SOFEX 2010
International Special Forces Operations

Exhibition & Conference

Amman, Jordan
10 - 13 May 2010
 
BAE Systems at SOFEX 2010
 
Friday , 13 May 2010, 22:15
 
BAE Systems displays its broad protection capabilities at SOFEX 2010
 
 
BAE Systems, the global defence, security and aerospace company, will be displaying a variety of high technology products at SOFEX exhibition in Jordan. The stand will feature the Company’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) vehicle, its Armoured Chevrolet Suburban and Eclipse body armour products.
 

FMTV truck BAE Systems during dynamic demonstration at SOFEX 2010
 
The company has produced its FMTVs for 18 years. To date over 60,000 of these trucks and trailers have been delivered and are in service with the US armed forces. Jordanian Forces (Air Force and Army) have operated FMTVs since 2004 and enjoy the same comprehensive training and support package that BAE Systems offers to all of its customers.

FMTVs have been adapted to provide reliable, trouble-free operation in the region’s hot, dry and dusty environment. Examples of these engineering changes include:
• upgraded cooling system and air conditioning option
• increased armouring for extra protection against IED threats
• chassis and tire upgrades to accommodate the extra armour

BAE Systems is the largest supplier of armoured commercial vehicles to the United States Government and will be displaying its protection and survivability capability. BAE Systems has produced several customized commercial armoured vehicles for Heads of State, Government leaders and other dignitaries throughout the Middle East and Europe.

In showcasing its protection capabilities, BAE Systems will also exhibit its Eclipse product line, featuring the popular Modular Vest Programme (MVP). This is becoming increasingly recognised as the most scalable body armour programme in the market. The Eclipse line is durable, lightweight and ultra versatile for all personnel protection equipment needs. Since the initial Iraq deployment, BAE Systems has produced more than 500,000 sets of troop protection equipment for America’s servicemen and women.

BAE Systems will also exhibit the iKlwa fighting vehicle model, which incorporates elements of the battle-proven Ratel infantry combat vehicle, currently in service in Jordan. For existing Ratel users, the iKlwa conversion produces the most modern fighting and defence vehicle in its class.

A model of the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle will also be on display. The vehicle has been continuously developed to meet today’s threat scenario and has gained a major leap in capability with each new customer. More than 1000 vehicles have been delivered to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland and Holland. CV90 is available in many different variants and with 30, 35 and 40mm weapons.

 
 
BAE Systems to open an office to Jordan
 
BAE Systems is to open an office in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to support its ongoing business with the Jordanian Armed Forces and collaborative activities with the King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau (KADDB).

The office will complement the network of offices the company operates across the region and will be used as the focal point for business in Jordan and neighbouring countries. The office is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year and will be developed in line with legal and regulatory requirements of the Kingdom and according to developing business prospects.

Jeff McCray, Regional Vice President Africa and Near East, commented:

"This move underlines our commitment to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and developing business prospects in the region."

 

 

SOFEX 2010
International Special Forces Operations

Exhibition & Conference

Amman, Jordan
10 - 13 May 2010
 
SCAR FN Herstal Assault Rifle for US Special Forces
 
Friday , 13 May 2010, 18:50
 
Assault rifle SCAR FN Herstal is brought into operational service in the American Special forces
 
 
(Herstal, Belgium) – FN Herstal, S.A. (FN) received notification from the USSOCOM Program Executive Office—SOF Warrior (PEO—SW) that the SCAR Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) was approved and signed on April 14, 2010, moving this FN program into the Milestone C phase. This decision authorizes the production and deployment of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) MK 16 and MK 17, as well as the Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM)
MK 13.
Following a worldwide solicitation to the military firearms industry, nine vendors submitted a dozen different designs for a new modular, multi-caliber weapons system. The FN SCAR submission was the only weapons system to pass all of the Go/No-Go criteria and was unanimously chosen in November 2004 by the selection board composed of senior operators from every SOF component. The SCAR is the first new assault rifle procured by the U.S. Military through a full and open competition since the M16 trials were held in the mid-1960s. Tests in reliability, accuracy, safety and ergonomics were administered from August 2005 to September 2008 and were conducted in a variety of environments including urban, maritime, jungle and winter/mountain operational test scenarios. The SCAR weapons system successfully endured more than two million rounds of ammunition during these trials, therein making it one of the most heavily tested weapons in the history of small arms.

