25/04/2018 13:38:45 1 ISSUE HANDBOOK EQUIPMENT PUBLISHED MAY 2018 THE CONCISE GLOBAL INDUSTRY GUIDE INDUSTRY GLOBAL CONCISE THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS OPERATIONS SPECIAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT HANDBOOK – ISSUE 1 SOEH-01_OFC+spine.indd 1 ONE TEAM. EVERY MISSION. ONE COMPANY PROVIDING THE TECHNOLOGY AND SOLUTIONS FOR ALL MISSIONS L3 Technologies delivers world-class solutions to the elite professionals who dedicate their lives to safety, security, rescue and freedom. Our products, with a legacy of innovation and reliability, continue to elevate the standards of handheld, weapon- and helmet- mounted electro-optical night-fighting equipment deployed in the toughest environments. That is our enduring mission, to deliver the industry’s most advanced and integrated precision targeting, night vision and imaging solutions for a safer world. L3’s integrated warrior systems — bundled products combined with leading-edge technology — provide the best-performing and most advanced systems across the globe. L3T.com/WarriorSensorSystems L3T.COM ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS AEROSPACE SYSTEMS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS SENSOR SYSTEMS WARRIOR SENSOR SYSTEMS SOEH01_pIFC_L3_Warrior.indd 2 4/25/2018 12:42:45 AM CONTENTS VP Content 3 Introduction Tony Skinner. [email protected] Special Operations Forum Editor Scott R Gourley welcomes readers to Issue 1 Editor-in-Chief of Shephard Media’s Special Operations Equipment Handbook. Richard Thomas. richard.t@shephardmed Special Operations Forum Editor 5 Mobility Scott R Gourley This section provides specifications and images of mobility platforms, covering Reference Editor the land environment in the form of special operations vehicles as well as the Karima Thibou maritime (surface and sub-surface) and air (fixed-wing/rotary-wing/military [email protected] freefall) environments. Commercial Manager Peter Rawlins 51 SOF warrior [email protected] This section of provides detailed information on more than 200 systems, spanning Junior Sales Executive assault rifles and shotguns, sniper rifles, handguns and personal defence weapons, Mark Knops as well as suppressors and visual augmentation systems. [email protected] Production and Circulation Manager 104 C4I David Hurst This section provides data on a selection of the key tactical communication [email protected] systems available to the SOF community. Production Elaine Effard, Georgina Kerridge, 132 SRSE Georgina Smith, Adam Wakeling Special reconnaissance, surveillance and exploitation (SRSE) covers the data Chairman on key intelligence systems employed by special operations forces, including Nick Prest COMINT/ELINT and direction-finding systems, and RCIED and RF jammers. CEO Darren Lake 147 Guide to suppliers Head of Advertising Sales A worldwide listing of companies in the special operations industry. Companies Kevin Bethell are listed by product type. Supplier contact details, including websites, are listed VP Business Development from p150. Mike Wild Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication to ensure its accuracy at the time of going to press, the Publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or any loss arising therefrom. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishers. Infringements of any of the above rights will be liable to prosecution under UK or US civil or criminal law. The Special Operations Equipment Handbook is published annually by The Shephard Press Ltd. © 2018 The Shephard Press Ltd Published May 2018 ISBN 978-1-9996538-3-5 Printed by Buxton Press, Derbyshire, UK Shephard Media Saville Mews, 30 Saville Road, London, W4 5HG, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2592 SINGLE COPY PRICES UK £80 Europe €110 All other countries US $100 ORDER ONLINE shop.shephardmedia.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2592 COVER: Ukraine is preparing itself for potential threats through the creation of its own [email protected] Special Operations Command. (Photo: UKR SOCOM) ABOVE: A US Army SF soldier fires an M249B on a qualification course during ExerciseValor Knife at Warrior Base, Republic Of Korea, in January 2018. (Photo: US Army) SPECIAL OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT HANDBOOK ISSUE 1 1 SOEH_p001_Contents.indd 1 25/04/2018 15:08:04 UNMANNED Wide Area Patroller MULTI-SENSOR PERFORMANCE At SOFIC 2018, Tampa, USA, please visit us at booth #636. SOEH-01_p002_Schiebel.indd 2 4/25/2018 11:08:49 AM INTRODUCTION Welcome Welcome to the inaugural edition of Shephard Media’s Special Special Operations Equipment Handbook (SOEH). As the latest addition to the company’s popular series, the book reflects our 2017 expansion Operations into this unique market through the acquisition of