by collectively grouping the U.S. manufacturers together in the Pavilion, it has increased our presence as an exhibitor, and made our booth at these shows a top destination for visitors.”

EXPORT EVENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT

Waypoint Counter Surveillance

“Over the past 10 years we have participated in exhibitions with partners across Europe and the far east as well as in the U.S. While we provide many advanced Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM), surveillance and intelligence related products and systems to customers around the world, our focus during these exhibitions was in support of distribution partners with a few select products. In the process of strengthening our distribution networks, it’s become increasingly apparent that trade shows are an opportunity to strengthen our own brand, too. In particular, we’ve seen direct interest among international delegations in our selection of non-linear junction detectors, RadioInspector TSCM spectrum analysis software and Wi-Fi Inspector analysis system. We look forward to exhibiting with Kallman Worldwide in the Canada Partnership Pavilion at Milipol 2019 in Paris to continue this brand marketing strategy.”

Rick Fox, President

TOP DEFENSE AND SECURITY EVENTS FOR EXPORTERS

MILIPOL PARIS 2019

November 19-22, 2019

2017 Highlights

• 1,005 exhibitors from 53 countries
• 29,939 visitors from 151 countries
• 161 official delegations, 753 delegates from 77 countries

MILIPOL ASIA-PACIFIC 2020 (SINGAPORE)

March 23-25, 2020

2017 Highlights

• 270 exhibitors from 36 countries
• 6,700 visitors from 62 countries
• 70 official delegations from 11 countries

MILIPOL QATAR 2020

October 26-28, 2020

2018 Highlights

• 222 exhibitors from 24 countries
• 8,487 visitors from 101 countries
• 314 official delegates from 48 countries

EXPODEFENSA 2019 (Bogota)

December 2-4, 2019

2017 Highlights

• 269 exhibitors from 34 countries
• 12,500 professional visitors
• 74 official delegations from 30 countries

DEFENSE & SECURITY 2019 (Bangkok)

November 18-21, 2019

2017 Highlights

• 417 Exhibitors from 41 countries
• 16,122 visitors from 61 countries
• 218 delegations

DEFENSE SERVICES ASIA (Kuala Lumpur)

April 20-23, 2020

2018 Highlights

• 1,500 participating companies
• 50,000 visitors
• 350 Delegations from 44 countries

LAND FORCES AUSTRALIA 2020 (Brisbane)

September 1-3, 2020

2018 highlights

• 624 exhibitors from 26 countries
• 15,331 visitors
• 74 delegations

The 8^th edition of Enforce Tac was again billed as the “International Trade Fair for Command, Control and Operational Equipment used by security agencies” was held March 6–7 at the NürnbergMesse Exhibition Centre in Nuremberg, Germany. Running concurrently and immediately adjacent with Enforce Tac 2019 was the Unmanned Technologies & Security (U.T.SEC) exhibition, with the latter including a “Summit for Drones” this year. The two 2019 events, which are not open to the general public and require documentary evidence of professional status for entry, attracted around 5,000 visitors this year, up 35 percent in numbers compared with last year. The Patron at this year’s EnforceTac was Horst Seehofer, the German Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community.

The event continues to grow in size, and this year Enforce Tac 2019 relocated to the larger area provided by exhibition Hall 12. Exhibitor numbers for both events were also up 25 percent over the previous year with an excess of 304 exhibitors (243 in 2018) attending from around the world. Access to the event is via the conveniently located Messe Mitte (centre) entrance which is adjacent to the various entry points for road, metro and car parking.

The extended exhibitor focus is on law enforcement firearms, ammunition, both operational and less-lethal, ballistic accessories, optics, information and communications technologies, search and rescue apparatus and uniforms, with the latter primarily of a service nature including stab and bullet-proof vests, shields, helmets and training accessories.

To provide added value for those attending Enforce Tac, a series of presentations organized by the European Police Trainer Conference 2019 and sponsored by the Polizeitrainer in Deutschland e.V. (Police Trainers in Germany, PiD), were available to attendees that offered up-to-date briefings on subjects of current interest to police, security agencies and customs officials. Day One of the two-day program consisted of a number of presentations covering such areas as the security response to “Attacks on Nuclear Facilities,” “The Reality of School Violence,” “Use of Firearms in a Knife Attack” and “Ballistic and Wound Ballistic Aspects of Non-Lethal Projectiles”—a subject very much at the forefront of law enforcement agencies.

Day Two consisted of practical training and covered such areas as “Rescue and Evacuation from the Red Zone,” “Low Light Operations for First Responders,” and “Fighting in Urban Terrain with Short and Long Weapons,” the latter presented by B&T. AG provided an insightful briefing on the benefits and disadvantages of short-barrelled firearms and the varying ballistic performance to be expected from the use of such. Presentation commentaries were available in both German and English.

Enforce Tac has, since its inception, traditionally preceded the internationally known International Hunting & Sporting (IWA) Trade Fair also held at the NürnbergMesse Exhibition Centre, allowing those attending the former, to attend the latter, which was held over March 9–11. IWA itself continues to grow in size and popularity (vying with the U.S. Las Vegas Shot Show for size), with individual halls now being themed along specific product lines. Hall 5 remains the home of the large U.S. Pavilion (With SADJ’s booth in its usual location) but is now complimented with a growing craft-custom and utility knife area.

Show Highlights

On display was the innovative “PROTECTILE.” This less-lethal device offered by an Austrian developer (that wishes to remain anonymous) comprises a 2-inch spherical composite material projectile which fits into the muzzle of a pistol. When a bulleted cartridge is fired, the impact is absorbed internally by the projectile while at the same time, by design, only a minimal amount of energy is transmitted to the “PROTECTILE,” which then functions as a “less lethal” device. Carried in a belt pouch, the “PROTECTILE” can be instantly selected for use as an alternative less-lethal response in a rapidly changing threat scenario.

The folding compact M3D pistol was exhibited by Las Vegas’ Full Conceal’s booth. Full Conceal offers various models of Glock Gen4 pistols which have been modified to provide a folding pistol-grip. In the fully folded position and fitted with a large-capacity 22-round magazine, the M3D variant measures only 6.9 inches in length and 3.9 inches in height. A “Micro Conversion Kit” is also available to provide a carbine-type configuration.

Seen for the first time at the show was the Glock 46 self-loading pistol. For several decades now, the basic Glock operating system has remained unchanged, with only the odd tweak here and there (“New York” trigger?), so it was a surprise to discover the Glock Model 46 with a rotating barrel and multi-lug locking system. Developed at the request of the German police to meet regulatory needs, the pistol has already entered service in what has become the internationally standard law-enforcement caliber of 9x19mm.

The Enforce Tac visitor was also offered various briefings held in the indoor presentation area and at outdoor demonstrations, 11 in number, held at different times over the two-day show. Depending on the presenter, commentary was available in either German or English.

Show Reminder

Entry requirements: Enforce Tac has strictly defined credentials for access, which must take the form of an official identity card or written confirmation from an approved security authority. Media access is via application to the Media Centre located at the Messe east entrance (Eingang Ost). Pre-registration is available for both eligible visitors and Media.

Enforce Tac Show Master Information

Location

Nuremberg, Germany

Exhibition Venue

NürnbergMesse Exhibition Centre

Website

enforcetac.com

Contact

Exhibition Service Team

T +49 9 11 86 06-80 00

F +49 9 11 86 06-80 01

Next Show

March 4–5, 2020, NürnbergMesse Exhibition Centre

Focus

Enforce Tac provides the latest developments from the world of law enforcement, security and tactical solutions and opportunities to establish new field contacts. The annual show offers accompanying workshops and conferences that appeal to security experts from the police, judiciary, border protection, customs, military police or armed forces.

Enforce Tac has strictly defined credentials for access, which must take the form of an official identity card or written confirmation from an approved security authority. Media access is via application to the Media Centre located at the Messe east entrance (Eingang Ost).

Dress

Business casual.

Hotel Hints

There are hotels close to the underground train stations, private apartments, rooms or homes to rent, and even a campground at Knaus Campingpark which is within walking distance of the exhibition centre. There are several hotels located near the exhibition centre. For further accommodation information, contact Nürnberg Tel +49(0)9 11.86 06-80 20, Fax +49(0)9 11.86 06-84 47, or hotels@nuernbergmesse.de.

Power & Plug Types

230V/50Hz, use an adaptor.

Country Warnings

Be advised that increased caution should be used in Germany due to terrorism threats. Visitors should be aware of their surroundings in tourist and public areas and have an emergency plan.

Cultural Hints

Nuremberg offers a wide variety of restaurants, nightlife and shops along with its many historical sites.

Tipping

Tipping ranges from 5% for small orders to 10% for good service at restaurants. The 10% rule is mostly aimed at restaurant bills of 10 euros or more.

Currency Type 

Euro (EUR). For conversion rates use www.xe.com.

According to TripAdvisor, some hotels, restaurants and other venues will take credit cards, but by far the majority does not. When shopping or consuming anything, it’s always wise to ask in advance; otherwise you’ll be expected to pay in cash. Personal checks are no longer used in Germany.

Getting Around

Attendees can get to the venue by train and car. Fast trains such as the ICE, IC and EC regularly call at the centrally located Nuremberg Central Station. From the Central Station, the U1 underground line towards Langwasser-Süd gets you to the “Messe” station in eight minutes. You can easily call up these and all other local transport connections to the exhibition centre Nuremberg via the VGN (Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg GmbH) connections search.

All underground stations are at least equipped with a lift that goes directly from platform level.

By car use the motorways A3, A6, A9 and A73; you can access the exhibition centre directly via a well-developed network of feeder roads. Simply enter the special destination “Messe” or the address “Karl-Schönleben-Strasse, 90471 Nürnberg” in your navigation system as the destination. In Nuremberg, a modern traffic and parking guidance system shows you the way to the exhibition centre. It responds dynamically to the current traffic situation and directs you to one of a total of 14,000 parking spaces at the exhibition centre via clear access roads.

Taxis can take you from the airport to the exhibition centre in approximately 25 minutes, costing about 27 Euros or $33 per journey. Rental cars are available at the Nuremberg Airport from many familiar companies such as Avis , Hertz and Sixt.

Military Museums

Military Garrison Museum located in the former air raid shelter “Hohe Marter” is devoted to the military history of the region, from the Free Imperial City (to 1806), the Royal Bavarian Army (to 1918), the Reichswehr (to 1933) and Wehrmacht (to 1945) to the U.S. Army and the Bundeswehr of the present era.

The museum illustrates military life with weapons, uniforms and objects related to military organization, as well as with large-scale dioramas (including a segment of a 1916 trench, a 1944 command post and a room in a Bundeswehr barrack).

Tourism

Nuremberg has plenty to offer for sightseeing. Dutzendteich Lake is right next to the site of the exhibition centre where locals meet for pedal boating or in-line skating, stroll along by the lake or relax in the beer garden. Walking tours of the city and medieval sites are available. And for those interested in history visit the nearby former Nazi party rally grounds or the largest cultural museum, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum or see Memorium Nuremberg Trials Court 600, the courtroom where the original Nuremberg trials were held. Here you can visit the permanent exhibit in the Palace of Justice which focuses on the background to, course of and legacy of the Nuremberg trials.

The International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) is a biannual tri-service defence exhibition showcasing the latest products and technologies for Army, Navy and Air Force.

Evolution of IDEX

Since the first exhibition in 1993, IDEX has been steadily growing and attracting new exhibitors and visitors. After a few years, it became the most important defence exhibition in the Middle East; and now a lot of industry professionals call it “the most strategically important defence exhibition in the world.”

In 2017, more than 105,000 visitors from 142 countries attended IDEX. Over 1,300 exhibitors displayed their products at the ADNEC, or Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Large halls and a very well thought-out expo navigation system with maps and information stands and English-speaking personnel made the overall exhibition experience much better.

Surely, IDEX has come a long way since 1993, when the exhibition was organized in the middle of the desert at the UAE Air Force base, inside hangars with no air conditioning or any other proper facilities we take for granted now.

Now, IDEX is one of the more enticing defence shows to visit. Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, is a beautiful coastal city with great beaches, luxury hotels and a lot of activities for any visitor, including kids, in case you want to turn a business trip into a family vacation.

Another great advantage of IDEX is the fact that it has exhibitors and attendees from all over the world, including countries that typically do not participate in any other defence exhibitions because of various political reasons.

Firearms Representation

Even though small arms are not the primary focus of IDEX, there were quite a few companies presenting interesting firearms.

In 2013, Colombian company INDUMIL presented its new 9mm pistol, Cordova. Since 2013, Cordova evolved into a series of handguns, which includes a full-size pistol, its compact size version and “tactical” version with longer barrel and slide cuts. Upon closer examination, I found that Cordova pistols have two unusual features. First of all, the magazine release is unlike anything you’ve seen before. To drop the magazine, one must push it forward. The advantages of this design are unclear, as well as the purpose of a special removable cover for a Picatinny rail that all Cordova pistols have. Other than that, Cordova seems to be a standard modern service pistol with a double/single-action trigger mechanism, plastic frame, removable back straps and a slide-mounted safety, which also functions as the decocker.

 There are few places where one can see Jordanian weapons, and IDEX is one of them. In the recent years, the Jordanian company called “JAWS” (Jordan Armament and Weapon Systems) developed a line of pistols called “JTP”—Jordanian Tactical Pistol.

It has a double- / single-action trigger mechanism; plastic frame and frame-mounted safety and was clearly inspired by the CZ75 design. There are two versions of JTP: full size and compact, both use 17-round magazines.

Another handgun manufactured by JAWS is a 1911. Currently, the factory offers two versions of JAWS 1911: standard and custom, both chambered for 45 ACP. The custom version has an integrated compensator, Picatinny rail and night sights. Recently, this pistol could be seen in the YouTube video where King of Jordan Abdullah II and his son are participating in a firearms training session. The custom JAWS 1911 was the King’s back-up weapon, and he seemed to be very proficient with it.

Russian Concern Kalashnikov brought to the exhibition its new AK- variants: AK-15 and AK-203. Both rifles have Picatinny rails on the receiver cover and handguard, M4-style adjustable telescoping stocks and ergonomic pistol grips. SADJ had a detailed article about the AK-12/AK-15 in Volume 10, No. 4, “AK-12 and AK-15—5th Generation Kalashnikov Rifles for the 21^st Century Russian Military.”