The FN SCAR system consists of two highly adaptable modular rifle platforms and a grenade launcher. Type-designated as the MK 16 MOD 0 5.56mm Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle and the MK 17 MOD 0 7.62mm Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, both weapons are available with three different barrel lengths optimized for conducting operations in close-quarters combat, standard infantry and longer-range precision fire roles. All SCAR barrels can be easily interchanged by the operator in just minutes to instantly meet the requirements of virtually any mission. The MK 13 MOD 0 40mm Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM) quickly mounts under the barrel of either SCAR platform, providing additional capability to the individual warfighter’s firepower, and can be easily configured for use as a stand-alone weapon as well. Because of the SCAR system’s modular design, ergonomic commonality (100%) and parts commonality (greater than 80%), it represents a significant reduction in training costs and life-cycle support. The weapon system’s open architecture is designed to support future advancements in operational requirements including ammunition, aiming devices, sighting systems and other mission critical equipment.
 
FN Herstal, S.A., a subsidiary of the Herstal Group, is based in Belgium and is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of small caliber weapons, integrated weapon systems and associated ammunition for Military and Law Enforcement as well as Special Forces Operators worldwide. FN Herstal has successfully equipped defense professionals with state-of-the-art weapons and associated products for more than 120 years. Its solid reputation can be attributed to its rigorous professional ethics, its ongoing effort to achieve foremost quality and its commitment to efficient service and outstanding customer support. For more information on FN Herstal or the Herstal Group, visit www.fnherstal.com.
 

 

SOFEX 2010
Salon & Conférence International
Opérations Forces Spéciales

Amman, Jordanie
10 - 13 Mai 2010
 
Fusil d'assaut SCAR Forces Spéciales américaines
 
Vendredi , 13 Mai 2010, 18:50
 
Le SCAR FN Herstal en service opérationnel au sein des Forces Spéciales américaines.
 
 
(Herstal, Belgique) – Le Commandement des Opérations Spéciales des Etats-Unis (USSOCOM) vient d’autoriser officiellement la mise en service opérationnelle des fusils SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assaut Rifle) MK 16 et MK 17 ainsi que du lance-grenades de 40 mm MK 13 qui leur est associé.
Cette décision, connue sous l’appellation de Milestone C, conclut le processus d’acquisition en homologuant la production en série des composants du système SCAR déjà qualifiés aux plans technique et opérationnel depuis 2009.Le fusil, conçu et développé par l’armurier belge FN Herstal, avait été sélectionné dès 2004, à l’issue d’un concours international mettant en lice neuf entreprises américaines, européennes et autres, spécialisées dans la production d’armes légères. De 2005 à 2008, le système d’armes SCAR proposé par FN Herstal a été soumis à un programme d’évaluations techniques et technico-opérationnelles poussé à l’extrême en raison du caractère très exigeant des spécifications demandées. Simultanément, le programme s’est déroulé en liaison directe avec les opérationnels représentant les quatre composantes d’USSOCOM (Armée de Terre, Forces Aériennes, Marine, US Marine Corps). Ceux-ci ont pu ainsi obtenir certaines modifications ou adaptations inspirées par les retours d’expérience opérationnels de leur engagement avec le SCAR sur différents théâtres extérieurs. Au cours de cette période d’évaluation, plus de 2 millions de cartouches ont été tirées, ce qui constitue à la fois une garantie de bon fonctionnement et un record en la matière.

Le système d’armes SCAR mis en service opérationnel dans les Forces Spéciales américaines comprend deux fusils d’assaut de calibres 5,56 et 7,62 pouvant chacun être équipé d’un des trois canons (court / standard / long) soit selon le type d’engagement : combat en milieu urbain, combat d’infanterie en terrain ouvert, tir de précision à longue distance, soit selon la fonction de l’utilisateur. Bénéficiant d’une ergonomie rigoureusement identique et de composants communs, à hauteur de plus de 80%, les deux plates-formes dont les performances ont été optimisées au maximum permettent de réaliser des économies substantielles en termes d’entraînement, d’entretien et de soutien par rapport à leurs prédécesseurs. Le lance-grenades de 40 mm MK 13, disponible en version autonome (“stand alone”) ou sous forme de module directement adaptable au fusil, vient compléter l’ensemble.
Par ailleurs, l’architecture ouverte du système d’armes SCAR permet de nombreuses adaptations, que ce soit en termes de modularité ou de calibres intermédiaires, correspondant aux évolutions à venir induites par les progrès technologiques et l’évolution probable des conditions d’engagement opérationnel qui ne manqueront pas de se produire pendant les 25 à 30 ans de durée de vie du programme.
 
