The Integrated Visual Augmentation System is an augmented reality training system currently in development. Described as the Army’s new battlefield heads-up display. Working with Microsoft, leveraging their HoloLens technology the Army hopes to use it not just as a training tool but also on the battlefield. Microsoft won the contract to help develop the system back in November 2018, with the purchase of as many as 100,000 IVAS devices possible under the contract. SRI International were recently awarded a contract for development support of a low-light-level CMOS image sensor as part of the IVAS’s night vision element.

The Army’s new Futures Command is leading the way developing the new IVAS tech, with limited troop testing beginning last month with Army and USMC troops trialling the equipment.

What Can IVAS Do?

The technology is still at a very early stage of development, with on of the testers describing it as being at the first 5% stage in terms of development. But from what the army has released we know that the IVAS is capable of aiding in navigation by allowing the user to see their and their squadmates’ positions on a superimposed map, training by overlaying VR targets and IVAS also incorporates a white phosphorous-based thermal imaging system.

General McConville continued, explaining that “what it’s going to allow our Soldiers to do is to go into (augmented) reality and train on a mission they’re about ready to accomplish,” McConville said. “It’s real. They can practice. They can rehearse, they can hit the sled a whole bunch of times and they can actually take the equipment that we’re developing and go and execute the mission.”
While the technology is still in development the Army describe it as ‘rapidly evolving’ and hope to field the system for the first time by the end of FY2021.

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Back in December 2017, in an interview given to TASS news agency, Dmitriy Semizorov, the CEO of TsNII TochMash explained the designations of different generations of equipment. Russia’s first unified equipment was called Permyachka. The second generation equipment which is adopted and is being used right now is called Ratnik. Back then, Semizorov said that the third generation equipment that they were developing and planning to adopt by 2020, is called Ratnik-3. The “3” in Ratnik-3 doesn’t mean that it is the third Ratnik but means that it is the third generation equipment. There is no such thing as Ratnik-2. The second generation “Ratnik” has been mistakenly called Ratnik-2.

Apparently, what they did is renamed the Ratnik-3 to Sotnik. The reason I came to this conclusion is that the Ratnik-3 was scheduled within the same time frame, both are called third generation equipment and both include almost exactly the same features such as the mine-detecting boots, IR camouflage, UAVs, smart goggles,visors and adaptive camouflage, etc.

According to Sergei Chemezov, the CEO of Russian State Corporation Rostec, the Sotnik will replace the Ratnik by 2025. Chemezov also noted that thanks to the use of new advanced materials, the Sotnik will be 20% lighter – weighing 20 kilograms. It is not specified what equipment elements are included in that weight.

Sotnik is an old military rank of Slavic origin given to a leader of Sotnya, a unit consisting of 100 soldiers – a centurion. Ratnik is an old Russian word meaning warrior.

Sources:

“Ростех в 2020 году приступит к созданию экипировки третьего поколения”. (2019, June 26). Rostec. Retrieved from:
https://rostec.ru/news/rostekh-v-2020-godu-pristupit-k-sozdaniyu-ekipirovki-tretego-pokoleniya/

Images from www.rostec.ru

The orders follows the recent purchase of more Carl Gustaf ammunition by Latvia and the news that Saab and Raytheon will be demonstrating new long range munitions for the Carl Gustaf to the US Army in the near future. Deliveries to the Slovenian armed forces are set to begin before the end of the year and will be completed by 2020. How many M4s have been ordered has not been disclosed.

Carl Gustaf M4 with optics mounted (Saab)

Here’s Saab’s press release on the Slovenian order:

“Slovenia is a new customer of the Carl-Gustaf system, and Saab’s ninth customer for the Carl-Gustaf M4 version since its launch in late 2014.

The Carl-Gustaf M4 is the latest version of the portable, shoulder-launched, multi-role weapon system. It gives users a wide range of engagement options and allows troops to remain agile and effective in any scenario. It builds on the system’s formidable capabilities, offering a higher degree of accuracy, lighter construction and compatibility with future innovations. The M4 is also compatible with future battlefield technology developments such as intelligent sighting systems and programmable ammunition.

“The Slovenian order is further proof that Carl-Gustaf M4 is the number one multi-role weapon on the market. We are happy to introduce the Slovenian Armed Forces to Saab’s Carl-Gustaf M4 with outperforming capabilities and high tactical flexibility, and we feel confident that the end user will be satisfied”, says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab business area Dynamics.

The new version retains all the effectiveness and versatility of the proven Carl-Gustaf system while introducing a range of major enhancements. These include a lighter weight design (weighing less than 7 kg), a round counter, improved safety and intelligent features, such as compatibility with future intelligent sighting systems and programmable ammunition, which collectively offer significant operational improvements for the soldier. The weapon is fully backward compatible with all ammunition types.”

Source

The Drone-40 was originally developed as a counter-UAV platform with its own radar to enable it to identify and track enemy UAVs to a distance of some 350 meters. Once the enemy UAV is in range, the Drone-40 can employ either ‘soft-kill’ or ‘hard-kill’ options to disable or destroy the enemy platform. This ‘hard-kill’ option, using an airburst munition with a 10 metre area of effect, has been further developed to now offer a loitering munition capability against ground targets in a similar manner as the AeroVironment Switchblade in service with the US Army.

Along with high explosive and armour penetrating payloads, the Drone-40 rounds are available with a camera system making them a contender against the likes of the Black Hornet now being rolled out across the Australian Army. DefendTex also offers the Tempest Fire Support Drone, a truly frightening-looking platform that can carry up to 80 guided rockets and serve as a mobile infantry support platform. The Drone-40 round has been integrated with the Tempest which would serve as a base station for swarms of the Drone-40. DefendTex’s website is sadly lacking in further detail.

The launch of the platform follows the considerable interest shown by the US military in man-portable counter-UAV/counter-UAS technologies. In February of this year, a 40mm round firing a capture net was announced by US Army engineers at the Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) based in New Jersey. Known as the Scalable Effects Net Warhead, the round can be fired from a standard M320 or Mk47 grenade launcher and works by ensnaring the enemy drone in a capture net. Along with being a lighter and more compact solution that current ‘drone guns’, the ability to capture the enemy device allows weapons intelligence specialists to forensically exam its origins and construction, important in any future conflict with insurgents or proxy forces.

Here’s True Velocity’s press release in full:

“Following a lengthy period of rigorous safety and functionality testing from ground and aerial platforms, the two companies have agreed to a strategic partnership aimed at providing the U.S. military’s rotary wing and ground units with a firepower solution that is far more effective and reliable than any other small-caliber solution available.

“We’re very proud of the work that went into forging this relationship with Dillon Aero,” said True Velocity President Chris Tedford. “This alliance represents a combination of Dillon’s unsurpassed rate of machine gun fire with True Velocity’s revolutionary case design, reduced cartridge weight and unmatched reliability. This is the alignment of two very innovative companies, based solely on the goal of better equipping our fighting forces.”

True Velocity’s composite-cased ammunition will support Dillon Aero’s M134D minigun, which is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO. The M134D is capable of a rate of fire in excess of 3,000 rounds per minute. Since its establishment, Dillon Aero has fielded more than 6,000 M134D weapons systems in 30 countries.

The developmental partnership will also extend to Dillon Aero’s forthcoming M503D .50-caliber machine gun, which the company expects to field before the end of 2019. Designed for employment by air, land and sea, the new gun will have three barrels and shoot 1,500 rounds per minute. It will be lighter, faster and smarter than existing .50-caliber machine guns.

“Dillon Aero is excited about partnering with True Velocity,” said Dillon’s Nick Perfetto, vice president of business affairs. “Their advanced technology and weight reduction bring an advanced level of capability to today’s warfighter. The combination of True Velocity’s ammunition and the Dillon M134D on the battlefield is a game changer!””

Naval Strike Missile has long been a planned part of the Navy and USMC F-35 variant’s arsenal. The stealthy weapon can fit inside the internal weapon bays of the strike fighter, enabling long range at minimum impact to radar cross section. The Navy is also going to buy NSM in substantial numbers for its small surface combatants, the LCS and FFG(X) ships. A Raytheon statement said “The Marine Corps’ selection of the Navy’s anti-ship missile enhances joint inter-operability and reduces costs and logistical burdens”.

The NSM has been proven as a shore-based weapon already. During RIMPAC 2018, an Army development unit fired an NSM from a standard Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT). The missile then struck a target hulk out at sea, in coordination with other sensor platforms. Notable was that the truck simply loaded the standard four-missile box frequently used on warships. This suggests a possible roll-on, roll-off ability for enabling rapid deployment anti-ship capability.

A key consideration for the Marines is that the missile integrates smoothly into their existing forces structure. The bulk of the challenge will be integrating the missile into tactical data networks, so that it can be fed sensor data from organic assets like F-35Bs, AH-1Zs, or other airborne units such as UAVs. The Marines can not always assume they will have the luxury of AWACS like the Navy does with its E-2C/D Hawkeyes.

This acquisition is part of a greater shift within the ground branches to be able to exert sea control. The Army recently announced its ATACMS follow-on would have anti-ship capabilities. The Marines have experimented at times with engaging ships at sea with guided MLRS rockets. It has not been demonstrated if the missile can fit inside the standard HIMARS or M270 rocket canisters, but it does not seem improbable that it can. Even if it cannot, it has been shown to be fireable from high-mobility trucks, as the Army showed.

If the Marines have to island hop in the Western Pacific region, NSM may provide a critical self-defense, and offensive sea-control capability they are currently missing. Testing should begin by 2020.

During the Airshow China 2018 exhibition held in the China International Aviation Exhibition Center (Zhuhai, China) Chinese Wuhan Guide Infrared Co., Ltd has introduced a new man-portable missile launching system called QN-202.

According to the company’s description, the QN-202 launches fire-and-forget type missiles with a maximum range of two kilometers.  The launcher comes with a backpack that stores six missiles. The weight of a single missile is 1.2 kilograms (about 2.6 lbs) which means the full load of the backpack is 7.2 kilograms (roughly 16 lbs).

Judging by what we can see in the images, the QN-202 launcher has a collapsible stock (note the slot on top of the receiver and notches on the stock), pistol grip, vertical front grip, and a scope. Interestingly, instead of a top Picatinny rail which seems to have become a standard scope mounting platform worldwide, the QN-202 looks to have a proprietary sight mount.

You can also see the barrel inside the receiver. Presumably, the missiles are muzzle-loaded into the launcher although the shape of the very front portion of the receiver reminds a hinged construction. Note also that the loaded missiles protrude over the muzzle.

The QN-202 is most likely larger than the Raytheon Pike missile but both systems have about the same advertised effective ranges. This missile system should be quite effective against lightly armored vehicles and can be a very valuable asset on the modern battlefield thanks to its mobility and range.

Unfortunately, there is no more information about this weapon system, that’s why at this moment all we can do is make assumptions about its design based on the few available images. If you have noticed something interesting in these images or if you know more about this weapon, please tell us in the comments section. We’ll be following the developments around the QN-202 weapon system and as soon as we find out anything new, we’ll report it to our readers.

Images from bmpd.livejournal.com

Experiments have been underway since at least 2016 with varying the size and structure of the Marine infantry squad from its standard of three, four-man fire teams, and a squad leader. Originally the 15-man structure was considered only for Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployments but now appears to be the agreed future structure.

In late 2018, a move to a reduced, 12-man, squad was announced but has been eclipsed by the addition of two new billets to every Marine squad. A squad systems operator (SSO) has been added to manage squad level unmanned aerial systems (UAS), originally in response to the USMC’s ‘Quads for Squads’ project to embed quad-copter UAS platforms within every rifle squad, and responsible for man-pack counter-IED (improvised explosive device) and electronic counter-measures (ECM) systems.

The second addition is an assistant squad leader to help command and control (previously one of the fire team leaders was appointed to this role) whilst also focusing on managing fire support and communications on the company and battalion net, freeing up the squad leader to focus on fighting the battle.

Along with the UAS, the InstantEye Mk-3 GEN5-D1 platform, the rifle squads will be receiving the 84mm Carl Gustav M3 recoilless rifle for anti-armour and bunker-busting along with a complement of three 40mm M320 standalone grenade launchers which are replacing the ageing M203 within the Corps.

In terms of small arms, every rifleman will be carrying the M27 IAR (Infantry Automatic Rifle, the USMC HK416 variant) apart from one designated marksman equipped with the M38, a bipod and suppressor-equipped M27 with the Leupold TS-30A2 Mark 4 MR/T optic. Earlier iterations of the 15-man model saw squad leadership and the SSO carrying the M4A1 (as their primary role was not engaging the enemy by direct fire) but current thinking appears to favour the M27 across the board.

About 15 years ago I sadly boxed up a brand new Red Dot Optic for it’s return to the manufacturer without ever having used it to fire a shot – the reticle was a blurry burst rather than a crisp clear dot. But before I called and asked for a return authorization, I decided to search the Internet looking for answers on the durability of my new glass. And that’s when I found it: my new optic wasn’t the problem, I was.

As a test, there were two initial suggestions – look at the reticle while wearing polarized glasses or look at the reticle with the rear back up iron sight (BUIS) flipped up. Boom, the dot was nearly perfect. It appeared that I had an astigmatism – my eye or cornea was mis-shaped, distorting the red dot.

What is astigmatism?

From the American Optometric Association:

Astigmatism is a common vision condition that causes blurred vision. It occurs when the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye) is irregularly shaped or sometimes because of the curvature of the lens inside the eye.

An irregularly shaped cornea or lens prevents light from focusing properly on the retina, the light-sensitive surface at the back of the eye. As a result, vision becomes blurred at any distance. This can lead to eye discomfort and headaches.

Red Dot Sights:

The reason an astigmatism is problematic for shooters who use red dot sights is because the dot is created with a collimating minating mirror. In a normal eye, those beams of light all have one focal point  However in an astigmatic eye, those beams of light are refracted into multiple multiple focal points. The result is a blurry, distorted or “bursting” dot.

Wikipedia: Diagram of a typical “red dot” sight using a collimating mirror with a light-emitting diode at its focus that creates a virtual “dot” image at infinity.

Polarized glasses and the tiny hole in the BUIS help to sharpen the dot because both devices restrict the light rays entering your eye to only those that are both direct and parallel with the other light rays, eliminating reflections and some of the additional focal points.

The original Aimpoint patent.

The original Aimpoint patent.

Aimpoint M68 Red Dot Optic

Aimpoint RDS reticle.

Holographic Weapon Sights:

Working on similar principles but with slightly different mechanics, Holographic Weapon Sights (HWS) like those manufactured by EOTech, also project an illuminated reticle. One difference comes from the light bouncing off a “holographic grate” rather than into a single dot. For shooters with an astigmatism, HWS setups can appear to have less distortion than a RDS because the holographic grate can act similarly to a polarizing filer. However, HWS products are not completely astigmatic aberration-free.

EOTech patent.

EOTech HWS reticle.

Prismatic Optics:

Prismatic-based optics, on the other hand function more like traditional optics (like binoculars or rifle scopes), using lenses and etched glass to produce their reticles. Because of the lack of collimator or mirrors, most shooters with astigmatisms report less aberrations as compared to RDS or HWS systems. One side benefit is that since the reticle is etched in glass, rather than an image that is projected upon it, if a users batteries die or the electronics otherwise fail, most reticles revert to black.

Trijicon ACOG patent.

A Trijicon ACOG reticle.

Luckily, I scheduled an optometrist appointment before I sent my first RDS back for repair or replacement. Even luckier was that my doctor, who was a bombardier in the Vietnam War, also suffered from an astigmatism and had difficulties with viewing certain reticles in his bombsight. He was able to get me a proper prescription and suggest corrected sunglasses with polarized lenses.

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