MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Marines got a chance to see and, in some cases, feel this year’s newest military gear when the Marine West Military Expo was held at the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Club Jan. 18-19.
Marines at the event had the opportunity to pick up a few sample items and to gather information on the products, from cleaning supplies to weapons’ enhancements.
Products from Xenonics like the Night Hunter and Night Hunter II, which are more than typical flashlights, could prove beneficial for Marines conducting combat missions on Iraq’s urban battlefield. The lights have stronger bulbs and can be modified to infrared. The NH is a hand-held or mounted light with a range of 2,400 meters with normal white light and 800 meters infrared, said Dave Henry, Night Hunter customer service representative.
The NH-II is smaller and is easier to carry. This piece of equipment fits directly on the M-16 A4 service rifle. It slides onto the hand guards and sits to the side of the muzzle. Its beam can reach up to 1,200 meters in white light and 800 meters as an infrared beam. One disadvantage to the light is the weight, roughly four pounds.
“It was heavy, pulling the muzzle down, but I would take it into combat,” said Lance Cpl. Matthew B. Everett, personal administration clerk, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
These and other items may soon be in the hands of Marines.
“Last year the Marine Corps purchased 1,200 Night Hunter II’s for use here and in Iraq,” Henry said.
Other technologically savvy items include scopes by Trijicon.
“The Marine Corps’ initial order on this is 104,000,” said Curt Monnig, Trijicon manager of military and federal law enforcement division.
The scope, identified as TA31RCO, can be mounted on the M-16A2 and M-16A4 service rifle and requires no batteries. It gets its energy from the fiber of tritium on the top of the scope. This fiber allows the scope to be used at night or low light situations, Monnig explained.
Items that could be handy for operations and downtime were also on display.
Panasonic has developed a laptop called Toughbook. It has all the capabilities of a normal laptop computer, plus some, said Steve Jochim, area sales manager, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company. The Toughbooks as a whole can endure temperatures from below freezing to 150 degrees, repel water and can be dropped without suffering damages, he said. The laptops have a failure rating of 5 percent in a combat environment compared to the 25 and 30 percent of a regular laptop in everyday conditions. Plus, the Toughbook comes with a three-year warranty, added Jochim.
“One group of Marines (flight-line maintenance) already has this technology,” said Jochim. “Those Marines deploying can check out the Toughbook through our website (www.toughbook.com).”
These were only some of the items demonstrated at the Expo to enhance the military way of life. Many Marines left with a look at the technology the Corps is getting in the upcoming months.
“The vendors were very helpful and are giving us free stuff to accomplish our mission and make it a little easier for us when we deploy,” said Lance Cpl. Christopher A. Florea, armorer, Assault Amphibian School Battalion, Marine Corps Base. “They should do this more often.”