the former Special Equipment Operations International magazine and its subsequent relaunch as Special Operations Forum (SOF). Handbook While remaining true to the historical underpinnings of the earlier publication, Shephard has been able to expand its special operations Special Operations Forum coverage through the application of corporate knowledge and Your destination for exclusive interviews, business data drawn from a broad range of related fields, from infantry SOF magazine provides the most comprehensive coverage of the people, equipment to specialised rotary-wing aircraft designs. technologies, innovations and events that This latest handbook is far more than a simple compendium of shape the special operations community existing information. In developing this first edition, the editorial team and global security. The most widely distributed special operations-specific embraced the philosophies espoused by the USSOCOM Acquisition, publication in the world, SOF has a Technology and Logistics community to ‘move at the speed of SOF’. As publishing frequency of six issues per year. a result of this approach, the entries in this first handbook reflect some of the latest hardware developments to emerge across both US and For Shephard’s full magazine portfolio, visit: www.shephardmedia.com/magazines global special operations communities. Annual Handbooks Broad equipment topic headings in this volume include Mobility, For Shephard’s complete range SOF Warrior, C4I and SRSE (special reconnaissance, surveillance and of handbooks, visit: exploitation). www.shephardmedia.com/handbooks Mobility is one handbook section where some unique SOF Online News requirements are evident. In the representative case of USSOCOM, www.special-ops.com those needs are met by a fleet spectrum spanning from small off-road www.shephardmedia.com/news Light Tactical All-Terrain Vehicles to specially modified Mine Resistant Ambush Protected platforms. Moreover, specialised user requirements involve the use of Non- Standard Commercial Vehicles, modified civilian platforms that allow SOF to operate in visual anonymity or conduct operations without the presence of an established US logistical presence. SOF Mobility listings also encompass both air (fixed-wing/rotary-wing/ military free-fall) and maritime (surface and sub-surface) environments. In the case of SOF Warrior, the book provides detailed information on more than 200 systems, spanning assault rifles and shotguns, sniper rifles, handguns and personal defence weapons (PDWs), visual augmentation and suppressors. Within each of these areas, the SOF community is developing or has fielded a range of unique systems, from long-range sniper rifle differences between .338 Lapua and .338 Norma Magnum calibres to ‘subsonic’ capabilities of some short-range handguns and PDWs. Other examples of systems designed to meet identified SOF needs can be found in the SRSE section, where more than 80 highlighted systems cover areas like communications and electronic intelligence, direction- finding, and both communications and IED jamming systems. Shephard looks forward to the development of an expanded SOEH over the next 12 months. There is no charge for product listings, so if you or your company would like to suggest new equipment or provide more in-depth data, contact us at [email protected]. In the meantime, we hope that you will also explore potential synergies by joining the ongoing community discussion occurring on the pages of SOF magazine. Scott R Gourley, Editor, Special Operations Forum [email protected] SPECIAL OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT HANDBOOK ISSUE 1 3 SOEH-01_p003_Introduction.indd 3 4/25/2018 4:07:10 PM USE OUR REPUTATION TO REACH YOUR AUDIENCE. TRUSTED BY INDUSTRY LEADERS. RESPECTED FOR OUR SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE. For over 35 years, Shephard Media has been providing high-quality business intelligence to the aerospace and defence markets, through a combination of specialist magazines, online news services and handbooks. To advertise with us online or in our publications please visit www.shephardmedia.com FullSOEH-01_p004-024_Mobility page handbook advertising 1.indd advert.indd 4 1 25/04/2018 11:49:2212:11:00 USE OUR REPUTATION TO REACH YOUR AUDIENCE. TRUSTED BY INDUSTRY LEADERS. RESPECTED FOR OUR SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE. SPECIFICATIONS MOBILITY Mobility is one area where unique SOF requirements are evident. In the representative case of USSOCOM, those requirements are met by a fleet spectrum spanning from small off-road Light Tactical All-Terrain Vehicles to specially modified Mine Resistant Ambush Protected platforms. Moreover, specialised user requirements involve the use of Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles,