By Debbie Gregory.

As the power of artificial intelligence grows, Army officials are hoping that a consortium of experts in non-military robotics can assist combat units in defeating the enemy.

The Army’s Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate (CDID) at Fort Benning has partnered with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium to address some of the military’s problems.

Army officials are hoping the collaboration will result in a solution that can be used for precision engagement in close urban terrain, for dealing with enemy forces that hide among the population in large cities.

The Army thinks robotics can help soldiers do just that, according to Don Sando, director of CDID.

Current artificial intelligence cannot make better battlefield judgements better than humans, but AI is getting smarter, and one day they could theoretically help limit the loss of innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

The CDID-consortium partnership aims to equip military servicemen with tools that will work to conduct precision engagement in close urban terrain, said Col. Tom Nelson, chief of CDID’s robotics requirement division.

“Within five years, I have no doubt there will be robots in every Army formation,” said Bryan McVeigh, the Army’s project manager for force protection. He touted a record 800 robots fielded over the past 18 months. “We’re going from talking about robots to actually building and fielding programs,” he said. “This is an exciting time to be working on robots with the Army.”

But “killer robots” have sparked a moral and ethical discussion.

“It seems inevitable that technology is taking us to a point where countries will face the question of whether to delegate lethal decision-making to machines,” said Paul Scharre, a senior fellow and director of the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security.

The partnership will have between now and April to conceptualize precision strike platforms, with the goal of presenting either prototypes or proposals at the National Defense Industry Association’s National Robotic Conference.

By Debbie Gregory.

In addition to your website, a robust social media presence has become a necessity for most businesses. The more active or engaged your business is on social media (posting, sharing, etc.), the better your results will be.

Social media sites are some of the best places for you to communicate with your target audience or customer base, and vice-versa. Develop your reputation as a responsive, caring brand by offering support through social channels.

Social media boosts your visibility among potential customers, letting you reach a wide audience by using a small amount of time and effort. And it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.

It’s important to remember that your social media pages are a reflection of your business, so make sure you let your brand’s personality shine through in everything you share on social media. What does your brand voice sound like? How does it represent who you are? Play with new ways to connect with your audience.

Make sure you have a system in place for tracking customer comments, questions, and complaints on social media. You also want to make sure that you respond as quickly as possible to any questions or concerns.

Provide the most excellent customer service you can, and go out of your way to be positive and helpful.

Psychology 101, listen to criticism and ensure that your customers feel heard. And last, but not least, know when to move the conversation off the public forum and resolve any issue via private message, email, or by phone.

By having robust social media, you are making sure that you’re not missing out on an incredible marketing opportunity, as social media sites make it easy to spread the word about your product and mission.

By Debbie Gregory.

As soon as next summer, the U.S. Marines will start receiving next-generation plate carriers that will be less bulky and lighter in weight, providing a smaller overall footprint than the current plate carrier, all the while maintaining the same soft armor coverage and protection level.

Vertical Protective Apparel LLC was awarded a $62,612,464 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to produce and deliver the Plate Carrier Generation III (PC Gen III). A maximum quantity of 225,886 will be delivered, and the work will be completed by September 2023. The New Jersey-based company will manufacture the new carriers in eight sizes.

Infantry, schoolhouse and reconnaissance Marines, along with vehicle crewmen and combat engineers, will be the first to get the vests when fielding begins around June 2019. All of the plate carriers are expected to be delivered by September 2023.

The PC Gen III comes in three new sizes for Marines of smaller stature. And compared to the current legacy system, the PC Gen III offers increased ballistic protection. Additionally, since it’s lighter than the legacy system, it helps cut down on the fatigue Marines face in the field.

“This new system is more tailorable to fit Marines of various sizes with three new smaller-stature options,” said Flora ‘Mackie’ Jordan, body armor engineer for the Infantry Combat Equipment Team at the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC). “We wanted to give as much mobility back to Marines as possible by reducing the weight and bulk of the vest without decreasing ballistic protection. We were able to reduce the weight of the vest by 25 percent.”

