UAVs ordered by Special Operations

July 4, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, Heckler Koch, Military Aviation, US SOC, production program 

The US Special Operations Command awarded a contract to buy small UAVs. See an article here. AeroVironment will provide their small Puma AE to the command. This illustrates that the USSOCOM is a separate entity within the DoD and can do its own acquisition. In the past they would have to rely on the main services to procure their equipment, but they now have their own development and procurement funds. The most recent key split between USSOCOM and the Army was the decision to go with a different rifle then the M4/M16. The Special Ops guys bout HK’s SCAR. For more on that see this.

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M4 criticism continues

May 20, 2008 by Dagpotter · 1 Comment
Filed under: Colt, Contract Awards, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, production program 

It is not news that the Colt M4 carbine has received a lot of criticism for its performance in Iraq and Afghanistan. This article summarizes a great deal of it. It turns out that the M4, originally a shortened M16 for use by armor and air crew, does not do well in dusty environments. The Special Forces have moved to an HK product, called the SCAR. Many in Congress and the Army have lobbied for a the regular Army and USMC to buy the SCAR as well. The Army did work on a new rifle, the XM-8, that was canceled recently due to problems with the program. Because this is a key piece of equipment for the military expect to see more about this and further efforts to broaden the small arms inventory.

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