During the exhibition, the Indian government announced a procurement deal for 750,000 AK-203 rifles. Most of the rifles are to be manufactured in India at the new production facility in Korwa.

Sudan always has some of the most visually impressive booths at the entire exhibition. This time their stand looked like an ancient fortress lost in the desert. Sudanese small arms on display included a copy of a PKM machine gun called MOKHTAR, a copy of an SVD called MOKHTAR-1 and a KHAWAD-1 anti-materiel rifle that was missing a pistol grip.

While the concept of MSBS, a modular rifle that can be reconfigured into a bull-pup, has been around for a while, development of the .308 version-only started at the end of 2015. First pictures of the new rifle were released in September 2018.

The original MSBS chambered for 5.56×45 was developed at Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom, a large and well-known manufacturer of Polish AKs such as “Tantal,” “Beryll,” as well as the PM63 submachine gun and other prominent weapons.

Caracal, state-owned firearm manufacturer from United Arab Emirates, presented many interesting firearms in its booth. One of the new products Caracal showcased was the CMP9 submachine gun. Chambered for 9×19, operated by simple blow-back, this weapon has an AR-15-style safety/selector mechanism, bolt release and charging handle. Since the company currently has a branch in the U.S., it is safe to assume that pistol caliber carbines based on the CMP9 will eventually be available on the U.S. market.

Traditionally, Russian companies have a huge presence in IDEX. For many international visitors, it might be the only opportunity to see some of the strange and interesting Russian small arms “in the flesh.”

This time, Tula-based KBP Instrument Design Bureau had two different 50-caliber sniper rifles: OSV-96 and VKS.

Several years ago the author had a chance to shoot an OSV-96. It is a semi-automatic, anti-materiel sniper rifle chambered for Russian 12.7×108 rounds. Magazine capacity is five rounds; the rifle is gas-operated with a rotating bolt that has four locking lugs. Recoil was pretty mild, thanks to a large muzzle break. I would say that OSV-96 was more comfortable to shoot than a lot of rifles chambered in .338 Lapua.

While I didn’t have a chance to conduct a proper accuracy test, I never missed a metal plate that we used as a target, and it was 500 meters away. Being an anti-materiel rifle first, OSV-96 cannot demonstrate minute-of-angle accuracy but is still accurate enough for the intended purpose.

VKS is an entirely different design. It is a suppressed, straight pull bolt-action bullpup sniper rifle. VKS is chambered for proprietary 12.7×55mm subsonic rounds. While the concept might sound appealing, the reviews from the field were all but flattering. Snipers complained that the heavy subsonic bullet has the, quote: “trajectory of a brick,” making long-range shooting almost impossible. Other issues include poor ergonomics, stoppages and less than desirable accuracy. Hopefully, this weapon will be upgraded in the future, since the concept has some value.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, IDEX is one of the best defence shows in the world right now and is a must-visit event for anyone who wants to do defence- and security-related business in the MENA region.

SHOW MASTER INFO: International Defence Exhibition & Conference

Location

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Exhibition Venue

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)

Website

idexuae.ae

Contact

General Inquiries

info@idexuae.ae

Sales

Shahla Karim

+971 (0) 2 406 3362

shahla.karim@adnec.ae

For Operations Inquiries

Operations Team

+971 (0) 2 406 3548

operations@idexuae.ae

Marketing

Nasma Al Ameri

+971 (0) 2 406 3750

nasma.alameri@adnec.ae

For media Inquiries

Dana Al Hanaee

+971 (0) 2 406 3860

dana.alhanaee@adnec.ae

Next Show

February 21-25, 2021, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)

Focus

Defence and military products, technologies and solutions

Dress

Business casual

 Show Food

There are plenty of food and snacks at the show. In 2019, organizers added several spots for food trucks inside the courtyard. Many regional cuisines are available; just keep in mind that the food at the show can be quite expensive.

Hotel Hints

There are plenty of hotels in Abu Dhabi, but since IDEX attendance is getting bigger every year, by the first day of the exhibition all hotels in the city are already booked. The author suggests that you try to book at least six months in advance.

 Power & Plug Types

220 volt 50 cycle. Abu Dhabi uses both the standard European two prong and the UK-style three large prong outlets, so prepare for both.

Country Warnings

United Arab Emirates is considered to be one of the safest countries in the world. It is quite westernized and liberal by Islamic country standards, but you still have to be careful about certain aspects of culture.

If you’re with your family, spouse or significant other, keep in mind that public display of affection such as hugs, hand holding, kisses are punishable by law. The internet is heavily censored, and many popular messengers such as WhatsApp do not support calls while you’re in the UAE. Generally, avoid any conflicts with citizens of UAE, since in the court of law you will be depicted as an aggressor and ultimately lose the case.

 Tipping

Service charges on restaurant bills generally go to the restaurant (not the staff), so it is best to give your server cash directly. Tipping is for excellent service; 10% is an adequate amount for most restaurants and bars.

Currency Type

United Arab Emirates dirham (AED). Check the currency exchange rate at www.xe.com.

An overwhelming majority of hotels, restaurants and other venues will take credit cards, but having some cash in local currency is always a good idea. Personal checks are not used.

Getting Around

Public transportation in Abu Dhabi is limited; most IDEX attendees use taxi or hire minibuses. Uber is available as well as many taxi companies. Keep in mind that most taxis do not have a GPS, so you would have to know exactly where you going-address and notable landmarks near your destination.

Most of the time you cannot pay with your credit or debit card in a taxi (you can in Dubai), so make sure you have cash and sufficient amount of change.

Tourism

Abu Dhabi offers a wide variety of restaurants, nightlife and shopping malls, most prominent being Marina Mall and Abu Dhabi Mall.

Typical activities include desert safari–you can off-road ride in the desert on a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 or museum-quality 1950s Land Rovers, if you prefer vintage vehicles. After a thrilling ride, tourists typically spend some time in a desert camp and enjoy dinner and shows.

If you have enough time, you can spend a couple of days in Dubai, visit the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, and enjoy the unique atmosphere this city has.

By Richard D. Jones

 The fourth International Military-Technical Forum was held at the Patriot Expo Congress and Exhibition Center (Patriot Expo) over August 21-26, 2018. The exhibition center is located about 60km from Moscow in the Odintsovsky District, Moscow Region on the site of the former military base and armoured vehicle training area, the testing facility known historically as Kubinka.

Patriot Expo, which opened in 2015, features an extensive collection of display areas, manufacturers’ exhibition buildings and visitor activity areas. The Army-2018 forum itself is centered in the imposing exposition Pavilion building, with the overall layout of the site comprising centrally located permanent display areas of armoured vehicles and artillery. Elsewhere on the site are the Congress Center building and two additional smaller exhibition buildings used for themed displays. Access to the enclosed Patriot Expo area is via three entry points—Entrance A-C are for all visitors, with Entrance B being indicated for VIP visitors and Entrance C for Media.

In addition to the static display areas there are large areas given over to outdoor display areas, with virtually all of the major Russian defence industry manufacturers participating. Manufacturers’ outdoor pavilions are also sited in the display areas in front of the main Pavilion. The main Pavilion building has four designated halls (A-D) with access to the pavilion being gained by three external access points, which is convenient to the visitor given the large size of the facility. Halls A through C are predominantly those of the smaller manufacturers or those exhibitors providing supporting services in the security, Information Technology, specialist product manufacturers, clothing and uniform insignia areas to name just a few. Hall D is also a focal point for the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) with many organizations within the MoD represented, including personnel support and historical groups.

Excellent weather allowed the keen attendee to view all of the outdoor displays without hindrance and, which apart from those already mentioned, included a special display of the next generation armoured and artillery equipment now under advanced development for the Russian armed forces. Technical specifications displayed for each may be of interest to the readers.

Specification Chart—Basic Technical Details of Next Generation Armoured Vehicles and Artillery

(*) – Vehicle platform is based on BMP-3.

 Additional Activities Within the Patriot Expo Area

Although called “Army-Forum” there is large tri-service participation with field/live-fire demonstration “clusters” all within the greater Patriot Expo area. The Air Force cluster is based on the airfield at Kubinka, and the Naval Force demonstration cluster is at Alabino, as is the Land Force demonstration cluster. A free shuttle bus service is provided from the rail station Kubinka-1 for the Air Force demonstration area and from the rail station at Alabino for the Naval and Land demonstration areas. There is also a shuttle bus service to/from the demonstration areas all of which are a considerable distance from the main exposition site. Visitors to the demonstration areas are strongly advised to “plan in advance” if they wish to attend one or all of the foregoing.

A comprehensive “Congress Program” of round table discussions and outdoor presentations occur throughout the period of the exposition. The foregoing are held in varying locations within the greater Patriot Expo park area. In the past, a comprehensive program of events and locations has been provided in electronic and hardcopy formats. Those visitors wishing to attend any of the listed events should check eligibility to do so in advance and check language requirements, as it is thought most conferences are held in Russian (not unreasonable given the event and host nation).

For Army-2018 there was a concurrent “International Forum—Security Week Russia.” This was based in Exhibition Hall E with related conferences being held in the adjacent Hall F. Both halls are located within the Patriot Expo perimeter and just a short walk from the main entrances of the Expo Pavilion. It was stated that “Security Week Russia” was focused on enhancement of efficiency of federal executive authorities’ activity in order to stimulate the development of national security industry. With participation by Fire, Environmental, Food, Transportation and Emergency Medicine organizations among others, the Security Week Russia conference program is listed in the foregoing Congress Program.

Outside of the exposition area are additional manufacturers’ display pavilions which form part of the overall Army-Forum event and are open to visitors, such as the AO Tactical Missile Armament Corporation (АО «Корпорация Тактическое Ракетное Вооружение), the missile and weapon manufacturer having a large indoor display, with an additional outdoor display of the larger missile systems, giving visitors the opportunity see close-up what is normally only seen at a distance. The Rostex, the building of the State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology Industrial Products (Государственная корпорация по содействию разработке, производству и экспорту высокотехнологичной промышленной продукции «Ростех») provided additional display areas for manufacturers and included JSC “Bazalt” (АО «НПО «Базальт») which has developed an extended range of special purpose missile launchers and associated munitions.

Another major manufacturer’s pavilion which is outside the exposition site (although separated only by a perimeter security fence) is the Concern Kalashnikov (CK) building with administration and meeting rooms above; the ground floor is given over to an indoor display area for the group’s military small arms as manufactured by the former Izhmash (AKs) and Izhmek, more commonly known as Baikal, continuing to offer a wide range of sporting and hunting firearms. Concern Kalashnikov has also broadened its manufacturing base with subsidiary companies now producing specialist law-enforcement vehicles and riverine patrol craft. Small arms displayed at the 2018 Expo included the newly adopted AK-12 5.45x39mm assault rifle which is a substantial upgrade of the current service issue AK-74M. Its companion AK-15 is offered in the traditional 7.62 M43 caliber. Also replacing the long-serving RPK-74 light machine gun is the RPK-16, again in 5.45mm caliber but featuring a mission exchangeable barrel length option.

The magazine-fed “bullpup” bolt-action anti-materiel rifle currently under advanced development was shown together with two new sporting caliber self-loading rifles: the TG2, based on the AK-74 in caliber .366-inch TKM with Paradox rifling and in a similar vein the TG3, based on the SVD Dragunov, although it’s chambered for the 9.6mm/53 Lancaster cartridge, the rifle having oval-bore Lancaster rifling. Both of the latter currently are being classed as “shotguns” in accordance with Russian firearms legislation.

Visitor advisory: The CK indoor display area attracts large numbers, and visitors should be aware that access may be restricted at certain times.

Within the greater Patriot Expo area Concern Kalashnikov has a purpose-built, multi-lane shooting range. Access to the range, which is by invitation-only, is by shuttle bus from the Concern Kalashnikov Pavilion. This year at the range the company demonstrated several of its new and prototype weapons. Visitors wishing to visit the shooting range should inquire in the first instance at the CK Reception desk in the main Pavilion.

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International Military-Technical Forum ARMY-2018 Show Master Info

Location

Moscow Region, Russian Federation

Venue

Patriot Expo Congress and Exhibition Center

Website:

rusarmyexpo.ru

Contact

Stepan Kolnoochenko
Tel./ fax.: +7 (495) 640-55-00, ext. 419
Email: kolnoochenko@icecompany.org

Nikita Lurchikov
Tel./ fax.: +7 (495) 640-55-00, ext. 423
Email: iurchikov@icecompany.org

Next Show

June 25-30, 2019 (This is a change from previous events which were all held in August.)

Focus

Army-2018 is based on and themed around the Army and Air Force displays and exhibitions, in conjunction with defence manufacturers of the Russian Federation and other invited countries. Public and family attendance are encouraged.

Show Opening Times

August 21, Tuesday (Opening Day): Attendance restricted to VIP/Media

August 22–26, Wednesday–Sunday: General admittance

Show Requirements

Proof of identity (National identity document/Passport for foreigners)

Ticket purchase: Entry tickets are obtained onsite; cost (2018) is circa USD $25/day.

Visa Requirements

With some exceptions, all visitors to the Russian Federation will require an entry visa obtained before travel. Visa requirements are dependent on visitors’ nationality. Visits to the Russian Federation usually require a letter of “Invitation” to support the visa application. It should be noted that visa processing times can be protracted, and intending visitors should begin the process as early as possible or risk the considerable expense of last minute visa costs. (Intending visitors are in fact advised not to make any travel arrangements until a travel visa has been issued.)

Media

A comprehensive Media facility is onsite and available for use by all registered Media. It should be noted that in 2018 an unannounced change that required all foreign-based journalists to be accredited by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs resulted in denial of press accreditation by those Media arriving without the aforementioned accreditation, which cannot be obtained at short notice. Media wishing to attend in 2019 should immediately check current accreditation requirements.

Getting Around

Public Transportation

The exhibition center which is located approximately 60km to the west of Moscow, is most easily accessed by rail using the main suburban rail station at Belorussky Vauxhall (Белорусский вокзал); trains to Golitsyna or Kubinka-1 and Alabino depart every 30 to 40 minutes. Journey times vary with approximately 50 minutes for all stations’ service to about 35 minutes for the express service (which has limited stops) to Golitsyna, the recommended arrival station for the Patriot Expo center.