To achieve that result, excess material was removed from the shoulders and bottom of the plate.

The Plate Carrier Generation III is also made from a laminated laser-cut material, which cuts down on water absorption. The new system takes on about 7 percent of water, compared to the 70 percent absorbed by the current system.

Infantry, school house, and Reconnaissance Marines, along with vehicle crewmen and combat engineers will receive the vests when fielding begins in the third quarter of fiscal year 2019, according to MCSC.

By Debbie Gregory.

October 31st is the deadline for gear makers who want to respond to the Marine Corps Systems Command’s Request for Information (RFI) for new reliable magazine pouches that will fit the Corps’ new PMAG polymer magazines.

The Marine Corps switched to Magpul’s signature polymer Gen M3 PMag in 2017, but Marines have complained the new magazines don’t fit properly in their issued magazine pouches.

To be considered reliable, a magazine needs to feed as flawlessly as possible under normal and adverse conditions; it must be easy to maintain and clean; and it must resist damage due to rough handling, impacts, and other hazards of extreme use.

The Systems Command is looking to identify supplier sources for magazine pouches that will fit Magpul PMAGs as well as standard aluminum magazines for the M4 carbines and M16 rifles.

The baseplates on PMAGs are slightly larger than standard-issue aluminum magazines, which makes them difficult to fit in the current double and triple-stack magazine pouches. The newer Gen M3 design helps to mitigate fit problems.

In 2017, all four U.S. military services, U.S. SOCOM, and the U.S. Coast Guard either fully adopted or accepted the PMAG as their primary magazine offering.

If the contract is awarded, the order will be for 60,000 units, with a possibility of up to the maximum quantity of 500,000 magazine pouches.

For designs to be considered, they should:

• Allow the magazines to be smoothly drawn from the pouch with one hand.
• Be compatible with the current Pouch Attachment Ladder System for attachment to current load bearing equipment.
• Provide a retention mechanism that allows for the magazine to be retained during normal combat operations.
• Be configurable to allow for a single Marine to carry a minimum of six magazines on their person.
• Be lighter than the current M4/M16 double/single rifle magazine pouch for a double magazine design (T= 0.27lbs) or lighter than half the weight of the current M4/M16 double/single rifle magazine pouch if a single magazine design (T=0.14lbs).

By Debbie Gregory.

Boeing has been awarded a $2.38 billion contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide 84 of its MH-139 helicopter and related support (training devices and support equipment) to replace the more than 40-year-old UH-1N “Huey” helicopters, used to protect America’s intercontinental ballistic missile bases.

“We’re grateful for the Air Force’s confidence in our MH-139 team,” said David Koopersmith, vice president and general manager, Boeing Vertical Lift. “The MH-139 exceeds mission requirements, it’s also ideal for VIP transport, and it offers the Air Force up to $1 billion in acquisition and lifecycle cost savings.”

The MH-139 derives from the Leonardo AW139, which is used by more than 270 governments, militaries and companies worldwide. Leonardo will assemble the helicopters at its northeast Philadelphia plant, with Boeing integrating military-specific components at its facility south of that city.

“The new helicopter will be an important tool for Airmen charged with securing and defending the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missiles,” the Air Force said in a statement announcing the award.

The MH-139 helicopters will be the product of a joint effort between Boeing and Leonardo. Leonardo will assemble the helicopters at its northeast Philadelphia plant, with Boeing integrating military-specific components at its facility south of that city.

Earlier this year, six U.S. Senators wrote a letter to the Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson urging the Air Force to expedite the acquisition of a replacement helicopter.

Hueys first entered Air Force service in 1970.

“We’re proud to provide the U.S. Air Force with solutions across the entire services ecosystem,” said Ed Dolanski, president of U.S. Government Services, Boeing Global Services. “With the AW139 platform’s more than 2 million flight hours and established supply chain, we look forward to applying our expertise to drive cost savings while supporting mission readiness.”

The first delivery of an operational helicopter is expected in Fiscal Year 2021.