Page 10 - Defence Industry Guide #57

10 DEFENCE NEWS
ADM’s Defence Industry Guide 2023 | Edition 57 | www.defencesuppliers.com.au
FORCE ORDNANCE TO SUPPLY NEW ADF SNIPER RIFLE SCOPES
LIGHTFORCE Group’s defence arm Force Ordnance has been selected to provide its Nightforce precision rifle scopestotheADFaspartoftheSnip- er Systems component of the Land 159 Lethality Systems Project Tranche 1.
The development paves the way for Force Ordnance’s M663 MIL-SPEC ATACR 7-35x56F1 scope to bring ADF sniper capability up to Five-Eyes na- tion standards.
Force Ordnance’s scope met the re- quirements of the Long Range Anti- Personnel Sniper Capability (LRAPSC) element of Land 159 and will equip
LEFT: Force Ordnance’s scope will equip specially trained ADF snipers.
specially trained ADF snipers to deliver precision fire against en- emy combatants at ranges up to 1800 metres in day and night conditions.
Typical deployments include sup- port to patrols, operations, surveil- lance and other specified tasks as well as Anti-Materiel Sniper Capability (AMSC) for the purposes of providing precision fire against enemy materiel (such as vehicles and equipment) at ranges of up to 2500 metres.
Force Ordnance Business Develop- ment Manager, Paul Mason, served as a sniper in the ADF for 17 years, 12 of which were with the Special Air Ser- vice Regiment, and believes the ATA- CR 7-35x56mm F1 is a ‘game-changer’ for ADF snipers.
“The obvious benefit is the magnifi- cation improvement which takes ADF scope capability from 3-12 to 7-35 power, which in practical terms means that snipers can accurately identify targets at 1200m, which is double the currently capability,” Mason said.
“Currently, a sniper would have to use an independent spotting scope to accurately identify targets beyond 600 metres whereas now that capability is built into the scope.”
For Mason, of perhaps equal ad- vantage is the addition of the TREM- OR3TM reticle to the system, which he says allows snipers to accurately range targets. Built by Horus Vision Reticle Technologies, a Lightforce Group company, the TREMOR3TM reticle reportedly gives users the capa- bility to quickly estimate the range to targets while also giving the user wind speed and drop correction information for fast and accurate second shot cor- rections.
“The TREMOR3TM reticle is used by USSOCOM and US Navy SEALS and is a preferred choice of multiple Precision Rifle Series Champions.”
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS ACQUIRES BARRETT
MOTOROLA Solutions has acquired Perth-based Barrett Communications, a global provider of specialised radio communications.
Barrett Communications designs high frequency (HF) and very high frequency (VHF) mission-critical ra- dio communications. This technology is designed to enable critical commu- nications in any location without the need for infrastructure in security and peacekeeping operations, as well as humanitarian response efforts.
“Motorola Solutions and Barrett Communications are united in their purpose of delivering the vital commu- nications that organisations around the world depend on to help further
safety,” said Mark Schmidl, senior vice president, International Sales, Motor- ola Solutions. “Barrett brings us a new portfolio of communications capabili- ties beyond traditional land mobile ra- dio, allowing us to support highly spe- cialised operations.”
“We look forward to building upon Mo- torola Solutions’ indus- try-leading portfolio, extending critical voice communications to
RIGHT: A Barrett Communications radio.
support essential operations, humani- tarian work and disaster response and recovery,” said Andrew Burt, CEO, Barrett Communications.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
BARRETT COMMUNICATIONS
SUPPLIED