Internal Onsite Transportation

All rail arrival points are serviced by a free shuttle bus service with departures every few minutes. There is also an internal shuttle bus service between the exposition center and outlying demonstration areas. Details of bus services/route numbers are provided online or onsite in hardcopy form.

By Car

Those intending to travel by car should be aware of heavy traffic congestion at peak hours, not only leaving and entering Moscow but at the arrival/departure points at Patriot Expo. Car parking (paid) is available onsite, but it should be noted that the 2019 travel advisory suggests travel by other means due to high levels of parking space usage.

Travel by suburban rail services and Metro services is inexpensive, and officially licenced taxis all charge by the meter. Credit/Debit card payments for the latter are limited.

 Accommodation

Foreign visitors may wish to stay within the greater Moscow area which is serviced by a very comprehensive public transportation system. For convenience, the Moscow Metro connects directly with the Belorussky Vauxhall station, the main departure point for the exhibition center. The Tverskaya area in which the Belorussky station is situated is well-provided with reasonably priced hotels with adjacent shopping areas, restaurants and bars.

Language

The Army-2019 website offers English and Chinese in addition to Russian. First-time visitors should be aware that while the English language may be understood in the Moscow area, elsewhere Russian is the sole language and communication. However, increasing use is being made of dual Russian/English signage on the road and rail transportation networks. Should you need to inquire in English, it is best to approach the younger generation who now routinely learn the language. At the Forum, helpful multilingual speakers can help find who will provide the necessary linguistic support.

Museums

Incorporated within the greater Kubinka area and under the umbrella of the Patriot Expo center are the large tank and smaller Air Force museums. Visitors wishing to visit either should view the respective museum websites well in advance of any visit. The Kubinka Tank Museum recommends, for a number of reasons, a guided tour with translator for non-Russian speaking visitors. The Kubinka Tank Museum website: tankmuseum.ru/kubinka

Security

Moscow, like any major city, has areas that should be avoided. The Tverskaya-Belorussky Station area as already mentioned is convenient for both travel to and from the exposition and for sight-seeing within the central Moscow area. First-time visitors would be advised to use a reputable travel agency/airline to book suitable accommodations. Credit/debit cards are widely accepted in the metropolitan areas and at railway stations reducing the need to carry large sums of cash. ATMs in Moscow are generally available in tourist hotels and commercial areas.

Story By Robert Bruce, Military Affairs Editor

“We’re going to go shopping; we’re going to put gear in the hands of Marines in order to figure out if we need it. That’s turning the world upside down … we need to get Marines—junior Marines—together with industry in a conversation way earlier than we have been comfortable with in the past.”

—Lt. Gen. David Berger, Commanding General of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC)

 Speaking at the opening ceremony for the 38^th MDM Expo, three-star General Berger threw the door wide open for both close-range and leap-ahead technologies and ideas, recently enabled by significant budget increases after years of what many saw as intentional starvation under the previous presidential administration. And the Corps, with a deserved reputation as the most nimble and warfighting-focused of the U.S. Armed Forces, would shake up traditionally cumbersome acquisition processes by inviting and more seriously considering ideas from Marines of all ranks as well as businesses big and small.

Berger’s forceful commitment was energetically supported in all aspects of this annual Expeditionary Warfare extravaganza, where defense industry reps and Navy/Marine Corps program offices showed their wares and interacted with high value attendees—not just generals, Pentagon potentates and allied military shoppers, but multitudes of muddy boots Marines with plenty of combat experience.

Show, Tell, Listen

U.S. Marines and civilians attend the 2018 Modern Day Marine Military Expo on Lejeune Field, Marine Corps Base (MCB) Quantico, Va., Sept. 26, 2018. The Modern Day Marine Military Exposition is a 3-day expo that showcases the latest in defense manufacturing, science, technology and warfighting products presented by approximately 400 exhibitors. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by James H. Frank)

This year saw an expanded set of formal presentations, information panels, product demonstrations and “Booth Briefs” both scheduled and off-the-cuff for up-close interaction.

Perhaps most useful to potential vendors came on opening day in the form of info-packed Briefs to Industry by Marine Corps Systems Command and its components. In addition to stage-setting overviews, specific needs were identified in ground combat, logistics, support and training.

Ground Combat is our focus so we zeroed in on the presentation by Colonel Mike Manning, GCE Portfolio Manager, that led off with the very welcome news that funding has increased dramatically and is projected to move steadily upward by more than $133 million by fiscal year 2020.

On the weapons track, he’s looking for help from industry with a prioritized list including variable power day optics, binocular night vision goggles, multi-spectral imagers and rangefinders, medium machine gun modernization and a “next generation squad weapons/rifle,” a noble but seemingly endless quest.

Oh, and now that the Corps is buying 15,000 more of HK’s superlative M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles, the ongoing search for a rugged, reliable, higher capacity feed device intensifies. Maybe like MAGPUL’s compact, unstoppable 40-round PMAG M3 drum?

Now, having the new hardware is one thing, but making sure it’s used most effectively by grunts and others in the fight is daunting—particularly as everything on the battlefield gets more and more high-tech.

Colonel Lois Lara, Training Systems’ Program Manager, called for emerging technologies to enhance and improve head-mounted displays and moving past serious limitations in current laser systems being used for small arms in force-on-force training.

The follow-on Brief to Small Business was a lifeline to those offering worthy products to meet identified needs but a bit short in the “how do we let the Marine Corps know what we’ve got?”

[Author’s Note: The website for MDM Expos is among the most comprehensive and user-friendly we’ve encountered. There’s a wealth of info for exhibitors and attendees, as well as an invaluable portal for those unable to attend in person. Links are available to the actual content of the Briefs to Industry from MCSC’s Commander and Portfolio Managers. Links are also available at marcorsyscom.marines.mil. For specific solicitations and contract awards see FedBizOpps.gov or fbo.gov.  Also, Defense Innovation Marketplace is a comprehensive resource: defenseinnovationmarketplace.mil.]

Some additional presentations over the expo’s three days featured the “Close Combat Lethality Task Force,” “Synthetic Training Environment” and informed speculation on the “Future Operating Environment.”

New this year were concurrent presentations in the Marine Corps University’s on-site Expeditionary Seminar Facility. Attendees sampled sessions on “Expeditionary Energy,” “Cybersecurity” and a hush-hush (closed session) explaining once and for all, “Why the North Won the Civil War ….”

Regularly scheduled “Booth Briefs” were offered by a number of exhibitors, and we hastened to observe Warfighting Laboratories’ show ‘n’ tell on the tough and versatile Marathon Robotics system. These somewhat eerie, man-sized, mobile targets move around realistically and flop over “dead” when hit. MCWFL also provided on-the-spot briefings from Center for Lessons Learned, the Technology Initiative Screening Branch and RCO’s rapid development and delivery of operational prototypes to forces in the fight.

Marksmanship Technology Demonstration (MTD)

“Once per year, Weapons Training Battalion in conjunction with Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, will invite select industry participants to the Marksmanship Technology Demonstration to demonstrate commercial off-the-shelf technologies with potential to address Marine Corps marksmanship gaps. The Marksmanship Technology Demonstration is not a tradeshow.” —MTD RFI

Again this year, a formal RFI (Request for Information) issued months before MDM 18, invited industry participation in an MTD exclusively for “Marine Corps units/agencies that are within the capability development process.”

[Author’s Note: Officials emphasize that the MTD is not associated with MDM but is “aligned to make it easier for the vendors to participate.” Smart move all around.]

Here’s the list of this year’s industry participants, as released by Warfighting Lab: Daniel Defense, SIG SAUER, Competition Machine, Tri-State Precision, H-S Precision, Steyr Arms, NEMO Arms, American Technologies Network, Trijicon, FN, Mantis, Marathon Targets, Pratt & Miller Defense, Smart Detection Initiatives, Oakwood Controls, Conflict Kinetics and Horus Vision.

The product demonstration and live-fire event was closed to civilian press, but in a televised interview with the USMC’s “Saved Rounds” video news feature series, Captain Bryan Grogan, Operations Officer for Weapons Training Battalion, provided this perspective: “The purpose of this is to link up vendors and capability developers, [and] requirements writers so they can see what is in the realm of the possible in regards to marksmanship technologies.”

Sharp-eyed viewers will recognize several of the weapons and technologies seen in action in the video, accessible on YouTube and at facebook.com/moderndaymarine (scroll down to October 5).

So, if you think your company has what it takes for serious consideration, be watching for next year’s RFI on fbo.gov.

More than 360 Exhibitors

For all three days of the expo while deadly serious information was being dispensed in the Briefing Center tent, the other giant tents and the outside displays were buzzing with activity as visitors ranging from youthful enlisted Marines to high-level military, DoD and industry potentates patrolled the aisles.

Discipline is needed to avoid being overwhelmed by the variety of offerings on display and the sheer size of many including hulking AFVs, artillery pieces, real aircraft and the like.

All are certainly compelling to others, but man-portable weaponry is our stock in trade. 2018’s lineup included weapons from prominent names like American Rheinmetall, FN, General Dynamics, Glock, HK and SIG SAUER. Some of their rivals in the firearms arena included Arbor Arms, Geissele and LaRue.

Short Bursts

Space limitations dictate just brief notes on some of the things we encountered, so follow-up info is encouraged by visiting vendor websites as noted.

SIG SAUER MHS and more. Flushed with victory, of course, in winning the multi-service Modular Handgun competition, they showcased the M17 and M18 versions, along with a full selection of other pistols and long arms. Most all, by the way, were going to be made available for handling and shooting at the concurrent Marksmanship Tech Demo. sigsauer.com

FN 509 Tactical. Heavily advertised these days in most gun- and defense-related magazines, the versatile 509 Tactical drew a lot of admiring attention at their sprawling display that was dramatically dominated by the fuselage of a “Little Bird” helo. fnamerica.com

Barrett MRAD. Touting “Modularity Without Compromise,” this bolt-action tack driver offers six distinct cartridge options. barrett.net

AimLock R-M1. Augmenting battle-proven stabilized, remotely operated weapons stations with innovative automatic targeting technology, it features ruggedized computing and display modules with a gamer-style controller. aim-lock.com

LaRue Tactical BET. When a glitch kept away the weapons they planned for display, these tough Texans rallied to release a herd of 500 distinctive armadillo-configured “Beverage Entry Tools” branded with MDM 18 and the classic USMC logo. larue.com

SAAB Carl Gustaf. One of the bigger weapons we were drawn to was the latest M3E1/M4, tapped by the Marines to eventually arm every infantry squad with one of these devastating tank and bunker-busters. saab.com

Taking Aim

Aimpoint FCS13RE. The Carl Gustaf and similar launch platforms get superior hit probability on static and moving targets with this Dynamic Universal Reflex Sighting super system from Sweden. aimpoint.com

Photonis Vyper 14. The AN/PVS-14, a SPECOPS favorite, now gets 40% greater range with the new 4G image intensifier tube. photonis.com

Leupold. Well-proven in combat and competition, Leupold’s Delta Point Pro is a tough, economical, high-performance red dot for pistols, shotguns and carbines. leupold.com

Excelitas Talon. Rugged and compact, this new clip-on image intensifier/uncooled thermal imaging weapon sight gives all-weather performance. excelitas.com

Optics 1 I-CUGR. The Integrated Compact Ultralight Gun-Mounted Rangefinder gives the operator the ability to range man-sized targets out to 1500 meters. optics1.com

Trijicon VCOG. This tank-tough 1-6×24 power Variable Combat Optical Gunsight boasts an LED illuminated, first focal plane BDC reticle. trijicon.com

Nice to Have

MAGPUL Bipod. Their ever-expanding line now includes a clever bipod with distinctively configured, quick-adjusting legs. magpul.com

KF Armory Defense MIB²S. Designed for easy assembly, disassembly and extreme durability, the Modular Interlocking Ballistic Barrier System’s giant super blocks defeat .50 BMG APIT projos. kfarmory.com

Meggitt Linkless Magazines. Metallic-linked 30mm ammo is too heavy and prone to feed problems, so their linkless magazines are winners for machine-cannon systems. meggitdefense.com

Quantico Tactical LRAD. Adding to their offerings by leaps and bounds, this mega gun seller has now partnered with LRAD Corp. to offer the Long Range Acoustic Devices, including the new 450XL. quanticotactical.com

American Rheinmetall. Among its many superior quality munitions, the company’s 40mm MK281 training grenade uses unique target marking technologies, giving USMC MK19 gunners realistic day and night training. americanrheinmetall.com

Arnold Defense. Long recognized for superior launch systems for area suppression with 2.75-in. rockets, the new FLETCHER uses advanced rocket guidance technology for land-based, vehicle-mounted applications. arnolddefense.com

Laser Shot. Who can resist the chance to fire machine guns and pistols right in the middle of the show floor? Countless Marines and others tried their skills on the MMTS and SimRange simulators. lasershot.com

Revision’s additions. Perhaps best known for excellent ballistic eye protection, the company’s offerings now include the Viper Helmet System, tactical power packs and communication components. revisionmilitary.com

Spyderco. This highly respected blademaker’s pro line features the new compact Para 3 folders that offer full-service cutting performance for professional end users who want versions optimized for tactical use. Available in a variety of handle colors and blade edges in stainless and matte black. spyderco.com

Small Business, Big Ideas

We always make it a point to visit the Small Business Pavilion and again found much to recommend. We needn’t say too much about Cheata Tactical’s quick entry tee shirt for nursing military moms (cheatatactical.com), but the RHTT (Robotic Human Type Target) under development by SimIS shows promise as a potential rival to Marathon’s near lock on the smart, tough, roll-around sniper target market. simisinc.com

The Corps’ Small Biz office was strategically located right there in the tent, busily dispensing advice to eager applicants. marcorsyscom.marines.mil

Honorable Mention

Battle Challenge. Gyrene gladiators flocked to the expo’s newest and most spectacular event, to strain, sweat and shoot in an exciting and fast moving “Fire and Maneuver” contest that incorporates highly relevant military skills and fitness challenges that include precision laser M4 carbine shooting, cargo net climb, rope descent, man-down rescue and more. Participants compete against each other and the clock to earn “Best of the Best!” battlechallenge.org

National Museum of the Marine Corps. It would be close to criminal negligence to come all the way to the expo yet fail to visit the Corps’ spectacular, state-of-the-art museum, just outside the main gate. usmcmuseum.com or marineheritage.org

The Navy claims ownership of the Marines, so cutting edge research and development at Office of Naval Research (ONR) deserves respect and attention in exhibits. While this super high tech command has lots of spooky projects in the works, we gun guys are most interested in things that facilitate hole-punching one way or another. Some examples are the continuing work on lightweight and caseless ammunition, leap-ahead improvements in integrated day–night optics and lots of directed energy initiatives.