La Société FN Herstal, S.A., implantée à Herstal (Belgique) depuis 1889 est membre du Groupe Herstal, qui est également propriétaire de la Société Browning.
FN Herstal, S.A., spécialisée dans le domaine des systèmes d’armes de petit calibre à destination des Forces Armées, des Forces Spéciales et des Forces de l’Ordre, a une vocation internationale et de fortes capacités industrielles et commerciales en Europe et dans le reste du monde, en particulier aux Etats-Unis. FN Herstal a bâti une réputation d’excellence sur des produits tels que le fusil FAL, les mitrailleuses MINIMI (US M249), MAG 58 (US M240), mitrailleuses de calibre 12,7, M2 à changement rapide de canon et M3 à tir rapide (1.100 cps/min) et bien d’autres armes légères telles que le P90, le F2000 etc. Tous les détails sur www.fnherstal.com.
 

 

SOFEX 2010
International Special Forces Operations

Exhibition & Conference

Amman, Jordan
10 - 13 May 2010
 
Rosoboronexport at SOFEX 2010
 
Friday , 13 May 2010, 23:19
 
Rosoboronexport at SOFEX 2010 with the most advanced weapons and equipment.
 
 
The Russian federal state unitary enterprise (FSUE) “Rosoboronexport” brings the most advanced items of Russian special-purpose weapons and equipment to SOFEX 2010. Russia has been traditionally participating in SOFEX events at the Marka airbase since 2002 with its national expositions set up under the aegis of Rosoboronexport. The Middle East is seeing by Rosoboronexport as one of the most promising arms markets with bright prospects for establishing closer and deeper military-technical cooperation. Russia has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Jordan, the host country, as is evidenced by continuous bilateral contacts at high level. A number of items on display at SOFEX 2010 have been developed with due account of the vast experience that Russia gained in its anti-terrorism operations. Nowadays most of these weapons and devices are used by special-operations units of the Russian Ministry of Interior and Federal Security Service, allowing them to effectively counter emerging threats. It must be emphasized that Russian special-purpose weapons offered for delivery by Rosoboronexport are manufactured in small batches and transferred under stringent control practically denying chances of their falling into the hands of terrorists.
Among the exhibits one will find legendary Kalashnikov assault rifles of the hundredth series : AK-101, AK-102, AK-103, AK-104 models, its AK-74M and AKMS upgrades, AN-94 Nikonov assault rifle as well as the 7.62 mm RPK and Pecheneg machine guns and 12.7 mm 6P50 infantry heavy machine gun. The 5.45 mm PSM and 9 mm PMM pistols as well Yarygin self-loading pistol are considered to be ideal weapons for close quarters battle.


aAN-94 Nikonov Assault rifle
 
The Russian exposition will also showcase the RPG-7V1 and RPG-29 hand-held antitank grenade launchers, AGS-30 automatic grenade launchers, Metis-M1 and Kornet-E antitank guided missile systems, as well RPO-A, RPO-D and RPO-Z infantry rocket flame-throwers.


RPO-A infantry rocket flame-throwers
 
Another exhibit is the DP-65 remotely-controlled grenade launcher system designed to protect against underwater saboteurs both military and civil installations, such as offshore oil production platforms and terminals. It range of fire goes from 50 to 500 m, with the fuse set to a given depth. The Russian-made Eleron-3 and Eleron-10 remote surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV’s) will also showcased at the exhibition. The UAV’s can be deployed to conduct real-time surveillance over designated targets in given areas.

Eleron-10 UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
 
Moreover, SOFEX 2010 exhibition provides Rosoboronexport with the opportunity of presenting other types of Russian arms and military equipment offered for export. During SOFEX 2010 some specialists of Russian defense companies gave detailed briefing on the Mi-35M, Ka-52 and Mi-17Sh helicopters, T-90U main battle tank with its new 45M integrated fire control, upgraded ZU-23/ZOM1 anti-aircraft gun system, and Igla-S man-portable air defence missile system.

Ka-52 Combat Helicopter