The following is a Saber Defence Industries press release: NASHVILLE, TN (July 15, 2008)- Sabre Defence Industries, LLC (SDI), a government contractor for the manufacture of machine gun parts and accessories and commercial XR15 rifles, is proud to announce that Sabre Defence has been awarded an IDIQ contract for a minimum of 4,952 M16A3 and 702 M16A4 rifles to support …

By Captain D. July 15, 2008 Usually, a police agency does not spend a lot of time utilizing unusual calibers or cartridges in its rifles for animal control. My town, which is a first ring suburb of a major mid-west city, is in an area known for record class whitetail deer. To protect my administration, I will not identify myself …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com July 11, 2008 U.S. troops are having to contend with new improvised weapons known as Improvised Rocket-Assisted Munitions a.k.a. Improvised Rocket Assisted Mortars, or IRAMs for short. IRAMs a.k.a. "aerial IEDs" are configured in linear arrays in the backs of tractor-trailer trucks and are comprised of metal cannisters that contain the 107mm …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com DefenseReview would like to get some operational/combat data, including anecdotal information, about the terminal ballistic performance of the 6.8 SPC (6.8x43mm SPC a.k.a. 6.8mm SPC) in combat. So we’d like to request the assitance of any/all U.S. military Special Operations and law enforcement SWAT/SRT personnel in this endeavor. If you or anyone …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com July 05, 2008 DefenseReview got the chance to test-fire two Israeli combat weapons during the firing demonstration portion of NDIA International Infantry & Joint Services Small Arms Systems Symposium 2008, which was held at the Tac-Pro Shooting Center. The two weapons we fired were the IMI-developed select-fire Negev Commando Version LMG/SAW 5.56mm …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com We here at DefenseReview are big fans of Aimpoint products, particularly the CompM2 – M68/CCO (Close Combat Optic), CompM4 and Micro T-1 red dot combat sights, and the 3XMag magnifying optic. Aimpoint combat optics (optical sights) are combat proven and highly trusted by professional trigger pullers the world over, and for good …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Speaking of sub-Hellfire-yield laser-guided missiles, Thales UK Air Systems Division (ASD) has introduced a new low-cost, lightweight multi-role missile called, appropirately enough, the Lightweight Multirole Missile (a.k.a. Lightweight Multi-role Missile)–or LMM for short–as a follow-on to the Starstreak Self-Propelled High-Velocity Missile (SP HVM) a.k.a. Starstreak Multi-role Missile (surface-to-air/surface-to-surface missile) and Starburst surface-to-air …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com DefenseReview has covered the 6.8 SPC (a.k.a. 6.8 Remington SPC a.k.a. 6.8x43mm SPC a.k.a. 6.8mm Remington SPC a.k.a. 6.8mm SPC) round for quite some time now. We’re a proponent of the cartridge, due to its superior efficacy over 5.56x45mm NATO (5.56mm NATO)/.223 Rem. within its (6.8 SPC) operational envelope of 400-500 yards, …

by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Back in May, DefenseReview learned that Raytheon is teaming with an Abu-Dhabi, UAE-based company called Emirates Advanced Investments (EAI) to create an advanced semi-active-laser-guided 2.75"/70mm Hydra rocket under the moniker "Laser Guided Rocket" (LGR). The concept, of course, is nothing new. Back in September of last year, DefenseReview reported on the sudden …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com DefenseReview has been contacted by a number of journalists (reporters and writers) to get our take on the Northrop Grumman/EADS (Airbus) aerial refueling tanker aircraft contract award and subsequent Boeing protest situation. This is a big-deal situation, since our current fleet of KC-135 tanker aircraft are getting quite long in the tooth, …