Something for Everyone

Other firms and military entities offering innovative weapon sights, ammo, accessories, edged weapons, hydration, chow, extreme weather clothing, rugged gear, VR worlds, tactical tea and more, enjoy not only our attention but that of salty Marines of all ranks swarming the aisles. Word of particularly notable items and other things of interest gets around quickly, and reps are always kept busy with show-and-tell duties.

Oh, and thousands of free copies of Small Arms Review and Small Arms Defense Journal were handed out by the friendly and energetic Chipotle Publishing team. Best deal at the show.

A full listing of exhibitors, their websites and other information may be found at www.marinemilitaryexpos.com.

“Expeditionary Convention Center”

 It’s billed as “the world’s largest military exposition focusing on enhanced capabilities for expeditionary forces.” Kicked up a notch yet again under the leadership of Alex Hetherington, a veteran Marine Aviator, this year’s Modern Day Marine Expo was held from September 25 through 27 aboard Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia.

Co-sponsored by the base, the Marine Corps League and Marine Corps Systems Command, the 38^th Annual MDM showcased the products and services of close to 400 entities that support military land, air and sea operations.

Wendell W. Webb, National Commandant of the Marine Corps League, emphasized his organization’s vision for this annual event. “The Marine Corps League is committed to the Modern Day Marine Expo as a program to share the development and awareness of the tools our future Marine Warriors will need for the next unknown conflict. This type of expo allows the industry team to interact with the planners, General officers, Staff NCOs, NCOs and the Warriors on the ground or in the air, sharing the needs and ideas of future weapon systems that turn into requirements then tactics.”

Exhibits at this year’s exposition filled three enormous, sparkling white, climate-controlled tents, as well as several others showcasing small business and housing the official briefings. These, and adjacent space in the outdoor display area, were packed with the latest operational equipment and technology, along with videos, models and prototypes of items soon to enter service.

Defense contractors from throughout the U.S. and some allied nations signed on to show their products and services, get feedback from the warfighters and respond to questions.

Much of the equipment now used by Marines and other U.S. and allied forces confronting enemies in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the globe was first presented to military leaders, operations planners and acquisition managers at previous editions of the expo.

As well as experiencing the latest, greatest technological advances, attendees can go face-to-face with many of the nonprofit organizations and agencies that exist to assist service members and veterans.

“Crossroads of the Marine Corps”

Strategically located about 30 minutes’ drive south of Washington, DC, America’s capitol city with powerful lawmakers, the Pentagon, numerous defense contractors and foreign embassies, MCB Quantico is an ideal expo location.

It is home of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, charged with developing Marine warfighting concepts and determines the Corps’ capability requirements for doctrine, equipment, organization, training, education and support.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory at Quantico is part of the Development Command and responsible for improving current and future naval expeditionary warfare capabilities for the Marines and their amphibious roles and missions.

Also at Quantico is Marine Corps Systems Command, principal agency for acquisition and sustainment of systems and equipment for the Marines’ warfighting mission. Many of the personnel who staff those organizations took advantage of continuously running shuttle buses to visit the exhibit halls and discuss missions, capabilities and requirements with defense industry professionals.

Honors and Awards

With so many high-level Marine leaders and other VIPs converging on the expo, important ceremonial events are conveniently scheduled to coincide. Bad weather on Wednesday moved the customary Enlisted Awards parade inside the main Briefing Center tent. There, eight outstanding Marines and one Navy Hospital Corpsman were standing tall to be personally congratulated by Commandant Neller, along with the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps and the Commandant of the Marine Corps League.

For us, the Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock II Award for outstanding contribution to marksmanship training is most prominent among these. 2018’s honoree was Sergeant Kailub S. Young for his exemplary performance while serving as the Line Staff NCO, Charlie Range, Range Company, Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. His award citation notes some 4,589 recruits under his supervision and with his numerous innovations, achieved a record 98.71 percent Combat Marksmanship Initial Qualification, with 2,264 scoring “Expert.” This “undoubtedly enhanced the capabilities of the Marines obtained by Operational Forces.”

Marine Military Expos 2019

Next year’s Modern Day Marine Expo is scheduled for September 17-19, once again aboard MCB Quantico, Virginia. This is the largest of three related shows where exhibitors meet the Marines on their own turf.

Marine West Expo 2019 is slated for February 7-8 at Camp Pendleton, CA, and Marine South Expo 2019 for April 11-12 at Camp Lejeune, NC. Both are held at home installations for two of the Marine Corps’ expeditionary forces, which are continually training and dispatching fighting elements to a broad spectrum of missions around the world “in the air, on land and at sea.”

Exhibitors at the Marine Military Expos meet and exchange information, face-to-face, with not only the users of their equipment but also the men and women responsible for equipping the Corps, tasked with a broad range of existing and emerging demands.

In addition to displaying products before thousands of users, Marine Military Expo exhibitors also exchange information with their target audience, listen to their needs and gain valuable insight into what works best in a wide array of combat, combat support and combat service support situations. Marines who have recently returned from wartime missions not only provide feedback but also convey suggestions and ideas that are often considered and adopted in designing or improving equipment and systems.

The decision-makers and procurement experts who exhibitors want and need to meet attend the expos for up-close and personal exposure to the leading-edge equipment, systems and services—solutions their Marines need for the years ahead. At the Marine Military Expos, networking opportunities among the buyers, the users and defense industry professionals are unlimited. Take advantage of those opportunities for your company by exhibiting at the Marine Military Expos: marinemilitaryexpos.com

MDM 2019 SHOW INFO

Location

Quantico Marine Corps Base, Lejeune Field, Quantico, VA, U.S.

Website

marinemilitaryexpos.com

Contact

Marine Military Expos

1525 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1200

Arlington, Virginia 22209

Tel: 760-576-6701

Email: alexander.hetherington@emeraldexpo.com

Next Show

September 17-19, 2019

 Focus

MDM is billed as “the world’s largest military exposition focusing on enhanced capabilities for expeditionary forces.”

Dress

Business casual for civilians and duty uniform for military.

Hotel Hints

Most U.S. chains have hotels and motels locally. The nearby Stafford and Fredericksburg areas have a lot of great lodging and dining options. Book early—the event is a very popular show, and the hotels fill up fast. See the Hotel and Travel link at the MDM website.

Show Food

Numerous vendors right on site featuring delicious local and regional food and beverage items.

Power and Plug Types

American standard 110 volts AC

Cultural Hints

General American culture in the immediate area with a tendency towards “Southern Hospitality” from friendly, polite and helpful locals. The show and the base have specific USMC culture as well; pride in being courteous, straightforward and honest. Attend the show, interact with Marines, and you’ll understand.

Tipping

U.S. customs apply. Taxis about 10%; bellhops $1 per bag minimum; Skycaps $2 per bag; and sit-down restaurants 15-25% depending on service quality. Note “tip jars“ at some of the show’s food vendors. Toss in a dollar or two for these hard-working folks.

Currency

U.S. Dollars. Go to xe.com for current exchange rates.

Getting Around

Fly into Dulles International, Ronald Reagan Washington National or Stafford Regional airports.

Military Museums

The spectacular National Museum of the Marine Corps is just outside Quantico MCB.

Numerous other museums are located in Virginia and nearby Washington, DC.

Tourism

Visas required for all foreign visitors. Popular attractions in the area are found in and around Washington, DC, some 30 miles from Quantico MCB. DC’s Official travel and tourism website is washington.org.

And as noted right below, tourism in Virginia is safer, with the added benefit of splendidly preserved battlefields from the War Between the States: virginia.org.

Although recent Federal court rulings should have relaxed DC’s draconian gun prohibitions, no one other than on-duty military or authorized law enforcement personnel should take a chance by carrying firearms, magazines or even a single round of live ammunition into the District of Columbia without obtaining the most strictly controlled permits. Not surprisingly, the nation’s capitol city has all of the usual big city problems; visitors are cautioned against walking or even driving in all but the most heavily patrolled areas. The Maryland suburbs are almost as bad. Stay in Virginia but make it south of Alexandria and near Quantico—much more safe and sane.

The 26th edition of the French biennial Eurosatory Defence & Security International Exhibition was held over June 11–15, 2018. A Press Day of ‘Live Demonstrations’ was held on the preceding Sunday (June 10) for accredited media.

Eurosatory is foremost among the international exhibitions of its type and was first held in 1967, when the French General Directorate for Armaments (DGA) brought together a number of French industrialists at Satory, a military facility to the south of Versailles. By 1992, it had become the “European Exhibition of Land Defence Equipment” and moved to Le Bourget. By 1994, it had become international with the participation of exhibitors from the United States, Russia and the Western European Union (WEU) among others. In 2002, what had become the “International Exhibition of Land and Airland Defence” moved to its permanent location at the Parc des Expositions, Paris Nord Villepinte.

ST Engineering Land Systems of Singapore offered the Stinger Unmanned Aerial Multi-Rotor Gunship armed with their 5.56mm Ultimax 100 light machine gun modified for aerial use, underslung on a gimbal mounting and fitted with a 100-round magazine. Payload is increased with the use of lighter polymer-cased ammunition.

As its international status indicates, Eurosatory has continued to grow in size and this year comprised three large exhibition halls and an extensive outside display area with manufacturers’ pavilions and external static displays of larger equipment. Although the main thrust of the exhibition continues to be military equipment, a large portion of the exhibiting area was given over to Homeland Security (one-third of the exhibiting area in 2016), covering Cyber Defense and Cyber Security sectors. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were also prominently represented, reflecting their increased use in both the military and civil sectors. These ranged from large, conventional-aircraft-sized versions to micro ‘drone’ types for use in surveillance. Outdoor displays at manufacturers’ pavilions included products from KMW+Nexter Defense Systems, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence, whose range of offerings spanned from specialist heavy-lift wheeled vehicles to armor, munitions and weaponry; the diversity of the manufacturing portfolios of these multinational defense industry corporations was evident. Other major exhibitors—to name a fraction—included BAE Systems, Leonardo, General Dynamics and FN Herstal.

Although many of the regular exhibitors were to be found in or near their traditional places within the main display areas of Hall 6 and Hall 5, the latter was this year newly designated Hall 5A and supplemented by a new building (Hall 5B), which was given over to Homeland security and first-time exhibitors. The overall size of the exhibition areas for Eurosatory 2018 was significantly greater than the 167,217 square meters recorded at Eurosatory 2016.

Overview of Hall 6 from above.

The Outdoor Live Demonstrations area has also been relocated to provide better facilities. (In 2016, the eight performances had attracted 4,000 attendees.) Access to the Live Demonstrations area was this year through Hall 5B.

The program of outdoor demonstrations featured the following:

• Intervention Unit of the Paris Police/Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID)
• Special Ground Forces/Commandement des Forces Spéciales Terre (CFST)
• Ground Forces/Armée de Terre
• Interservice demonstration by the Police Prefecture of Paris/Préfecture de Police de Paris (BRI, BSPP, CSI)
• Special Task Force of Gendarmerie/Groupement d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie National (GIGN)

Many of the exhibitors within the internal display areas were to be found in “National Pavilions,” a boon for the footsore visitor in an ever-increasing floorspace. As was to be expected, the French national input included a display area of land equipment and helicopters provided by the Ministère des Armées in Hall 6 and police and law-enforcement equipment by the Ministère de l’Intérieur in the new Hall 5B.

Reflecting developing defense industries, the Azerbaijan Ministry of Defence Industry pavilion presented a product range of 270 items at Eurosatory 2018. These included the initial launch of the bolt-action NST 14.5mm sniper rifle. In the foreground is a remotely controlled weapon station fitted with the NSV 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

New for 2018

This year, Hall 5A was also the location of the Eurosatory LAB (Laboratory) for the first time. This was dedicated to small, bespoke booths, for international start-ups in the Defence and Security domain—most of whom were attending for the first time—and it offered direct contact with specialists in the subject matter concerned. LAB coverage included Engineering Manufacture, Infrastructure Protection/Monitoring, Robotics, Cyber, Logistics, Mobility and Protection, Training and Simulation and Special Forces support, with its own dedicated presentation/lecture area and a program to allow individual presentations from each start-up about their technologies and capabilities.

In addition to the traditional comprehensive Conferences program, this year saw the introduction of the Business à Eurosatory meetings program, to facilitate the organization of business meetings before the exhibition. Vimeet, a business coordinating platform, was created by Eurosatory’s partner PROXIMUM Group to facilitate B2B meetings in addition to interactions between business entities and visitor groups in the exhibition environment.

Eurosatory 2018 also saw the introduction of the international “CBRN thematic event,” dedicated to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defense issues and organized with the participation of French and foreign operational officers. Activities within the CBRN thematic event included Tabletop Exercises, conferences focusing on topical issues across the CBRN spectrum and an interservice demonstration in the outdoor Live Demonstration Zone by the French police.

The bolt-action NST 14.5mm sniper rifle adds to the Mubariz 12.7mm and Istiglal 14.5mm self-loading rifles already in production in Azerbaijan.

Yugoimport SDPR J.P. of Serbia offered a sizable product range.

Shown here, and probably reflecting the future, is the Rheinmetall Defence Mission Master Cargo Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV). Fully loaded and waiting for the controller’s signal?

The Gilboa ‘Snake’—an assault rifle in 5.56mm caliber produced by Silver Shadow—received considerable visitor attention at the Israel Pavilion.

Rheinmetall Defence unveiled their new Lynx KF41 next-generation combat vehicle at Eurosatory.

BAE Systems’ highly successful 155mm M777 lightweight towed howitzer dominated their indoor display area, with over 1,200 reportedly now in service with four countries.

The French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) mannequin is fully outrigged in protective equipment and armed with the Ceská zbrojovka CZ 806 BREN 2 compact assault rifle in 7.62x39mm caliber.